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Tag: Pakistan

  • Gulistan-e-BTS: Karachi K-pop fan plasters neighborhood with Jung Kook pictures

    Gulistan-e-BTS: Karachi K-pop fan plasters neighborhood with Jung Kook pictures

    BTS army ftw!

    It warms our hearts to see kay aaj kal kay tidday kitnay jazbay say apnay shauq dikhatay hain. Particularly how popular Korean bands are among them.

    A BTS fan Alina, took her love for the Korean musicians to the streets when she promoted Jung Kook’s single ‘Seven’ across the streets of Karachi by posting images everywhere, and we must say this is the kind of planning and task execution even senior officials cannot show!

    Alina, whose Twitter account goes by kimtnam, shared pictures of the posters she had plastered in different areas of Karachi like Dar ul Sehat, Rufi Lake Drive Gate and Pedestal Bridge opposite Karachi University.

    Honestly we love how Twitter users are supporting Alina in expressing her love for Jung Kook rather than shutting her down.

    There was also a rickshaw in Lahore which was promoting Jung Kook’s single, we love how creative this fandom is!

    We love watching this kind of dedication, just as much as we’re loving ‘Seven’!

  • Wall collapse claims 11 lives amid heavy monsoon rains in Islamabad

    Wall collapse claims 11 lives amid heavy monsoon rains in Islamabad

    Islamabad’s Peshawar Road witnessed a devastating incident after heavy monsoon rains led to the collapse of a building’s wall, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of at least 11 individuals on Wednesday, reports Dawn.

    Rescue and police officials said six others were injured in the incident. The bodies of the deceased, believed to be laborers, were recovered from the rubble with the assistance of machinery.

    The bodies were taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), while the injured individuals, one of whom was discharged after receiving first aid, were also brought to the hospital for treatment.

    Heavy rainfall in Islamabad and Rawalpindi has caused waterlogging in low-lying areas, causing disruptions and posing hazards to residents.

    According to an official statement by Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, the collapse occurred when the building’s wall fell onto a tent that the laborers had set up. Efforts were underway to rescue any individuals still trapped in the debris.

    As per details, the laborers were involved in the construction of an underpass on the Grand Trunk Road in the city, as instructed by the National Highway Authority (NHA). However, the NHA issued an official statement denying reports that the collapsed wall was part of the underpass structure.

    The NHA asserted that the underpass walls and construction site were safe and secure, expressing sorrow over the incident and offering prayers for the deceased and their families.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the incident and extended prayers for the departed souls. He directed the district administration to remain vigilant in light of the heavy rains.

  • Pakistani passport is 4th weakest in the world

    Pakistani passport is 4th weakest in the world

    According to Henley & Partners, a global citizenship and residence advisory company, the Pakistani passport is the fourth weakest passport in the world.

    Pakistan is at the 100th position among the 227 countries assessed on the index. The determination is based on the number of destinations where Pakistani citizens can visit without a visa.

    According to the report, Pakistani residents had access to 35 countries with an on-arrival visa until January this year. Now the number has decreased, and Pakistanis can visit only 33 countries with an on-arrival visa.

    On the other hand, Singapore has the most-coveted passport in the world, with Singaporeans being able to visit 193 destinations out of 227 with an on-arrival visa.

    Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria are the countries with the least travel privileges; the citizens of these countries can travel to 27, 29, and 30 destinations, respectively.

  • Imran apologises to court for threatening Judge Zeba

    Imran apologises to court for threatening Judge Zeba

    Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has apologised to the court for threatening Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry in 2022 during a rally, Capital TV has reported.

    “If I have crossed a line, then I apologise,” the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said in the court where he was present in person for the hearing.

    Recalling that he went to Zeba Chaudhary’s court to apologise, Imran Khan said, “I got carried away during the speech and talked of initiating legal proceedings. I told the court that if my comments have hurt anyone, then I apologise.”

  • Buzzfeed’s AI-generated Barbie Dolls article faces backlash for racial stereotypes

    Buzzfeed’s AI-generated Barbie Dolls article faces backlash for racial stereotypes

    Popular website Buzzfeed published an article featuring AI-generated images of Barbie Dolls from every country around the world. The piece has received extreme backlash for promoting racist micro-aggressions and cultural inaccuracies, which prompted the website to delete the article from all of their social media pages.

    Buzzfeed had given a brief disclaimer before the article that they acknowledged the biases and stereotypes demonstrated by AI models, clarifiying that these depictions should not be seen as accurate or comprehensive portrayals of human experiences.

    The article featured Barbies from all around the world, including one from Pakistan, who looked more like she stepped out of an Arabian fantasy book rather than from the streets of Lahore or Karachi.

    And the Barbie from India looks a lot more like subcontinent’s colonial masters than Deepika Padukone, the ACTUAL Barbie.

    And don’t even get me started on what the Afghanistan Barbie looks like. It’s a shame how a vibrant culture is reduced to burqas by racist algorithms

    A lot of the dolls featured in the article from Asian countries like Vietnam and Korea were wearing inaccurate clothing along with white-washed features.

    A Barbie from South Sudan was seen carrying a gun, drawing outrage from users.

    https://twitter.com/wagatwe/status/1677690070445309952?s=20

  • PTA introduces 120-day tax-free mobile registration for overseas Pakistanis

    PTA introduces 120-day tax-free mobile registration for overseas Pakistanis

    Prime Minister (PM) Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated the Online Temporary Mobile Phone Registration System on Tuesday, aimed at facilitating overseas Pakistanis and foreign nationals during their visits to the country.

    Under this system, individuals will be able to register and utilise their personal mobile phones for a duration of up to 120 days from the date of their arrival, exempt from any duties and taxes. This facility is available to overseas Pakistanis, including students and employees, as well as foreign nationals visiting Pakistan for tourism or business purposes.

    During the inaugural ceremony in Islamabad, PM Shehbaz acknowledged the significant progress made by Pakistani youth in the field of information technology and emphasised the need to seize the abundant opportunities in this sector. He further stated that the current government has allocated ample funds in the budget to support various youth-oriented programmes.

     To attract foreign investment and revive the economy, a Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has been established, with the IT Ministry playing a pivotal role in achieving the set objectives.

    Additionally, the PM highlighted the importance of promoting IT parks in the country to boost IT exports. He mentioned the distribution of free laptops among deserving students based on merit and assured that a non-financial package will be announced soon to further enhance facilitation for overseas Pakistanis.

    In December 2018, the government introduced the ‘Mobile Phone Tax Policy,’ allowing overseas Pakistanis to bring one phone without paying customs duty, subject to registration upon arrival at the airport. Failure to register resulted in the phone being non-operational. Initially, the registered phone could be used with one SIM for 60 days, after which it required payment of due taxes to regularise its usage.

    In 2022, authorities upgraded and introduced new features in the Identification Registration and Blocking System, enabling overseas Pakistanis to use their imported mobile phones for a period of 120 days.

    The system facilitated data exchange among the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). It was also integrated with the FIA’s record of passengers’ entry and exit.

  • US finally defends Donald Lu against PTI allegations

    US finally defends Donald Lu against PTI allegations

    More than an year after Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu was named by the then Prime Minister Imran Khan as a conspirator who got his government removed from power, a senior US official has publicly defended him.

    Elizabeth Horst, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, said that the allegations levelled by the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were “categorically false”.

    The American government has repeatedly denied Imran Khan’s allegations, however, they have never named him before Tuesday.

    Horst made the remarks at a conference held in Houston to discuss the future of American and Pakistani relations. “We do not let propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation get in the way of any bilateral relationship, including our valued partnership with Pakistan,” she said, adding that her speech was an “opportunity to address disinformation”.

    Horst also reiterated her administration’s stance of working with any government elected by the Pakistani people as the National Assembly is expected to be dissolved next month.

    “We do not have any position on any political candidate or party,” Horst said during the conference, stressing that the US supports democratic principles, freedom of speech, and the rule of law.

    The statements come in the backdrop of looming general elections, after media reports have said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have decided to dissolve the National Assembly before the completion of its tenure.

    However, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb tweeted on Tuesday that the date for dissolution of the National Assembly has not been decided yet. She has also said that the date would be decided after consultation with allied parties of the coalition government.

  • Pakistan’s current account surplus soars to $334 million in June

    Pakistan’s current account surplus soars to $334 million in June

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has reported that Pakistan’s current account has achieved a surplus for the fourth consecutive month, reaching $334 million in June 2023.

    This marks a significant improvement compared to the previous year when the current account recorded a deficit of $2.32 billion during the same period. The sustained monthly surplus trend began in March 2023.

    The primary factors contributing to this surplus, as highlighted by Arif Habib Limited (AHL), a reputable brokerage house, are a notable 55 per cent year-on-year decline in total imports and a 29 per cent year-on-year decrease in exports. Furthermore, remittances experienced a 22 per cent year-on-year decrease.

    Data from the central bank reveals that Pakistan’s exports in June 2023 increased to $2.698 billion, in contrast to the total goods and services export value of $3.794 billion in June 2022.

    Conversely, total imports amounted to $3.847 billion in June 2023, down from $8.533 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year.

  • Everyone will be shocked when secret about PTI’s plan is revealed: Pervez Khattak

    Everyone will be shocked when secret about PTI’s plan is revealed: Pervez Khattak

    Former Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Parvez Khattak, launched a new party on Monday under the name of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTI-P). Pervez Khattak said that he is distancing himself from “PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] Chairman Imran Khan’s anti-country agenda,” ending his ties with the party in which he was once considered the most powerful member.

    Khattak claimed that 57 ex-assembly members and senior politicians of KP have joined his party, revealing that 20 more members will join the party soon.
    “Our existence is directly linked to that of Pakistan. The PTI is now completely finished in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa,” Khattak said. He alleged that his former political party lost three or more chances to win elections.


    “Why did PTI reject election opportunities three to four times? We had chances to hold elections. It is a big secret why PTI wasted the chance of going towards elections. Everyone will be shocked the day the secret is revealed about PTI’s plan,” he claimed.

  • Gold price increases by Rs6,200 to Rs221,000 per tola

    Gold price increases by Rs6,200 to Rs221,000 per tola

    On Tuesday, the gold price in Pakistan experienced a significant increase, aligning with the international market trends and the depreciation of the Pakistani rupee.

    The All-Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APSGJA) reported that the price of 24-carat gold rose by Rs6,200 per tola and Rs5,316 per 10 grammes, reaching Rs221,000 and Rs189,472 respectively.

    Simultaneously, the global market witnessed a $10 rise in the price of gold, settling at $1,967 per ounce.

    In contrast, the prices of silver per tola and 10 grammes remained unchanged at Rs2,650 and Rs2,271.94 respectively. The gold rate in Pakistan has shown volatility in recent times due to ongoing political and economic uncertainty, coupled with high inflation.

    Read more: Pakistan’s current account surplus soars to $334 million in June

    Furthermore, the Pakistani rupee displayed weakness against the dollar in the interbank market on Tuesday, depreciating by Rs3.78, as per data from the State Bank of Pakistan.