Author: newsdesk

  • ‘Defence walon ka Karachi’: Twitter expresses anger over article about Karachi

    Artist Osman Yousefzada is being criticised for a piece he wrote about life in Karachi for the Financial Times. The article is being panned for presenting an elitist point of view about Pakistan’s largest city.

    “I also go to Café Flo. It is a little taste of France in Karachi, with white linen tablecloths and a leafy outdoor terrace. It’s run by Florence Villiers, the daughter-in-law of popular singer Noor Jehan who was probably the Édith Piaf of Pakistan. I always order the tuna tartare – it’s amazing. For traditional Pakistani food I go to the Village Restaurant, one of the oldest in Karachi. They grill all the food in front of you, and everything is served on tin plates with elegant earthenware finger bowls. Burns Road, which was recently pedestrianised, is the street food mecca. Everywhere you look there are bun kabab coming out of ovens and skewered chickens being barbecued over open fire pits. Don’t miss Waheed Kabab House’s chapli kababs,” read the article.

    As per Twitter users, Osaman’s guide is actually a ‘misguide’ to Karachi and one can not describe the metropolis by talking about ‘Okra’, an expensive, higher end bakery cafe in Karachi.
    Have a look at the reactions.

  • Business confidence in Pakistan drops to negative 4%

    Business confidence in Pakistan drops to negative 4%

    Major multinational companies with operations across a variety of sectors in Pakistan have lost faith in the country’s economy. In the previous six months, the Business Confidence Score (BCS) as a whole decreased by 21 percentage points to a negative 4 per cent.

    In the earlier survey, which was conducted in March–April 2022, the score (BCS) was positive 17 per cent. In general, more than half of respondents (56 per cent vs. 19 per cent in the prior study) had a “poor” opinion of the business environment in the previous six months.

     “Going forward, only a net 2 per cent (versus 18 per cent in the previous survey) were ‘positive’ for the next six months and 35 per cent of respondents cited no plans to invest,” according to the “Business Confidence Index Survey Wave 22” of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), which was held from September to November 2022.

    According to Express Tribune, political unrest, currency depreciation, and rising fuel prices were the top three factors contributing to the recent drop in business confidence. The other two top-five factors contributing to the recent drop in company confidence were the current energy crisis (high power costs) and inadequate commercial and trade policies.

    The services industry experienced a confidence decline of 24 per cent, followed by the retail and wholesale trade sectors (22 per cent), and the industrial sector (20 per cent). 25 per cent of respondents were from the retail and wholesale trade, 33 per cent from the services industry, and 42 per cent from the manufacturing sector.

    Commenting on the survey results, OICCI President, Ghias Khan said in a statement that “The substantial decline in the overall business confidence to negative 4 per cent is regrettable but not surprising considering the highly challenging political and economic situation witnessed during the past six months.”

    “The record level of rains during August leading to severe flooding in Sindh and other parts of the country further restricted business activities,” he added.

    “Foreign investors’ feedback could have been more positive but for serious concerns on a few critical issues like the undue delay in revising the pharma pricing and the extreme delays in overseas (outward) remittances for goods, services and dividends. Such actions are seriously counter-productive when trying to attract FDI (foreign direct investment) into the country,” Khan expounded.

    The main factors affecting business confidence in the country are anticipated to remain political unrest, rising fuel prices, and rupee depreciation.

    OICCI Vice President, Amir Paracha noted that “These are challenging times. Authorities are doing all they can to navigate the situation, including controlling inflation, managing the economy with restricted availability of foreign exchange and other resource constraints.”

    “The key stakeholders, especially foreign investors, will continue to support the authorities in taking long-term policy measures to streamline the economic fundamentals, including fair taxation for all, and facilitate business and investment into the country,” he added.

    According to the most recent survey results, the confidence index for business expansion (extra investment) plans over the next six months has decreased to 18 per cent from 34 per cent in the previous survey/W21.

    Similarly, capital investment (new) plans for the following six months fell sharply to 2 per cent (from 21 per cent in the previous wave).

    Compared to Wave 21, just 7 per cent of respondents in Wave 22 reported an increase in overall employment. A drop in overall employment over the previous six months was mentioned by almost 11 per cent of respondents.

    According to the trade body, “OICCI is the collective voice of major foreign investors. Over 200 members, from 31 different countries, have a presence in 14 sectors of the domestic economy and contribute over one-third of Pakistan’s total tax revenue.”

    In the meantime, on Wednesday, the interbank market saw the rupee fall 0.02 per cent (or Rs0.05), falling to a two-month low of Rs224.16 against the US dollar.

  • Will Smith reveals the aftermath of his slapping controversy, gets emotional

    Will Smith reveals the aftermath of his slapping controversy, gets emotional

    Actor Will Smith appeared on The Daily Show With Trevor Noah in the first late-night interview since the Oscars controversy.

    Promoting his new historical drama Emancipation, Smith’s conversation with the late-night host naturally dug into his Oscars night controversy, in which he slapped Chris Rock onstage as the comedian was introducing the category of best documentary feature.

    Will Smith appears on 'The Daily Show' in first late-night interview since Oscars slap

    “I have been away,” Will Smith said, drawing a laugh from the crowd when the topic of his absence from the public eye came up, reports Variety.

    “That was a horrific night, as you can imagine. There’s many nuances and complexities to it. But at the end of the day, I just – I lost it, you know?” Will Smith continued.

    “I was going through something that night, you know? Not that that justifies my behaviour at all… It was a lot of things. It was the little boy that watched his father beat up his mother, you know? All of that just bubbled up in that moment. That is not who I want to be.”

    Trevor Noah interjected, offering his own perspective on the situation and recalling the discussions he had with peers about the controversy.

    “I love Chris. I’m friends with him. I love you, but this is fucked up… I know that as Black people, Black people get together and go, ‘What was Will doing? What the hell happened?’ A lot of Black people were like, ‘He should go to jail, Like, you need to relax yourself’,” Trevor Noah said, earning a laugh from Smith.

    “Some people were overreacting, which made some people underreact.”

    Will Smith shared an anecdote from the aftermath of Oscars evening when he was already having to deal with the consequences of his outburst in his private life.

    “I was gone. That was a rage that had been bottled for a really long time,” Smith said, “My nephew is nine. He is the sweetest little boy.”

    “We came home. He had stayed up late to see his uncle Will and we are sitting in my kitchen and he is on my lap and holding the Oscar and he is just like, ‘Why did you hit that man, Uncle Will?’ Damn it. Why are you trying to Oprah me?”

    Will Smith also discussed Emancipation, sharing the decision-making that led him to the project. Based on true events, the film stars Smith as a runaway slave who becomes known to the world as “Whipped Peter,” as widely distributed photographs of keloid scarring on his back exposed the extreme brutality of slavery.

    First seeing that image was one of the things that really got me excited to explore this, because you see the image, but you don’t know who he is, you don’t know what the story is,” Will Smith said. “American slavery was one of the most brutal aspects of human history… It is hard to understand the level of human cruelty. My daughter asked me, daddy, do we really need another slave movie? I said, Daby, ‘I promise you, I wouldn’t make a slave movie. This is a freedom movie’.”

    The Aladin star shocked everyone when he slapped Chris Rock during the 94th Academy Awards’ live broadcast.  

    Before presenting an award at the Oscars 2022, Chris joked about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, looking like ‘GI Jane 2’. This enraged the Aladin star who stormed the stage, lapping Chris and warning him to keep his wife’s name out of his ‘f*cking mouth’.

    Although Will posted an apology on social media.

  • ‘Na hamara koyi favourite hai, na hum kisi ke khilaaf hain’: Election commissioner

    ‘Na hamara koyi favourite hai, na hum kisi ke khilaaf hain’: Election commissioner

    Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja has said that his commission is not against or in favour of any political entity.

    At ‘National Voter’s Day’, an event organised by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the chief said: “Na hamara koyi favourite hai, na hum kisi ke khilaaf hain” (Neither do we have any favourites nor are we against anyone).

    Raja said that the ECP had already informed the Punjab government that the commission would make use of previous laws under Article 283 of the Constitution if the administration attempted to amend the local government law again.

    He said local government elections in Punjab will take place in the last week of April and emphasised the urgency of those polls.

    Moreover, the ECP chief was of the view that the commission has faced “unwarranted criticism” for allegedly opposing the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and balloting rights for overseas Pakistanis.

    “I challenge all critics to show one instance where the ECP opposed electronic voting machines or voting rights for overseas Pakistanis. However, there should be a procedure in place,” he said.

    He underlined that the commission is in support of the use of technology in elections, but said it must be backed by all stakeholders.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, on multiple occasions, called out the commission for allegedly scuttling the introduction of EVMs in support of his political rivals.

  • 42 crore committee con artist wants police to protect her from victims

    42 crore committee con artist wants police to protect her from victims

    Social media platforms are brimming with news about Sidra Humaid, a Karachi based woman accused of stealing Rs.420 million through committee system.

    Social media users mostly have sympathy for Sidra’s victims, who are contemplating serious action against her.

    Sidra also publicly confessed of messing up the committees, writing on Facebook, “I have really messed up my committees and now I am practically bankrupt and have no means to pay off my committees.”

    How did she do it?

    According to estimates computed by her victims, Sidra reportedly managed 117 WhatsApp groups with hundreds of members for the purpose of collecting money in ‘committees’. She allegedly received the first committee from the money pooled in each group.

    One Facebook user wrote, ” A women named Sidra Humaid was handling over 100 committees 42 crore is the total amount. And she has announced she is bankrupt Cause people backed out after taking their first slots. She is not providing any details any legal document or any trail that proves where the money went. She took first slots in so many of the cycles.”

    Committees are also known as Group Savings. A group of people come together and deposit a fixed amount each month into a common fund for a pre-determined period of time. Each member accesses the pool in a month, decided amongst the group members.

    On Tuesday, Sidra moved an application before the additional sessions Judge-X (East) under Sections 22-A and 22-B of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), seeking directives to the police to provide her protection from citizens who have accused her of robbing them in the name of the committees.

    Here is how Twitter is reacting to the scam and their experience of committee system and discussing whether they are a good idea.

    https://twitter.com/doctorwhothefuc/status/1599373225682558976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1599373225682558976%7Ctwgr%5E9e7ee9167be0270f25e058d8138ccee6c9570008%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.dawn.com%2Fnews%2F1191256
    https://twitter.com/ak_niaazi/status/1599371687933317120

    https://twitter.com/superkhadijaman/status/1598993713703051264
  • Zardari assures Shujaat that Hamza Shehbaz will not become CM Punjab again

    Zardari assures Shujaat that Hamza Shehbaz will not become CM Punjab again

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has asked Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain not to dissolve Punjab Assembly and assured him of a new setup, reports Geo News.

    Quoting sources, the report said that at a meeting that took place on Sunday, Zardari also assured the PML-Q president that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shehbaz will not be the Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab in the “new setup”.

    Meanwhile, Shujaat guaranteed the PPP co-chairman asked that he talk to the CM of Punjab Pervaiz Elahi about the dissolution of the assembly.

    Since the announcement of the possible dissolution of Punjab and KP assemblies by PTI chief Imran Khan, Zardari has been holding consultations about a possible no-confidence motion against the Chief Minister of Punjab.

    Meanwhile, CM Elahi said that he did not see elections taking place in the next four months, however, he has repeatedly said that he fully backs Khan’s decision about dissolving assemblies.

    In July, the Supreme Court (SC) removed Hamza Shehbaz as CM. At the time, the apex court struck down former Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari’s ruling on Punjab chief minister’s election, declaring his “understanding and implementation” of Article 63A(1)(b) of the Constitution “incorrect and erroneous”.

  • Pakistan is committed to completing IMF programme while meeting debt repayments on time: Ishaq Dar

    Pakistan is committed to completing IMF programme while meeting debt repayments on time: Ishaq Dar

    Pakistan is committed to completing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme while meeting external debt repayments on time, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday during a meeting with the ambassador of its top bilateral lender, China.

    The country is in desperate need of external financing as the IMF’s review for the disbursement of its next tranche of funding has been on hold since September, according to Reuters.

    Ishaq Dar, the finance minister, stated last week on local television that the IMF was “behaving abnormally” by not finishing the ninth review even though all targets had been met.

    “The Finance Minister … apprised the Chinese Ambassador that the Government remains committed to completing the IMF program while meeting all external debt repayments on time,” the finance ministry said in a statement.

    The IMF programme is “back on track,” according to a separate statement released by the finance ministry on Tuesday, and preparations for the ninth review were well underway.

    An Extended Fund Facility (EFF) bailout for Pakistan in 2019 included a $6 billion bailout that was later increased by $1 billion.

    Dar said that Pakistan’s government has a “realistic plan” for handling the costs associated with rehabilitating the areas damaged by devastating flooding a few months ago during his meeting with the Chinese Ambassador. Official estimates place the cost of flood damage at $40 billion.

    Pakistan is dealing with a balance of payments issue and a growing current account deficit. Dar announced last week that a $3 billion loan from a friendly nation will be used to bolster Pakistan’s foreign reserves, which have fallen to $7.5 billion.

    According to the finance ministry, the government has implemented austerity measures to cut non-essential spending and has prioritised energy conservation to lower its import expenses.

  • Rabi Pirzada slams women who ‘gain fame by dancing’

    Rabi Pirzada slams women who ‘gain fame by dancing’

    Former singer Rabi Pirzada has shared her take on trending dance reels of young female influencers on social media.

    Recently, a dance video went viral and made TikToker Ayesha an instant hit not only in Pakistan but also in India. While Ayesha enjoys the fact that her groovy dance is being copied by legendary actresses like Katrina Kaif and Madhuri Dixit, Pirzada is in a dilemma about whether Pakistani media should promote such content or not.   

    Mera Dil Ye Pukare Aaja Bheega Bheega Hai Sama Full Song | Aise Mein Hai Tu Kahan Viral Song 2022 - YouTube

    The Dahdi Kuree singer, who once was a viral sensation mainly for her powerful vocals, recently sat down for an interview to discuss the negative influence and questionable trends on social media platforms in Pakistan.

    In an interview with Waseem Badami, the Chori Chori singer opined on people going viral via dance videos. Pirzada suggested that our society is stooping low day by day as we idolize men who imitate women and women who dance to become famous.

    For the unversed, Pirzada herself was caught in a scandal that led her to change her path and embrace the religious way of life.  

    On the work front, Pizada has two films Pyar Ki FIR, and Court Marriage in the pipeline.

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is maxresdefault-33.jpg

    Earlier this year she appeared on Mohsin Bhatti’s show G Kay Sang where she revealed her superpower.

    The religious figure who used to be a pop singer said she has a special connection with wild animals and told the host to call her if he ever saw a wild animal.

    Pirzada told the story of how she wanted to threaten India’s Prime Minister Modi with a picture of herself with her pet snakes at the GNN studio in 2019. The former singer wanted to bring her pet lion with her, but she casually said that her lion would have eaten the production crew.

    The self-proclaimed “Snake Queen” says that she has a “gift” that lets her calm down any wild animal, whether it’s a snake, crocodile, lion, or wolf.

    She said, “If God has given me this power, I should use it for good.”

    She was known for keeping snakes and a lion at her house, but the Punjab Wildlife Protection and Parks Department had filed a case against her, which she says has now been dropped.

    In 2019, Rabi even dedicated a song to her favourite creatures.

    The song, which has a soft tune, shows Pirzada sitting on her bed with the snakes and crocodiles. She picks them up at regular intervals and pets them, while the rest of them slither around the bed. The music video then shows Rabi petting and playing with her snakes in different locations such as the garden or in her lounge.

    Watch the complete song here:

  • President Alvi ‘warns’ Imran Khan about not talking against new army chief

    President Alvi ‘warns’ Imran Khan about not talking against new army chief

    President Dr Arif Alvi has allegedly strictly warned Imran Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to stop his party leaders and social media team from criticising the Pakistan military and the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, reports Journalist Ansar Abbasi for Jang.

    Sharing a screenshot of a WhatsApp message sent to party leadership and social media team, a PTI source said that the president also told Khan that for the new military establishment, the honour of the institution is like a red line, which must not be crossed.

    It has been revealed in the story that Imran Khan’s message was forwarded to the PTI Parliamentary Party’s WhatsApp group. In the message, Khan directed its social media team not to criticise the new army chief and made it clear that the instructions have to be followed very strictly. The person who shared this message on the group said that Khan’s directive should be followed by everyone.

    Similarly, in another group of party leaders and social media managers, Khan wrote, “Please ensure that there is no criticism of the new chief and the army.”

    When PTI leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhary was asked by the news outlet about Alvi’s message, he said that both the President and Imran Khan have made it clear that there will be no attack against the army and COAS Munir.

    He hoped that the new army chief would come up with new policies and hoped that he would not repeat the alleged anti-PTI policies of former COAS, General (r) Bajwa.

    It is pertinent to mention that Khan has directly targeted the former army chief multiple times for being “neutral”. He has also targeted others within the military, including senior officers of the Inter-Services Intelligence.

  • Explain restrictions on women praying inside mosque, President Alvi asks Faisal Mosque administration

    President Dr Arif Alvi, expressing his concern over restrictions on women fto offer prayers inside Faisal Mosque, has sought explanation from the concerned authorities.

    “This is my opinion which is based upon observation throughout the world, including the Harmain Sharifain,” he said according to a statement issued by the Presidency on Tuesday.
    The president made the statement while taking note of a special report highlighting the problem published in Dawn News.

    Capital Development Authority has claimed in its report to the Presidential Secretariat that it had taken steps to ensure cleanliness, perform maintenance, and clear the area of beggars, but Dawah Academy, International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) policy stated that only one gallery was set aside for women after the mosque was built. The report added that women were not allowed to enter the main hall.