Author: newsdesk

  • Pakistan commits to IMF Rs1.27 trillion hike in taxes

    Pakistan commits to IMF Rs1.27 trillion hike in taxes

    Pakistan has committed to increasing Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) taxes by Rs1.272 trillion (almost 2.8 per cent of GDP) and a price increase of Rs4.97 per unit in the remaining three months of the current fiscal year (FY).

    IMF released a document, and it says that the government of Pakistan has agreed to continuous adjustments in electricity tariffs from next year on a monthly, quarterly and annually basis.

    The documents also state that the government would also increase the price of petroleum and oil products (maximum of Rs30).

    The petroleum levy target for the coming year is Rs607bn. The provinces have given an undertaking of Rs570bn cash surplus to the federal government and increase it by Rs729bn next year.

    The government has also set a target of Rs5.963tr (against Rs4.691tr revised target of current FY) in the next year budget for FBR. Additional Rs500bn tax generation through General Sales Tax (GST) and personal income tax reform for FY 2022 budget is also under consideration.

    The government has also given an undertaking to make adjustments in gas tariff and will not consider any tax exemptions or amnesties in the future.

    Also, IMF made detailed audits are a must for the fund allocation to combat COVID-19, which includes contracts and beneficial ownerships of bidding results and medical supplies.

    IMF’s mission chief for Pakistan Ernesto Ramirez Rigo said that despite the hard economic conditions amid COVID-19, critical adjustments in energy tariff are inevitable. The rising circular debt is detrimental to public finance and economic growth.

    He said that these unpleasant changes are necessary and the solution lies in cost recoveries, loss reduction and system improvement.

  • VIDEO: Cher drops trailer of documentary on Kaavan

    VIDEO: Cher drops trailer of documentary on Kaavan

    Kavaan’s journey from being the world’s “the loneliest elephant” to freedom in Cambodia has been captured on camera and will be seen in a documentary by Cher titled Cher and the Loneliest Elephant. It is scheduled to release on Paramount+ on April 22.

    According to details, Cher, through the film will be taking viewers along for “a touching journey about humans, animals, and our connection to all living beings on earth”.

    In Cher and the Loneliest Elephant, the singer travels to Pakistan to rescue Kaavan, an elephant who’s been neglected and living alone for years. The Smithsonian Channel documentary follows Cher as she teams up with animal experts and veterinarians to help transport Kaavan from a shed in Islamabad, where he’s been kept in chains for almost two decades, to a new home in Cambodia.

    “Elephants are just like we are. They’re so family-oriented and so emotional,” says Cher in the trailer.

    Talking about the film, Cher told Entertainment Weekly, “I saw all the people being affected by it all over the world. People want a happy ending. People don’t want to see animals suffer. And I know people are suffering too, but this is a story that can brighten their lives.”

    “I was frightened [to do this], but then I thought, what do you want to do more? You made a promise, and you have to go,” she continued. “I didn’t see any other way to do it. I have a saying on my Twitter, ‘Stand and be counted or sit and be nothing.’ And I wasn’t going to sit and be nothing.”

    The film also features a brand new track by the singer titled Walls to highlight Kavaan’s story.

    https://youtu.be/2NGJwe-rdPk

    Kavaan was first brought to Pakistan in 1985 as a gift from Sri Lanka when he was only a year old. Since then he was living at Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad with his partner Saheli, who died in 2012. After Saheli’s death, Kaavan became alone and was dubbed as the world’s loneliest elephant. He suffered from several health issues and was also mentally distressed. In 2016 he caught the attention of Cher, who along with other animal rights activists fought a long legal battle for his release and transfer.

    He was airlifted from Islamabad to Cambodia in a Russian cargo plane in November 2020.

  • Frieha Altaf receives flak for joking about Meera’s mental health

    Frieha Altaf has landed up in the line of fire after a video of hers joking about Meera’s mental health went viral on social media. Reports of Meera being admitted to a mental facility in the United States were doing the rounds on social media and television for the past couple of days.

    In the video, Frieha could be heard laughing and telling a group of people “Meera ko mental institution main daal diya gaya hai (Meera has been put into a mental institution).”

    The video did not go down well with the public, who called out the former model for her “insensitive” and “callous” remarks.

    https://twitter.com/PropitiousOn3O/status/1380404924480163840
    https://twitter.com/AamnaFasihi/status/1380253124707938308

    Meanwhile, speaking exclusively to The Current, Meera’s manager Hasan said that the actor is doing perfectly fine and is working on a few projects in the States. He said that Meera does know who started this terrible rumour and asserted there is no truth to it.

    However, some reports claim that Meera has been discharged from the mental facility after Captain Naveed paid $50,000 for her ‘bail’.

  • Prince Philip passes away at 99

    Prince Philip passes away at 99

    Queen Elizabeth II’s husband and the longest-serving consort of any British monarch Prince Philip has died at age 99.

    In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.”

    “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle,” it added.

    The statement also said that further announcements will be made in due course.

    Philip, who retired from public duties in 2017, had earlier been admitted to hospital on February 16, 2021. He went back home after nearly a month during which he was treated for a pre-existing heart condition and an infection.

    His death comes just months before his 100th birthday in June — an event typically marked in Britain with a congratulatory message from the queen, who is now Britain’s longest-serving monarch.

    The couple, who celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary in November, had been living largely in isolation at Windsor Castle, west of London because their advanced age put them at heightened risk from COVID-19. They received their first vaccinations against the virus in January.

    Officially known as the Duke of Edinburgh, Philip married Prince Elizabeth in 1947, five years before she became Queen and had been by his wife’s side throughout her 69-year reign, the longest in British history. During this time he earned a reputation for a tough, no-nonsense attitude and a propensity for occasional gaffes. He is also credited with playing a key role in modernising the monarchy in the post-World War Two period, and behind the walls of Buckingham Palace being the one key figure the queen could turn to and trust.

    “He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years,” Elizabeth said in a rare personal tribute to Philip made in a speech marking their 50th wedding anniversary in 1997.

    Read more – ‘We’re not a racist family’: Prince William rejects Meghan’s claims of racism

    The couple had four children, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

  • Fawad Alam turns jilted lover for acting debut

    Fawad Alam turns jilted lover for acting debut

    The trailer of Fawad Alam’s acting debut Khudkash Mohabbat has dropped and fans of the cricketer are excited to see him show his talent on the screen. The series will be available for streaming soon on Urduflix.

    Khudkash Mohabbat marks Alam’s entry into the entertainment industry as an actor. According to a press release, the series is a “touching story of love and loss and the complexity of going after what you want in a world filled with people who won’t let you find your happiness and peace”. It has been directed by Rao Ayaz Shehzad and executively produced by Farhan Gauher.

    Talking about why he decided to foray into the world of acting, Alam while speaking to Independent Urdu, said that he was free the month the opportunity came and did not want to let it go.

    “We’ve been talking about this for two or three years, but I didn’t get a chance,” said Alam. “Now I got the chance and I hope everyone enjoys the series.”

    Sharing details about his character, Alam said that he plays a jilted lover, remarking that love is suicidal.

    “It’s a love story and must be watched,” said Fawad, adding: “When I was offered this role, I instantly said yes to it.”

    Talking about the difference between performing on-field and on-screen, Alam said: “Cricket and acting are two different things. Being a hero is not easy and takes a lot of hard work.”

    “Whether it’s cricket or acting, you have to work hard because both are difficult in their own right. Acting in front of the camera and speaking dialogues written by the scriptwriter and doing what the director tells you to is not an easy task,” he shared.

    Fawad also shared that he aspires to work in a film on the big screen and would go for it if he ever gets the chance.

    On whether he’d like to work with Mehwish Hayat, Maya Ali or Mahira Khan, Fawad said he’d like to work with all three of them together.

    “Whichever of the three heroines will work with me, it will be a source of pride for me because these are well-known names and there will be a lot to learn from them,” said the cricketer.

    Meanwhile, Alam’s colleagues and other members of the Pakistan Cricket Team including Sarfaraz Ahmed and Imam ul Haq have sent him best wishes for his upcoming project.

    https://twitter.com/SarfarazA_54/status/1380149484039012358?s=20

  • ‘Dictator Maryam’ blamed for PDM’s downfall

    ‘Dictator Maryam’ blamed for PDM’s downfall

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president and key leader of the opposition alliance, Maryam Nawaz has been accused of having a “dictatorial attitude” that has also been cited as the reason behind the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) downfall.

    As per the details, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders travelled to Wali Bagh, the residence of Awami National Party (ANP) head Asfandyar Wali on Thursday and held talks with him and other party leaders on the evolving political situation in the country.

    The PPP and ANP are the two parties with which the PDM is having differences ever since ex-premier Yousuf Raza Gilani’s election as the Senate opposition leader — a move deemed as betrayal by other parties of the opposition alliance.

    The ANP has already announced to quit the PDM, saying the show-cause notices over voting for Gilani were an insult to the party.

    Briefing reporters after the meeting, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the PPP would take the decision of whether or not to quit the PDM at its Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting scheduled later this month.

    They blamed the “dictatorial attitude” of Maryam Nawaz for the disintegration of the alliance.

    “The split in the PDM began with the issuance of the show-cause notice,” Mian Iftikhar Hussain said, adding, it was an insult to ANP and couldn’t be tolerated.

    Meanwhile, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari said the PPP had proposed Maulana Fazlur Rahman as the PDM head but the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief adopted “a step-motherly attitude” towards the PPP. 

    “PPP is not subordinate to any political party.”

    He said that the PPP was ready for the “long march” to Islamabad and wanted to use resignations from the assemblies as the last option.

  • Samina Ahmed reportedly shooting for a Hollywood project in Thailand

    Samina Ahmed is reportedly shooting for a ‘Hollywood serial’ in Thailand, her husband Manzar Sehbai has revealed.

    Replying to an Instagram user asking where Samina is, Sehbai said: “She is in Thailand, shooting for a Hollywood serial. Will be back on 6th of May.”

    While Sehbai did not reveal what project Samina is shooting for, it is believed that the veteran actor is part of Disney+’s Ms Marvel. As per details, the series is currently being shot in Bangkok and Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar is also in the city for it.

    According to a report in the Indian media, “Farhan is currently stationed in Bangkok, along with an international cast and crew, for the shoot of a project with Marvel Studios, who are known to be one of the biggest film studios worldwide.”

    Marvel Studio’s upcoming original series Ms Marvel, will see Iman Vellani play Kamala Khan aka Ms Marvel. Churails actor Nimra Bucha is also part of the cast and is expected to have a titular role in the series.

    According to a press release, “The Marvel Studios original series centres on fan-favourite Kamala Khan — a 16-year-old Pakistani-American growing up in Jersey City. A great student, avid gamer, and voracious fan-fic scribe, Kamala has a special affinity for superheroes, particularly Captain Marvel.”

    The episodes of the series will be directed by Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah (Bad Boys for Life), Meera Menon (The Walking Dead, Dirty John, Outlander) and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

    The series is set to premiere on Disney+ later this year.

  • Forex reserves fall to $20.679bn

    Forex reserves fall to $20.679bn

    The Foreign Exchange reserves of Pakistan fell by $157 million or 0.75 per cent to clock in at $20.679 billion, said the central bank on Thursday.

    The total liquid foreign reserves held by the country stood at $20.836 billion in the previous week.

    The reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) decreased by $146 million to $13.527 billion due to external debt repayments. The reserves of commercial banks also reduced to $7.152 billion from $7.163 billion last week.

    Earlier, Pakistan received inflows amounting to $2.5 billion on Thursday evening as proceeds of recently launched Eurobonds.

    The central bank has confirmed on its Twitter account that SBP has received the government’s proceeds of $2.5 billion against Eurobond issuance, resulting in $16 billion surges in foreign exchange reserves. 

    After a gap of almost three years, Pakistan has entered the international capital market for Eurobonds trading. A multi-tranche transaction of 5-,10-, and 30- year Eurobonds was performed to build up the foreign exchange reserves. 

    During the past two years, Pakistan got almost $3 billion in foreign inflows and out of these, $2.5 billion from Eurobonds arrival on Thursday evening.

    Besides, in the last week of March, International Monetary Fund (IMF) gave around $500 million to Pakistan as a loan under Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for support. 

    As of April 2, 2021, SBP’s liquid foreign exchange reserves were $20.679 billion. With the addition of Eurobond proceeds, these foreign exchange reserves would likely cross the $23 billion mark.

  • Woman travels from America to marry Pakistani TikToker

    Woman travels from America to marry Pakistani TikToker

    A 40-year-old woman from America flew seven seas to Pakistan after falling in love with a Pakistani TikToker.

    VIDEO: Tiktokers Zulqarnain, Kanwal Aftab tie the knot

    As per details, Daniel, a resident of Washington DC arrived in Pakistan after falling in love with 27-year-old TikToker Afshan Raaj who hails from Rawalpindi.

    Daniel accepted Islam and married Raaj. She also changed her name to Hafsa. The couple’s love story began when they started liking each other’s videos on TikTok.

    Talking to The Express Tribune, Raaj said that Hafsa liked and commented on his TikTok video a few months ago after which they began talking to each other. He said that he is very lucky as Hafsa converted to Islam to marry him, adding that he has a lot of respect for his wife as she left her native country and came all the way to Pakistan to marry him.

    On the other hand, Hafsa said that before making this decision, she did detailed research on Islam. Hafsa said that she added followers of different beliefs and religions in a Whatsapp group after which concluded that Islam is the religion for eternal peace and happiness in life and hereafter. She clarified that she took this step by her own will and was not pressurised by anybody to change her religious beliefs.

    Hafsa further said that she is very fond of Asian culture and is trying to learn Urdu. She said that based on her experience, she finds Pakistanis very hospitable.

  • ‘Vaccination registrations for all ages to open after Eid’

    Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has announced that the government plans to open registrations for COVID-19 vaccination for citizens of all age groups after Eid, which is around mid-May.

    According to a report in Gulf News, the minister made these remarks while talking to senior media persons in a press meet. He also said that Pakistan will be able to vaccinate more than 125,000 people per day after Eid.

    “We began a phase-wise approach at the beginning [and are expanding it now],” said Umar during the meeting, adding that the coming five to six weeks are very critical for Pakistan in the fight against coronavirus.

    The minister said that the private sector had also started vaccinations and so far 14,000 people have been vaccinated through that, while 1.1 million were inoculated as part of the government campaign.

    Umar also relayed that China was Pakistan’s “primary source” for vaccination and that the CanSino vaccine would also be available in the country after Eid.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan is all set to start manufacturing the Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V locally in collaboration with Russia in the coming months.

    Vaccinations of people 60 and above commenced on March 10, while registrations for people above 50 started from March 30.

    Pakistan is currently battling with its third wave of COVID-19. According to the NCOC, Pakistan has recorded 5312 cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours and 105 people have lost their lives to the deadly virus.