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Tag: Pakistan

  • Pakistan grapples with massive Rs63.4 trillion debt

    Pakistan grapples with massive Rs63.4 trillion debt

    In November 2023, Pakistan’s total debt soared to an alarming Rs63.399 trillion, marking a significant increase from Rs50.959 trillion in the same month of the previous year. 

    According to details, this surge comprises Rs40.956 trillion in domestic loans and Rs22.434 trillion in international loans.

    The recent development follows Pakistan’s commitment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new loan programme. 

    As outlined in the Memorandum of Economic and Financial Table, Pakistan has pledged to boost foreign reserves to $13.6 billion in FY2024–25, facilitating access to the IMF’s financial assistance.

    To support its financial strategy, Pakistan is planning to roll over a $6.34 billion loan in the upcoming fiscal year, coupled with a targeted increase of $1.31 billion in foreign investments, as highlighted by the MEFPT. 

    These measures aim to navigate the country through its evolving economic landscape.

  • No signal from ‘any quarters’ to postpone upcoming polls, Solangi confirms

    No signal from ‘any quarters’ to postpone upcoming polls, Solangi confirms

    The federal Caretaker Minister for Information, Murtaza Solangi, stated on Friday that the interim government has not received any indication from any source to postpone the upcoming elections set to take place on February 8, 2024.

    Earlier on Friday, Senator Dilawar Khan tabled a resolution in the sparsely attended Upper House, which garnered the required support despite opposition from Information Minister Murtaza Solangi and Senator Afnan Ullah Khan of the Muslim League (N).

    Talking to journalists outside the Parliament House, Solangi said: “So far, no signal has been received from any quarters regarding the postponement of elections.”

    He also stated that only the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has the authority to postpone general elections.

    The minister believed that there were no instructions from interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar or the federal cabinet to postpone polls.

    According to Article 218(3) of the Constitution, ECPhas the power to conduct elections, give a date, or change the date for elections, he said.

    “We cannot interfere in the affairs of a constitutional body.”

  • British-Pakistani given royal award for saving 29 lives

    British-Pakistani given royal award for saving 29 lives

    Pakistani-British rail worker Rizwan Javed, who has saved 29 people from taking their own lives since 2015, has been appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), Geo’s Murtaza Ali Shah reported.

    Rizwan Javed, from Leyton in East London, works for the MTR Elizabeth line at Ealing Broadway and Paddington stations. He joined the railway around 10 years ago and at the start of his career, he attended the Samaritans training course.

    Talking to the Geo News, Rizwan said, “I am thankful to Allah for this honour. It’s all due to the prayers of my parents that I have been recognised in the King’s New Year’s Honours List. It’s a huge honour for me that my work in the mental health area has been recognised this way.”

    He has been instrumental in saving several lives at the platform during the course of his work by being alert and approaching vulnerable individuals in weak moments.

    He gave credit to his training at Samaritans, “With the Samaritans, I learned how to identify vulnerable people, what sort of conversations to have with them, how to engage them, how to look out, and how to take them to the point of safety.”


    Within the first week after starting his railway job, Javed helped stop someone from taking their own life.


    Recalling an incident Rizwan shared that in one instance he talked to a girl in her mid-20s after identifying that she needed help. “A few days later, she came running to me at the station and gave me a big hug. She said she wouldn’t be alive today if I had not talked to her that night and if I had not convinced her that life was worth living. That was very emotional and rewarding.”


    He said people are not educated about mental health issues and these things create an impact.


    He told Geo News that he believes that Allah will always reward him for helping others and being there for those who have no one else to talk to them or undergoing. He credited his Pakistani parents for teaching him from a young age the importance of being helpful and charitable.


    He said: “My parents always taught me how to be a good and useful citizen, how to make a positive difference.”


    Javed and his parents were thrilled when they received the government letter telling him he was being appointed MBE for his services.


    MBE is the third highest ranking Order of the British Empire level (excluding a knighthood/damehood), behind Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), and then Officer of the Order of British Empire (OBE).

  • American couple’s dog eats cash worth more than 11 lac and they retrieve it through vomit and poop

    American couple’s dog eats cash worth more than 11 lac and they retrieve it through vomit and poop

    A Pittsburgh couple’s dog Cecil ate through 4,000 dollars in cash, leading his owners to embark on a difficult recovery mission.

    The couple, Clayton and Carrie Law were in shock when their dog ate the huge sum they had just withdrawn from the bank. Clayton had set the money on the kitchen table and within 30 minutes their usually restrained dog just decided to hop onto it. The dog ingested about half the money and ripped up the other half, Clayton said.

    After searching online, the couple found that damaged currency can be mailed or dropped off at the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s office along with a letter stating the estimated amount and the reason for damage.


    However, this is expected to take six months to three years. Instead of waiting, Carrie said the couple called their bank to see if they could deposit damaged currency. They learned this happens often, and the bank advised them to wait until Cecil expelled the cash – one way or another.
    That same night, the dog vomited almost 100 dollars, the couple told USA Today in an interview.


    During the next three days, Cecil excreted a couple of 50 and 100-dollar bills. The couple had a system in place: Clayton would pick up the feces and stand at their sink, sorting what came out. Meanwhile, Carrie would try to match the serial numbers on the scraps of bills and tape them together.
    The Laws were able to recover around $3,500 of the original $4,000 Cecil ripped up and ate. They still have the recovered money in their home and they are planning to see if the bank will accept it.


    When Carrie posted a video of what happened on Instagram, she initially thought only a few friends would see it and engage with it.
    Since it was posted on Dec. 14, the video has received nearly 11.6 million views on Instagram.

  • Covid testing of foreign arrivals starts again in Pakistan

    Covid testing of foreign arrivals starts again in Pakistan

    The National Institute of Health (NIH) has provided COVID-19 testing kits to the Border Health Services Department in Islamabad, reports Geo.

    According to the officials of the Federal Ministry of Health, 40,000 rapid diagnostic kits have been given to the Border Health Services Department.
    The authorities told Geo that COVID testing of those coming from abroad has started at many airports including Islamabad. Two percent of the passengers coming from abroad will be subjected to mandatory Covid testing.


    Officials said that genome sequencing of a few detected Covid cases is also being carried out.


    Testing kits have not yet arrived at Multan and Faisalabad International Airports.


    Meanwhile, a new sub-variant of the Omicron strain of coronavirus named JN.1 has health experts on alert, as it has been classified as a “variant of interest” by the World Health Organisation (WHO) due to its fast-growing spread. A staggering fifty percent increase in COVID-19 infections has been observed worldwide.

  • Animal, featuring Ranbir Kapoor, to hit Pakistani Netflix soon

    Animal, featuring Ranbir Kapoor, to hit Pakistani Netflix soon

    Pakistani fans of Ranbir Kapoor can rejoice as the Bollywood superstar’s latest movie, Animal, is coming soon to Netflix. According to Hindustan Times, the Sandeep Reddy Vanga directed venture will be available on the streaming service from January 26.


    According to India Today, the longer version of the action-packed film is set to come out on the streaming platform in 2024. Notably, Netflix’s official Instagram page has posted pictures of the popular Bollywood actor from the film’s premiere.

    Director Karan Johar has declared Animal as the best film of the year, stressing that despite his own 2023 romance Rocky Aur Rani, he strongly believes Animal is unparalleled. According to Hindustan Times, Karan stated, “I cannot disagree with you more because Animal is the best film of the year.”
    He compared it to the time when he praised Kabir Singh and faced judgment. Karan said, “I thought, ‘I’m going to say something and I’m going to get bad looks from certain people, but I don’t care anymore.”
    Karan Johar explained why he is so passionate about Animal, emphasizing its bold and conviction-driven storytelling that defies traditional norms in popular cinema. He praised a unique sequence in the film where a song is played while the hero is getting beaten up, highlighting the cleverness in the storytelling. Johar added, “Animal’s popularity and acceptance, in my opinion, are revolutionary. It is a conviction that I would like to possess.”

  • Senate approves resolution asking for delay in elections

    Senate approves resolution asking for delay in elections

    The Pakistani Senate has approved a resolution to postpone the general elections scheduled for February 8 in the country.

    Senator Dilawar Khan tabled the resolution in the sparsely attended Upper House which garnered required support despite opposition from Information Minister Murtaza Solangi and Senator Afnan Ullah Khan of the Muslim League (N).

    13 out of 14 senators present in the House voted in favor of the resolution.

    As Senator Dilawar read the resolution out loud, he said that the Constitution upheld the right to vote for every citizen of Pakistan, and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was bound to conduct free and fair polls contingent upon inclusivity and ensuring the participation of all regional people.

    “The vote turnout in colder areas remains notably high during the moderate weather conditions. January and February are recognised as the coldest months in the majority of the areas in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.

    Senator Dilawar Khan cited severe cold weather prevalent in many regions, making participation in those areas challenging.

    He also highlighted recent security incidents, including attacks on Mohsin Dawar and members of Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), as well as security forces in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    Aimal Wali of the ANP also expressed reservations over the elections.

    During the debate, Senator Dilawar Khan emphasized the existence of threats against individuals during election rallies, underscoring the need to address these security challenges before proceeding with the elections.

    He proposed delaying the February 8 election schedule and called for the Election Commission to act, expressing trust in the Senate Election Commission.

    Senator Afnan Ullah Khan of the Muslim League (N) opposed the resolution, seeking to validate Senator Dilawar Khan’s concerns.

    He acknowledged security challenges but argued that conditions were not as dire as in 2008 and 2013 when elections proceeded under more adverse circumstances.

    Afnan Ullah questioned the rationale behind using security as a pretext for postponing the elections, expressing skepticism about the proposed delay, questioning whether Great Britain and the United States postponed elections during major conflicts.

    He asserted that using weather conditions as a reason for election delay was unfounded, pointing out that elections had been held twice in adverse circumstances before.

    Information Minister Murtaza Solangi also voiced his opposition to the resolution. However, despite these objections, the Senate moved forward, approving the resolution to postpone the general elections slated for February 8.

    The controversy surrounding the decision continues, with differing opinions on the validity of the reasons presented for delaying the electoral process.

  • Punjab: 261 Startups ‘graduate’ under National Expansion Plan

    Punjab: 261 Startups ‘graduate’ under National Expansion Plan

    A total of 261 startups graduated under the National Expansion Plan (NEP) of the National Incubation Centres (NICs) Programme, a collaborative effort of the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) and Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), from January 2023 to December 2023, reports the Express Tribune.

    The meeting was presided over by PITB Chairman Faisal Yousaf who informed the participants that 87 of the successful startups from Punjab, 64 from Sindh, 39 from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 31 from Balochistan and 20 each from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.

    The PITB chairman said the objective of the plan was to democratise entrepreneurship, boost business activity across the country, grow the IT industry and promote economic growth. “The incubation programme is tailored to the needs of early-stage startups and runs on a zero-equity model,” he added.


    In partnership with public sector universities, 13 tech incubation centres have been set up across the country, where startups are provided free of charge workspace, mentorship, networking opportunities and stipend.

  • PPP is all set to conquer Punjab and Sindh

    PPP is all set to conquer Punjab and Sindh

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari formally initiated his election campaign from NA-127 Lahore on Thursday.

    The party aims to leverage the perceived political vacuum created by the establishment in Pakistan.

    With the main rival, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), still deliberating on ticket allocations for Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), PPP leaders have been actively canvassing for votes in their respective constituencies.

    According to the party’s central Punjab chief, a majority of aspiring candidates have already received confirmation regarding ticket allocations, making the official announcement a mere formality.

    PPP has unveiled its 10-point agenda as part of its manifesto, with the official manifesto set to be revealed in the coming days, as announced by the party’s information secretary.

    In contrast, PML-N, despite forming a manifesto committee over a month ago, has not made any public announcements regarding its plans.

    The recent introduction of an online portal by PML-N to gather public input on its manifesto suggests that the process is not in its advanced stages.

    Bilawal, who will contest elections from three constituencies, including NA-127 Lahore and the party stronghold Larkana, visited his election office at Green Town in Lahore to formally launch the campaign.

    During his election campaign trail, he would address rallies in Faisalabad (Jan 11), Layah (Jan 12), Bahawalpur (Jan 13), Balochistan’s Naseerabad (Jan 14), Sindh’s Larkana (Jan 15), Qambar Shahdadkot (Jan 16) Badin and Sanghar (Jan 17), Nowshero Feroz and Dadu (Jan 18), Rahim Yar Khan (Jan 19) Kot Daud (Jan 20), Lahore (Jan 21), Chiniot (Jan 23), Sarghoda (Jan 24), Lala Musa (Jan 25) Multan (Jan 26), Peshawar (Jan 27) , Rawalpindi (Jan 28), Kurram (Jan 29), DI Khan (Jan 30), Malakand (Jan 31), Khuzdar (Feb 1), Kashmor and Shikarpur (Feb 2) Mirpurkhas (Feb 3), Hyderabad (Jan 4) and his second last rally as per schedule would be in Karachi (Jan 5).

    The decision to contest from Lahore is seen as a strategic move, countering PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif’s decision to contest from Karachi NA-242.

    The PPP aims to secure NA-127 Lahore, building on the momentum gained from the December 2021 by-election results, where the party’s candidate secured significant votes. The move is also seen as an effort to mitigate the risk of a complete loss for the party in Punjab.

    The party sees the absence of PTI from the political arena as a golden opportunity to capitalize on anti-PML-N votes. The PML-N is expected to issue the NA-127 ticket to its Deputy General Secretary Ata Tarar.

    Meanwhile, Mayor Murtaza Wahab asserted that the people of Karachi demonstrated their support for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the local government elections held on January 15, 2023, citing the party’s perceived capability to address the city’s issues.

    The mayor expressed these sentiments during the ‘Meeting the Editors’ program organized by the Council of Newspaper Editors (CPNE) on Thursday.

    “We worked for the resolution of the issues of the people of Karachi with sincerity. The development work will continue. People think that the next government will be of the PPP as they see Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as a viable leader,” the mayor said.

    Wahab attributed the success of the Jamaat-e-Islami in the local government elections to the boycott by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

  • Security forces kill two terrorists in Tank

    Security forces kill two terrorists in Tank

    Two terrorists and one militant were killed by security forces on Friday in an Intelligence-Based Operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank district, the military’s media wing has confirmed.

    According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted the operation after reports of the presence of terrorists in the area.

    “During the conduct of the operation, after an intense fire exchange, two terrorists, including HVT (high-value target) Gul Yousaf, also known as Toor, were sent to hell,” said the ISPR.

    Yousaf was involved in numerous terrorist activities, including targeted killings of civilians and attacks on security forces in Tank and Dera Ismail Khan.