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Tag: Pakistan

  • In aftermath of policeman opening fire on school van, psychological reviews to be conducted every 6 months

    In aftermath of policeman opening fire on school van, psychological reviews to be conducted every 6 months

    A police constable on Tuesday opened fire on a school van in Swat District, killing at least one student and injuring six others.

    The deceased was identified as seven-year-old Aisha.

    The suspect named Alam Khan was arrested on the spot with an FIR registering against him immediately. Alam Khan was posted on security duty of the school since the past three months. The suspect has admitted his crime in front of a court.

    The residents of the area staged a protest against the incident on Wednesday.

    Journalist Iftikhar Firdous has tweeted that after the tragic incident, the Home and Tribal Affairs Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has ordered that psychological reviews of security guards be conducted every six months.

  • Asia Cup 2023: Bangladesh rejects Dubai as neutral venue proposed by Pakistan

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has proposed a hybrid model to Asian Cricket Council (ACC) as the best possible way to conduct the tournament amicably.

    The model initially proposed that India play their matches at a neutral venue and the rest of the teams come to Pakistan and play their matches, with a possible India vs. Pakistan final taking place at the neutral venue.

    Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly rejected the first hybrid model, prompting Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi to propose a revised version in which the first four matches will take place in Pakistan and then all the teams along with the men in green, move to the neutral venue.


    PCB told ACC and BCCI that they decide the neutral venue because they are the hosts.

    PCB wants Dubai or UAE to be the host of Asia Cup if the hybrid model is considered because the money gateways are clearer in Dubai rather than Sri Lanka or any other venue.

    Bangladesh and Sri Lankan boards have agreed to the hybrid model but Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has observed that it’s too hot in Dubai so that’s why players are not agreeing to play in the desert city.

    “We have no issues if the tournament will be completely played in Pakistan, we have good bilateral relations with Pakistan and PCB, we are ready to come,” the board reported said, adding that they will be ok with Sri Lanka too.


    “The weather in UAE is not suitable for cricket and it will affect the health of players as we can not afford to take any risk specially ahead of World Cup 2023.”

    According to sources quoted by media, Pakistan will travel to India for the World Cup on the basis of some give and take if India agrees in writing that they will travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

  • Pakistan reaffirms commitment to $6.5 billion IMF bailout, dismissing rumors of retraction

    Pakistan reaffirms commitment to $6.5 billion IMF bailout, dismissing rumors of retraction

    On Wednesday, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue, Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha, dismissed rumours of Pakistan retracting from the anticipated $6.5 billion bailout programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    According to Geo, Pasha clarified that discussions were ongoing between the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Finance Division, emphasising that Pakistan remained engaged with the IMF. Speculation arose when reports suggested that Pakistan had taken a firm stance against the IMF and refused to share details of the upcoming budget.

    This led to concerns that the financially strained nation was reneging on the deal originally agreed upon by the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

    Pasha expressed the government’s commitment to continuing the IMF programme, acknowledging the political sacrifices made by the coalition government to meet the Fund’s conditions. Negotiations with the IMF have been aimed at restarting the $6.5 billion bailout programme, which is crucial for Pakistan to avert default.

    During a meeting with journalists after the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Pasha revealed that the coalition government would present its second budget in the first week of June, marking the second year since assuming power in April. The Finance Bill 2023-24 is scheduled to be presented in the National Assembly on June 9, while the Economic Survey 2022-23 will be released on June 8, according to sources.

    Assuring the public during the briefing, Pasha affirmed that the government would strive to alleviate the burden on the masses amidst these challenging times, as the budget figures were being finalized. However, she cautioned that the situation would remain difficult until the tax-to-GDP ratio reached double digits, emphasizing the necessity of expanding the tax base.

    The state minister disclosed the Ministry of Finance’s plan to transition from indirect taxes to direct taxes, stating that such a shift would reduce the burden on the general population. She reiterated the government’s intention to introduce direct taxes in the upcoming budget for the fiscal year 2023-24, expressing concern over the negative impact of tax concessions on the economy.

    Meanwhile, FBR Chairman Asim Ahmed briefed the committee on the capital value tax, disclosing that the revenue generated from this tax during the current financial year amounted to Rs9 billion.

    Addressing the concerns of senators regarding the implementation of capital valuation tax on domestic and foreign assets, Ahmed clarified that this measure aimed to include the wealthier individuals in the tax net. He also noted that the revenue board was registering new individuals with foreign assets while maintaining records of those already registered.

  • Islamabad High Court orders release of Shah Mahmood Qureshi

    Islamabad High Court orders release of Shah Mahmood Qureshi

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued an order for the release of senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and declared his arrest illegal under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law.


    The orders were given by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the IHC while hearing a case pertaining to Qureshi’s arrest.

    The court instructed the PTI leader to produce an undertaking identical to the one provided by former state minister Ali Muhammad Khan when it issued his release orders.
    Following PTI chairman Imran Khan’s arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case on

    May 9, several PTI leaders, including Qureshi, were detained for “inciting violent protests.

  • ‘My criticism on army is like criticism on children’: IK gives address as he expects arrest

    ‘My criticism on army is like criticism on children’: IK gives address as he expects arrest

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan addressed party workers from his Zaman Park residence through video link on Wednesday.
    “I am afraid today that Pakistan is on the route to destruction,” he said during the speech.


    While talking about his criticism of the army, Imran said, “When I criticise the army, it is like me criticising my children.”

    He blamed PDM for “deliberately trying to create a conflict between the PTI and the army.”

    “If an inquiry is properly conducted into this, it would be revealed who was behind this conspiracy to ban a political party,” said Imran, adding that putting 7,500 people behind bars was pre-planned.

  • LUMS professor beaten up for demanding freedom of speech

    LUMS professor beaten up for demanding freedom of speech

    Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) professor Muhummad Tariq said that he was beaten up for holding placards outside of the university with his teenage children and for “suggesting upholding the constitution and exercising fundamental rights to express ourselves.”

    He has alleged that due to the beating, he ended up with a broken arm and knee.

    Taking to social media, he said that after all this he does not regret coming back to Pakistan and is proud of the country and will serve it with even more dedication, commitment and honesty.

    He also said he always tells his student to stand strong. He ended the note by saying that he is doing fine now.

  • ‘Individual act of workers’: Waleed Iqbal says protesters should be dealt with Army Act

    ‘Individual act of workers’: Waleed Iqbal says protesters should be dealt with Army Act

    Senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Waleed Iqbal, who is also the grandson of 20th-century poet and philosopher Allama Iqbal, has said that he saw PTI workers inside Lahore’s Jinnah House at the time of the attack on the building on May 09. He however, said that these were iindividual acts of party workers and they should be charged according to the Army Act or any other applicable law.

    He made the comments on Waseem Badami’s programme on ARY on Tuesday evening.

    He continued by saying that the party had not made announcement in this regard nor had a policy of violence.

    A Special Corps Commander Conference held on Monday at the General Headquarters (GHQ), presided by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, decided that the planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators of the attacks on military installations and buildings during the protests led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters will be tried under relevant Pakistani laws, including the Army Act and Official Secret Act.

  • Pakistan suspends cryptocurrency services to combat illegal transactions

    Pakistan suspends cryptocurrency services to combat illegal transactions

    The Pakistani government announced on Wednesday that it will suspend cryptocurrency services provided over the internet in the country in order to prevent illicit digital currency transactions.

    According to Geo, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Ministry of Information Technology have already begun the process of prohibiting cryptocurrencies, complying with the directives.

    During a briefing to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha, the Minister of State for Finance and Revenue, emphasised that cryptocurrency will never be legalised in Pakistan.

    She revealed that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has imposed restrictions on the matter, stating that the condition set by FATF is that cryptocurrency will not be legalised.

    Supporting Pasha’s stance, Sohail Jawad, the Director of SBP, stated that crypto transactions carry high risks and will therefore never be granted permission in Pakistan. He explained that cryptocurrency is a virtual currency with over 16,000 types currently in existence. Additionally, he mentioned that the market, which was valued at $2.8 trillion, has now shrunk to $1.2 trillion.

    Senator Saleem Mandviwalla from the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) expressed concerns over the billions of dollars invested in the market. In response, the SBP official reassured him by mentioning that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU), a financial intelligence unit aiding Pakistan in combating terrorism financing and money laundering, are actively addressing these concerns.

    Pakistan has witnessed a surge in cryptocurrency trading and mining, as evidenced by the growing interest in related social media videos and online exchange transactions.

    Although the government had previously banned trading and mining of virtual currencies in April 2018, cryptocurrency mining continues to thrive in the country, despite the closure of several mining farms.

    Most exchanges operate discreetly through undisclosed partners, evading regulatory oversight. Nevertheless, the government persists in its efforts to curtail crypto trading activities.

  • Six years later, Sajal Aly, Ahad Raza Mir’s powerful performances in ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’ still enthrall Twitter users

    Pakistani dramas are often seen off with heavy sighs of reliefs because honestly, one less thing to plague our minds on a weekly basis.

    But there are some exceptional acting powerhouses like Sajal Aly and Ahad Raza Mir, who have changed the entertainment industry with their performances as well as their chemistry that no other acting duo has been able to compete with.

    In 2017, ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’ graced our screens, marking the debut of Ahad Raza Mir as Dr Asfandyar, who is shattered after the tragic murder of his brother, Daniyal. While Aly starred as Dr Zubia, who is still devastated by the murder of her mother by her father.

    Seven years after this drama, Twitter users still have not gotten over the duo, who later went on to star together in Aangan (2018) and Ye Dil Mera (2019).

    After a tweet asked their followers to share a clip from one of their favorite dramas, Pakistani Twitter users were quick to champion ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’ as one of the finest productions the entertainment industry has produced.

    https://twitter.com/unhingedbushra/status/1658538852154482690?s=20

    Another actress who has been championed by Twitter users as one of the finest actresses Pakistan has ever seen in Yumna Zaidi, as users shared clips of her tear jerking and powerful performance from ‘Dil Naumeed Tou Nahi’ and ‘Pyar Ke Sadqay’

  • Pakistan’s current account records $18 million surplus in April due to import reductions

    Pakistan’s current account records $18 million surplus in April due to import reductions

    Pakistan’s current account recorded a surplus for the second consecutive month in April, with analysts attributing this development to a reduction in imports resulting from administrative measures.

    Data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Tuesday revealed that the country achieved a surplus of $18 million this month, compared to a current account deficit of $640 million last year. The current account had previously attained a surplus in March for the first time since November 2020, reaching $654 million, the highest since February 2015.

    According to experts, April’s current account surplus was lower than expected due to the SBP’s clearance of an import backlog.

    Overall, during the ten months of the current fiscal year, the current account deficit amounted to $3.25 billion, marking a 76 per cent decline compared to $13.65 billion for the same period last year.

    According to the SBP data, the import of goods experienced a 38 per cent year-on-year decrease, amounting to $3.7 billion in April. In contrast, exports also fell by 33 per cent to $2.11 billion.

    Furthermore, remittances declined by 29 per cent to $2.2 billion.

    The current account has achieved a surplus for two months, primarily due to the containment of imports through administrative measures.

    According to Geo, the decrease in imports has led to a slowdown in large-scale manufacturing in the country, impacting overall activity levels in sectors like services and trade.