In an effort to lessen animosity and differences between the superior judiciary, Chief Justice (CJ) Umar Ata Bandial on Monday hosted a dinner for his fellow senior Supreme Court (SC) judges.
All of the judges of the apex court attended the event except for the next CJ of Pakistan, Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
Justice Isa, a lawyer said, might have decided not to attend the dinner as the CJP has already reserved his decision on a government’s plea regarding withdrawal of its curative review petition against an apex court order dismissing a presidential reference against the said judge.
Earlier, a retired chief justice also reportedly tried to resolve the issues between Bandial and Isa but all in vain.
The SC is divided into two groups with eight judges on one side and seven on the other. Two positions in the Supreme Court have been lying vacant.
It is pertinent to mention that questions related to the supreme power given to CJP Bandial were raised when he took up election suo moto case despite opposition by many senior judges including Justice Qazi Faez. Since then the rift in the court has been widely speculated upon.
You’ve probably heard this name to death on the internet: Hamza Sohail. Women are fangirling over the ‘Fairy Tale’ alum, sharing clips from his recent dramas, while the actor’s Instagram following soared from 60K to 251K in a matter of weeks. A lot of us are shocked because a Pakistani man being thirsted over by women is a rare thing. That there is a man out there without a problematic past, is actually humble, respectful and is also an incredibly good actor?
We found it difficult to believe as well but Hamza Sohail is currently the leading man of our hearts. With his limited but stellar performances in rom-coms like ‘Fairy Tale’ thrillers like ‘Badshah Begum’ and ‘Raqeeb Se’, he has cemented himself as a star to look out for, and we want our audiences to remember his name.
So if you have likely woken up from under a rock and are taken aback by this sudden take over of Hamza Sohail on the internet, let us guide you through a brief introduction of who he is and what he has done in his career so far.
1 He’s the son of renowned comedian, Sohail Ahmed
Being a Nepo Baby is not exactly something that would strike well with an audience that is longing for fresh faces, especially when it is clear how the entertainment industry tends to sideline people who are not from a well-connected background. But Hamza spoke about this issue in an interview with Fuchsia Magazine, sharing that he wanted to become an actor not because of his father, but of his own interests. He also shared that his parents were quite strict, hoping that he would complete CSS and go into the civil service like his grandfather, which is why they often shielded him from the spotlight and urged him to work hard in school. But Sohail developed a passion for acting from participating in theatre and school plays.
2 He made his debut in ‘Raqeeb Se’
His first drama was ‘Raqeeb Se’ where he played Abdul Rehman, the love interest of Insha (played by Faryal Mehmood).
3 He also played the dashing and sensitive Shahmir in ‘Badshah Begum’, which has now reincarnated on the internet despite airing almost two years ago.
‘Badshah Begum’ was a gripping story about politics and rivalry among siblings to claim the throne. It had a star-studded cast including Farhaan Saeed, Zara Noor Abbas and Yasir Hussain. Sohail played the youngest member of the Pir clan, Shahmir. A year later, fans are still in awe of his performance and the tragic love story between Shahmir and Gulnar (played by Hiba Aziz). We’re definitely joining in on the re-watch!
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has published its Future of Jobs Report 2023, which examines how global trends and technologies may impact the job market, including in Pakistan. The report predicts that artificial intelligence (AI) and big data will be vital for companies’ skills strategies worldwide. The report also warns that 83 million jobs may disappear in the next five years across the world, with some jobs becoming obsolete.
The report indicates that 23 per cent of jobs are expected to change by 2027, with 69 million new jobs created and 83 million eliminated. The green transition and localisation of supply chains are expected to generate a net increase in jobs. Cognitive skills, such as analytical and creative thinking, will be the most crucial skills for workers in the next five years, with companies focusing on AI and big data in particular.
The study provides a comprehensive evaluation of Pakistan’s performance related to the Future of Jobs in 2023 and predicts how the job market will unfold in the next 5-7 years. Pakistan has the most negative outlook globally, with a lower skill stability than the global average. The report identifies several global trends and technologies that will affect Pakistan’s job market, such as digital platforms and apps, big-data analytics, and education and workforce development technologies. These trends and technologies will play a crucial role in creating new employment opportunities and driving industry transformation.
WEF’s report suggests that while reskilling and upskilling towards green skills is growing, it is not keeping pace with climate targets. The working-age population in Pakistan is 85.78 million, indicating a vast pool of potential talent. The country’s labor force participation rate is 57 per cent, with 55 per cent of the workforce in vulnerable employment. However, the unemployment rate remains relatively low at 5 per cent. It also highlights that 82 per cent of companies plan to adopt education and workforce development technologies in the next five years.
Mishal Pakistan, the Country Partner Institute of the Center for New Economy and Societies Platform, World Economic Forum, has announced plans to develop a comprehensive report on the Future of Jobs for Pakistan in the third quarter of 2023.
Amir Jahangir, Chief Executive Officer of Mishal Pakistan, believes that by strengthening the education system, investing in vocational and technical training, and fostering a culture of innovation, Pakistan can better equip its population to excel in the global job market. Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum, emphasises that investing in education, reskilling, and social support structures will ensure individuals are at the heart of the future of work.
Pakistani authorities and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are blaming each other for the delay in reviving the IMF bailout programme. The IMF approved a $6.5 billion bailout package for Pakistan in 2019, of which $1.1 billion is still outstanding.
However, issues related to fiscal policy adjustments have delayed the release of the funds since November. The delay has raised concerns as Pakistan has less than a month’s worth of foreign exchange reserves and needs the IMF package to avert defaulting on external payment obligations.
With the expiry of the existing IMF programme on June 30, 2023, Pakistan’s options for reviving the IMF programme are shrinking with every passing day.
While Pakistani authorities argue that the IMF is playing politics, IMF sources say they are still waiting for confirmation on the remaining $2 billion from the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, as well as seeking commercial loans from banks.
According to Geo, Dr Khaqan Najeeb, former adviser Ministry of Finance, has called for short-term measures, such as funding from friendly countries, the revival of the IMF programme, clarity on programme completion dates, and work on the budget for 2023-24 to be undertaken to avoid Pakistan being near the brink of default.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Javed Latif, has expressed disapproval of the ongoing talks between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying that dialogue should never be held with a “terrorist wing” and the “ones who throw petrol bombs”.
Addressing a press conference, Latif, who is considered close to PML-N head Nawaz Sharif, went on to say that dialogue could never be held with a person who “is spreading anarchy in the country, especially at a time when Pakistan’s economy is stabilising and the country is progressing without IMF’s aid”.
He urged “individuals in institutions” to take responsibility for “producing” a person like Imran Khan, Chairman of PTI, and for the consequences of their actions. He also claimed that some people are trying to reinstate the PTI chairman as Prime Minister.
The PML-N leader said that the elections won’t be held without the participation of his party supremo Nawaz Sharif.
The third and final round of talks will be held tomorrow. As of yet, no census is in sight.
Several documents regarding the declining support of key allied countries to the United States (US) have been leaked, a report published by Washington Post has stated.
According to one of the leaked documents, Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, argued in March that her country can “no longer try to maintain a middle ground between China and the United States.”
In an internal memo she titled “Pakistan’s Difficult Choices,” Khar cautioned that Islamabad should avoid giving the appearance of appeasing the West. She said that in order to preserve Pakistan’s partnership with the United States, the country will be sacrificing the full benefits of a “real strategic” partnership with China.
According to another leaked document, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s aide ask him to remain neutral in the Ukraine conflict because it could jeopardise the country’s ties with Russia.
India, likewise, appeared to avoid taking sides between Washington and Moscow during a conversation on February 22 between Indian national security adviser Ajit Kumar Doval and his Russian counterpart, Nikolay Patrushev, another of the leaked documents indicates.
The leaked documents have surfaced when the US is no longer the unchallenged sole superpower in the world, as its former allies make strategic ties with China and Russia while the Middle East goes through its own course correction as former rivals reconcile with deals brokered by China.
The federal government has announced a reduction in the price of diesel by Rs5 per litre, effective immediately, while maintaining the price of petrol for the next two weeks.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that the prices are revised to provide “maximum relief” to the public, following the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. In addition to the decrease in diesel prices, there will be a reduction of Rs10 per litre in the prices of Kerosene oil and Light Diesel Oil (LDO).
The new prices have been set at Rs282 per litre for petrol, Rs288 per litre for high-speed diesel, Rs176.07 per litre for kerosene oil, and Rs164.68 per litre for light diesel oil. Diesel is widely used in the transport and agriculture sectors, so the price reduction could have a positive impact on inflation and provide some relief to farmers, particularly as the crop-harvesting season is underway.
However, consumers are already facing high prices, which are especially burdensome for the low-income group who use motorbikes and small cars.
In its previous fortnightly announcement, the federal government increased the price of petrol by Rs10 and the price of kerosene oil by Rs5.78, citing the increase in petroleum prices in the international market and exchange rate variations as the reason for the increase.
On Sunday, Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel announced that the country had been declared free of monkeypox as the only verified patient who was suffering from the disease had fully recovered.
A statement released by Ministry of National Health Services spokesperson Sajid Shah on Sunday confirmed that there had been only one reported case of mpox in the country, and that the patient was being treated at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims). Patel mentioned that the patient was given top-notch medical care and had successfully recuperated.
“The patient has been discharged after testing negative [for the virus]. There are no cases of mpox in Pakistan. Kudos to the hospital staff for taking the best measures,” he said.
منکی پاکس کا پاکستان میں ابھی تک ایک کیس رپورٹ ہوا ہے ترجمانِ وزارت صحت
مریض پمز ہسپتال میں زیر علاج تھا ترجمان وزارت صحت
الحمد اللہ مریض کو بہترین طبی سہولیات فراہم کی گئیں عبدالقادر پٹیل
مریض اب صحت یاب ہو چکا ہے عبدالقادر پٹیل#MonkeyPox
— Ministry of National Health Services, Pakistan (@nhsrcofficial) April 30, 2023
He further said that the government was taking all essential precautions to ensure the safety of the public and that the country’s institutions were prepared to handle any type of epidemic or illness. Patel also shared that out of the 22 suspected mpox cases and all of the samples sent for testing came back negative. The Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the country on April 25.
The infected person was deported from Saudi Arabia and arrived in Pakistan on April 17 with symptoms of the viral disease. The patient has recovered now.
Federal Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb on Sunday announced the launch of the online platform PTV Flix, which will allow users to access thousands of movies, television shows and documentaries online. In a tweet, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) politician revealed that the was an initiative quite close to her heart, as countless iconic shows like ‘Dhoop Kinaray’, ‘Tanhaiyaan’ and ‘Ainak Wala Jin’ can now be easily accessed online.
Aurangzeb also thanked the team at PTV and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, who had helped in making this idea in to a reality:
“I would like to thank and congratulate the team at PTV and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for all their hard work which has made this idea a reality. I would also like to thank our entertainment legends Bushra Ansari Sba, Javed Sheikh Sb and Khalid Abbas Dar Sb for joining me at the launch event.”
Delighted to launch #PTVFlix today, initiated and started in July 2022 ,a new video streaming OTT platform on which users globally can access PTV's vast library of content, including TV shows, dramas, documentaries, sports, and other programs. This initiative is very close to my… pic.twitter.com/NQ73sOMGMw
However, many tweeps began tagging Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former Information Minister, Fawad Chaudhry, crediting him for the initiative. Chaudhry later put up a tweet revealing that this was a project he had began during his tenure.
I congratulate @ptv_official on the official launch of OTT platform, this was another project I launched with Digitalisation of PTV, I can say proudly that each and every reform in Information and Science ministry was pioneered by me and my team … Alhamdolliah
If we look back, it was Chaudhry who during his tenure as the Minister of Science and Technology, had announced in 2020 in a tweet that his team was working on setting up Pakistan’s version of Netflix, and had already asked regulatory authorities to draft a guideline about the content.
We at @MinistryofST are all set to launch Pakistan’s first OTT Tv (Pak version of #Netflix) Technology part is complete have asked PEMRA to prepare a guideline on content and we will be all set to launch in PPP mode, it ll be just another humble contribution..
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian announced on Friday that Saudi Arabia and his country will soon reopen their embassies in each other’s capitals, Reuters has reported. The minister didn’t provide exact dates for the reopening of the embassies, which have been closed since 2016, during a news conference held in Beirut, Lebanon.
“During the last phone call between the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia on Eid al-Fitr, we agreed to work in the coming days on the reopening of the Iranian and Saudi embassies in Tehran and Riyadh,” Amirabdollahian said, according to an official Arabic translation.
China mediated a deal last month that led to the restoration of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which had deteriorated since 2015.
The conflict in Yemen began when the Houthi movement, aligned with Iran, overthrew the Saudi-backed government and took control of Sanaa, causing tension between the two countries. This tension has contributed to conflicts in other areas of the region, such as the Syrian civil war.
