In a move that is set to impact the cost of mobile phones in Pakistan, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced a new 25 per cent sales tax on the import of Completely Built Up (CBU) mobile phones valued at over $500.
This change, detailed in the updated Sales Tax Act, 1990 and Federal Excise Act 2005, was issued on Wednesday and will remain in effect until June 30, 2025.
Under the revised legislation, mobile phones imported in CBU condition, with a value exceeding $500, will incur a 25 per cent sales tax. In contrast, phones valued at $500 or less will attract an 18 per cent sales tax.
Locally manufactured mobile phones in CBU condition, as well as those imported in CKD/SKD condition, will also be subject to an 18 per cent tax, regardless of their value.
This significant tax hike is likely to make high-end and mid-range smartphones even more expensive for Pakistani consumers. Devices from premium brands such as Apple and Samsung, which typically exceed the $500 threshold, are expected to see substantial price increases.
This is likely to further widen the gap between affordable and premium smartphones, potentially putting them out of reach for many buyers.
The new tax regime could also exacerbate existing market issues. Currently, some local retailers are exploiting perceived stock shortages and increased taxes to inflate prices, particularly in cities like Islamabad, Lahore, and Faisalabad. This trend could intensify as the new sales tax further drives up costs.
Compounding the issue, the FBR’s crackdown on illegal Gevey (JV) and IMEI-patched phones has not quelled the market for unofficial devices. The increasing prices of legal phones may drive consumers towards these unapproved alternatives, which are not officially PTA-approved.
The updated Sales Tax Act has also introduced a new definition of “tax fraud,” targeting deliberate understatement of tax liabilities or overstating entitlements to tax credits and refunds.
To tackle such issues, the FBR has established a Tax Fraud Investigation Wing-Inland Revenue, equipped with various units, including Fraud Intelligence and Analysis, Fraud Investigation, and Digital Forensics.
Overall, while the new tax measures aim to streamline revenue collection, they may place further financial strain on consumers and potentially inflame existing market challenges.
Bollywood fans have long wondered why they haven’t seen the duo of superstar Shah Rukh Khan and powerhouse Tabu in a film together. Despite their memorable cameo as a couple in ‘Saathiya’ and special appearances in ‘Main Hoon Na’ and ‘Om Shanti Om,’ a full-fledged collaboration has remained elusive.
In an interview with Galatta India, Tabu said, “I am neither a director, producer, or screenwriter, and I really don’t control who Shah Rukh Khan collaborates with. Alright? And which films will be produced as well as which films will be recommended to me next. I can only say yes or no from what is offered to me.” The Crew actor revealed, “I know what I have refused, and I am sure he has also refused a few.”
She did acknowledge that many people want to see Shah Rukh and her together. “And I won’t ignore that.” Among the notable films that could have featured this iconic pair were the blockbuster hits Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna.
Despite these lost chances, Tabu’s clarity about what happened emphasises how unpredictable movie casting is and how many different things might affect an actor’s choice.
Bollywood stars gave some amazing gifts on the wedding of Mukesh Ambani’s son Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant. The wedding ended on July 14 in Mumbai with many famous people in attendance.
Here are some of the standout gifts:
• Shah Rukh Khan and his wife, Gauri Khan, gifted the couple a luxury apartment in France worth INR 400 million. • The Bachchan family gave an emerald necklace worth INR 300 million. • Salman Khan gifted a sports bike worth INR 150 million. • Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone gave a customized Rolls Royce worth INR 200 million. • Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor gave a Mercedes car worth INR 90 million. • Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra gifted a handmade shawl worth INR 2.5 million. • Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal gave a gold chain worth INR 1.9 million. • Akshay Kumar, though he missed the wedding due to illness, gave a gold pen worth INR six million at the reception.
The wedding saw Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Rajinikanth, Ranveer Singh, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas dancing at the baraat. International celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Nick Jonas, and John Cena also attended.
July 24, 2024, was another day that will go down in history.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was enthusiastically welcomed at the United States Capitol to address Congress for the fourth time.
But this time, things were different.
On the streets of America, a large number of protestors swarmed in, carrying Palestinian flags, asserting their disapproval of the US state for hosting a man who has been deemed a war criminal by anti-genocide advocates worldwide.
Some protestors also reportedly released maggots and mealworms at the Watergate Hotel where PM Netanyahu, Israeli Mossad agents, and the Secret Service were to stay.
Back in May this year, Prosecutor Karim Khan at the International Criminal Court (ICC) called for arrest warrants for the Israeli PM and his associates for committing “war crimes and crimes against humanity” in Gaza.
As of yet, at least 39,145 people have been killed and 90,257 injured in Gaza since October 7 — the day when Israel began its deadly operations in the besieged strip, using Hamas’ attacks as justification for the bloodshed witnessed worldwide.
Are all Congress members supportive of Netanyahu?
More than 50 members reportedly boycotted or skipped the address, close to the 58 members who chose to abstain from attending Netanyahu’s 2015 speech.
Among the members are Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Punjabi-Hindu descendant Rep. Ro Khanna.
Pelosi criticised PM Netanyahu’s presentation in the House Chamber as “by far the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary invited and honored with the privilege of addressing the Congress of the United States.”
However, Rashida Tlaib, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan, attended the Israeli PM’s speech for all the right reasons.
Among the audience who gave Netanyahu a standing ovation on every claim, Tlaib stood out as the only hero in the room, wearing her Palestinian flag pin and a keffiyeh, holding a sign that read “guilty of genocide” on one side and “war criminal” on the other.
She is the eldest daughter of 14 kids who earned her bachelor’s in political science and Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2004. Rashida Tlaib then entered the Michigan state bar in 2007.
In 2022, she was re-elected to the U.S. Congress as one of the first two Muslim women (along with Ilhan Omar) and the first Palestinian woman.
“I will never back down in speaking truth to power”, she posted on X following PM Netanyahu’s speech.
“The apartheid government of Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians. Palestinians will not be erased. Solidarity with all those outside of these walls in the streets protesting and exercising their right to dissent.”
“Like December 7th, 1941, and September 11th, 2001, October 7th is a day that will forever live in infamy.”
“For the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand together. Because when we stand together, something very simple happens. We win. They lose.
And my friends, I came to assure you today of one thing: we will win.”
‘I thank President Biden for his heartful support for Israel after the savage attack on October 7th. He rightly called Hamas “sheer evil.”’ President Biden and I have known each other for over forty years. I want to thank him for half a century of friendship to Israel and for being, as he says, a proud Zionist. Actually, he says, a proud Irish American Zionist.
“…the Muslim soldiers of the IDF fought alongside their Jewish, Druze, Christian and other comrades in arms with tremendous bravery.”
“As the Bible says, “עם כלביא יקום” —they shall rise like lions. They’ve risen like lions, the lions of Judah, the lions of Israel.”
“These protesters chant “From the river to the sea.” But many don’t have a clue what river and what sea they’re talking about.”
“For nearly four thousand years, the land of Israel has been the homeland of the Jewish people. It’s always been our home; it will always be our home.”
“Now, just as malicious lies were levelled for centuries at the Jewish people, malicious lies are now being levelled at the Jewish state.”
“The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has shamefully accused Israel of deliberately starving the people of Gaza. This is utter complete nonsense. It’s a complete fabrication.”
“The vast majority of Americans have not fallen for this Hamas propaganda. They continue to support Israel, and I want to say: Thank you America, and thank you, senators and house members who continue to support us, continue to support Israel, continue to support the truth and see through the lies.”
“If you remember one thing, one thing from this speech, remember this: Our enemies are your enemies, our fight is your fight, and our victory will be your victory.”
“The new alliance I envision would be a natural extension of the groundbreaking Abraham Accords. Those Accords saw peace forged between Israel and four Arab countries, and they were supported by Republican and Democrats alike.
I have a name for this new alliance. I think we should call it: The Abraham Alliance.”
Veteran actress Fareeha Jabeen has opened up about her private life.
During a recent interview with ‘Subh Ka Samaa Madeha Kay Sath,’ she talked about her decision to remain single after her first divorce, because her daughter, Amar Khan, has always been sensitive about the topic. “I never considered remarrying because of how sensitive Amar has been about the subject.” Amar herself added: “When I was around seven or eight, I once saw a picture of my mom with a makeup artist. I was so upset that I tore up the entire album, even though that person was like a family friend.”
While talking about her former husband and marriage, the actress remarked, “My relationship with my former husband was deeply passionate. After our divorce, I decided to end any further romantic pursuits and focus on my daughter.” Fareeha revealed that she struggled financially while truly to support her child.
“I didn’t have a good education, so I wanted to make sure my daughter Amarhad one. It was hard, and we didn’t have a lot of money. Sometimes we even paid her school fees late. But I worked hard to give her the best life possible.” Jabeen added.Amar Khan graduated as a filmmaker from Beaconhouse National University. She worked in dramas like Bad Gumaan, Ghughi, Dil-e-Gumshuda, Darrar, Breaking News, and Heera Da Hero.
Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan has received a unique honor from the Grevin Museum in Paris, becoming the first actor to be celebrated with customized gold coins. Known as King Khan, he has had a distinguished career in film, spanning over three decades with many acclaimed movies.
In 2018, the Grevin Museum first recognized his influence with a gold coin featuring his likeness. This August, SRK will also receive the Career Achievement Award at the Locarno Film Festival, where his film Devdas will be screened. He will be honored at the festival’s 77th edition from August 7-17, with his award presentation on August 10.
Khan’s legacy includes wax statues in 14 locations worldwide, highlighting his significant impact on cinema and his enduring global fan base.
The Lahore High Court on July 25 declared former Prime Minster Imran Khan’s physical remand in 12 cases in the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) related to May 9 null and void.
The hearing on the petitions against the physical remand in 12 cases of the PTI founder was conducted by Justice Tariq Saleem and Justice Anwar-ul-Haq, two members of the bench. During the hearing, the Prosecutor General of Punjab presented arguments.
During the hearing, Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh remarked that the “accused could not be forced to undergo a photogrammetric test.”
Earlier, Khan refused to take forensic tests, including polygraph, photogrammetry and voice matching tests, as Lahore police tried to interrogate him in these 12 cases.
In his arguments, the prosecutor stated that the facility for the photogrammetric test is available within the jail and does not require outside transportation.
He emphasized that denying the prosecution the full opportunity to present its case would be unfair, adding that the prosecution is entirely responsible for any failures in the case.
The Prosecutor General noted that Imran Khan created a specific narrative through tweets, and retrieving the phones used for tweeting and WhatsApp messaging is impossible without an investigation.
The court responded by pointing out that judges often receive threats. Justice Anwar-ul-Haq questioned how the accused could be taken anywhere for investigation when he is in jail, making phone recovery impossible.
In the end, the court decided to declare Imran Khan’s physical remand in the 12 cases null and void and also nullify the notification for his video link appearance as the PTI founder.
Different media sources have revealed Britain’s future King, Prince William’s salary. They claim that the British royal earned a whopping $31 million in the year 2023 in his new role as the owner of the Duchy of Cornwall estate, which he inherited when King Charles III became the monarch.
An Annual Integrated Report published by the Duchy of Cornwall shows a distributable surplus of £23.6 million ($30.4 million) for the last financial year 2023-2024.
This amount covers the official, charitable and private expenses of Prince William, Kate Middleton and their three children.
Prince William is a working member of the royal family who doesn’t receive a traditional income. So, his annual expenses are largely covered by the Duchy of Cornwall, an estate established by King Edward III in 1337 to provide funds for the heir to the throne.
The estate is worth over $1 billion, spans 130,000 acres across 23 counties in England and Wales and includes land, farms, houses and other assets to support the heir and his family.
However, the Prince pays income tax on all his earnings from the estate after subtracting household expenses, which have not been specified. When King Charles acceded to the throne in 2022, Prince William became the new Duke of Cornwall and head of the estate.
Resham is a highly talented actress who has ruled the film industry with her charm personality. However, not many are awate of the difficulties she had in her early career.
Recently, Resham appeared as a guest on ‘Mazaq Raat,’ where she talked about how she had to face off against Maria Wasti to earn her first main part on PTV. “I still remember the day I auditioned for my first lead role on PTV. I used to accompany my brother to auditions and had played supporting characters before, but this was my chance to shine. When I arrived at the studios, I saw some big names auditioning for the same role. I saw Maria Wasti there, and she was speaking in perfect English with everyone. At that time, my own Urdu wasn’t as polished, and this made me think I had little chance of getting the role.” Resham narrated.
This role was a turning point in Resham’s career, as she was introduced with her new name (her original name Saima was dropped to avoid confusing her with Saima Khan).
Resham has worked in films like Jeeva, Ghunghat, Pal Do, Sangam, The Legend of Maula Jatt, and Gunjal.
A young man claiming to be in love with a married woman kidnapped and killed the woman’s five-year-old son in the suburbs of Sargodha.
A police report reveals that the suspects kept sending messages to the woman’s husband through an anonymous phone saying, “If you want the child back, divorce your wife,” even though he had murdered the child by then.
However, the police have arrested the suspect after about nine months.
Five-year-old Shahzeb’s father, Rehman Ali, worked as a labourer while the mother was allegedly romantically involved with the suspect Mukarram.
Police investigations reveal that the mother of the five-year-old had an extra-marital affair with Mukarram. It is claimed that she had left her husband and children several times to elope with Mukarram, as they wanted to marry each other. However, Mukrram’s parents were not ready to accept the woman’s condition that the young boy Shahzeb would also stay with them.
Mukarram then abducted the toddler, seeing him as an obstacle to the marriage, but strangled him afterwards and threw the body into a canal.
Mobile data investigations have confirmed that Mukarram turned out to be Shahzeb’s killer.
Shahzeb’s mother was completely unaware of her son’s murder.
The five-year-old was kidnapped in September last year, and the suspect was arrested after nine months of raids and investigation, which, according to the police, was a big success.
