Author: newsdesk

  • Petroleum dealers strike as OGRA directs oil companies to keep pumps open

    Petroleum dealers strike as OGRA directs oil companies to keep pumps open

    The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and the Petroleum Division have issued a joint statement following the strike announced by the Petroleum Dealers Association, stating that petroleum products will be available nationwide.

    The statement directed oil marketing companies to keep pumps open and ensure continuous supply.

    According to the joint statement, the country has abundant petroleum products, and they will remain available throughout the nation.

    Earlier, the Petroleum Dealers Association had declared a nationwide strike starting on July 5.

    Abdul Sami Khan, Chairman of the Petroleum Dealers Association, announced the strike, emphasising that businesses cannot sustain operations with such high taxes. He warned that pumps across the country will begin to run dry tonight and stated that negotiations will not resume until the government accepts their demands.

  • Mathira’s struggles: How society judges single mothers

    Mathira’s struggles: How society judges single mothers

    In a recent interview with Samaa, television host Mathira talked about her difficulties as a single parent after her 2018 divorce, sharing details of how her children have been her biggest source of strength.

    Mathira said that her three sons have been her main support, and she had to take on both roles of a mother and father while raising them. “When the father is no longer around, the mother has to take on his role. It’s not a woman’s job to be a man, but when she does, she becomes stronger than a man,” she said.

    The host pointed out unfairness in society, noting differences in how single mothers and fathers are treated. “When a single mother does something, people wonder who helped her instead of praising her. When a man does something good, we appreciate him, but when a woman runs a household, she faces many accusations,” Mathira lamented. She added that it gets very tough, and then she can’t be a good mother or take on the role of a father.

    The television star spoke about the severe depression she went through after her third pregnancy, a struggle that society mostly ignores, sometimes shames and dismisses as unimportant. “I think now people are learning that depression, including postpartum depression and hormonal changes, is real,” she noted, stressing the need for better understanding of mental health issues.

  • 30 peacocks die in Thar’s extreme heat; many unwell

    30 peacocks die in Thar’s extreme heat; many unwell

    More than 15 peacocks have reportedly died in neighbouring villages of Tehsil Islamkot of Tharparkar district.

    Similarly, 15 more peacocks have died in Morano village, Seringho, Kehri Morani, while many others are sick.

    Jang reports that residents of the area state that the wildlife department has informed the authorities via a video, yet teams have not been sent for treatment of the animals.

    On the contrary, Deputy Conservator Mir Ijaz has said that peacocks are falling ill due to extreme heat, lack of food, and water; and that a team will soon be sent to ensure the treatment of the peacocks.

  • “Change begins now,” Labour’s Keir Starmer on winning UK elections

    “Change begins now,” Labour’s Keir Starmer on winning UK elections

    Keir Starmer from Britain’s Labour has pledged to change UK as the next Prime Minister after his party won big in parliamentary elections on Friday, putting an end to 14 years of Conservative rule in the country.

    “The Labour Party has won this general election, and I have called Sir Keir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory,” a sombre-looking Rishi Sunak said in his speech after the results came out.

    Rishi called the results “sobering” as he took responsibility for the defeat.

    “Change begins now,” Starmer said in a victory speech.

    “We said we would end the chaos, and we will, we said we would turn the page, and we have. Today, we start the next chapter, begin the work of change, the mission of national renewal and start to rebuild our country.”

    At a triumphant party rally in central London, Starmer, 61, cautioned that change would not come overnight, even as Labour snatched a great number of Tory seats around the country, including from nine Cabinet members, and former prime minister Liz Truss. Truss lost in her rural constituency by a slim margin of 630 votes.

    How did the elections go?

    Labour raced past the 326 seats needed to secure an overall majority in the 650-seat parliament.

    An exit poll for UK broadcasters published after polls closed on Thursday put Labour on course for a return to power for the first time since 2010, with 410 seats and a 170-seat majority.

    The Tories will get only 131 seats in the House of Commons—a record low—with the right-wing vote apparently spliced by Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK party.

    Esteemed journalist in an article for his platform Zeteo wrote, “Goodbye to the party that helped unleash shameful levels of racism and hate against both migrants and minorities, with not just Brexit but “Go Home” vans and the Rwanda plan; bigoted rhetoric about “swarms” of migrants and citizens of nowhere.”

    What will happen to the government?

    Sunak will tender his resignation to head of state King Charles III, with the monarch then asking Starmer, as the leader of the largest party in parliament, to form a government.

    To-do list for next government

    Starmer took over the party post-Brexit in 2020 and had aimed to bring it to the centre again.

    Starmer is facing a daunting to-do list, with economic growth anaemic, public services overstretched and underfunded due to swinging cuts, and households squeezed financially.

    When it comes to Gaza, he is on the same page as Rishi Sunak, emphasising support for Israel’s right to defend itself while maintaining the recognition of a two-state solution. However, Starmer has said he would review arms sales to Israel but has also not made a pledge to suspend any.

    Additionally, Starmer has shown its determination to scrap the UK’s Controversial Rwanda Bill for asylum seekers that was introduced to deport illegal asylum seekers to Rwanda.

  • Multiple PTI workers indicted in vandalism case 

    Multiple PTI workers indicted in vandalism case 

    Multiple leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have been indicted in a vandalism case registered against them at the New Town police station Karachi, ARY News reported on Friday.

    PTI members, including Raja Azhar, Fahim Khan, Shah Nawaz Jadoon, and others, confessed to the crime.

    Earlier, Islamabad police arrested PTI Islamabad chapter president Amir Mughal just before the upcoming PTI’s public rally in the capital city on July 6.

  • Girls prefer wealth over love: Agha Ali

    Girls prefer wealth over love: Agha Ali

    Rejoice ladies, Agha Ali understands us better than we do ourselves. The actor recently came up with the gem that women prioritize wealth and luxury over love and loyalty.

    Aren’t we lucky that he understands us so thoroughly?

    In a recent TV appearance, Agha Ali reflected on past mistakes, admitting to saying things in interviews that he shouldn’t have and leaving out important details.
    “I’ve learned from my mistakes and am working on rebuilding myself after feeling broken,” he said, emphasizing his commitment to honesty in interviews, aiming to show his true self to the public.
    And then he did, with the misogynistic comments about women.

    Addressing rumors about his character, he clarified, “I’m not a playboy anymore.”
    Speaking on modern relationships, Ali remarked that many women today prioritize financial security and a luxurious lifestyle over love and loyalty.
    “Money can get you anything in this world, even a partner,” he observed.
    Ali’s advice to men was straightforward: “First, earn money, buy a house and a car, then think about love and relationships.”

    On a serious note, while his advice to men about being financially secure is pertinent, the rest of his comments about women are quite problematic.

    In a society dominated by men, it is not a bad thing for women to think about their financial future neither should they be shamed for doing so.

  • Moammar Rana calls archival Shaan Shahid the ‘King of Action’

    Moammar Rana calls archival Shaan Shahid the ‘King of Action’

    In Pakistani cinema, the relationship between Moammar Rana and Shaan Shahid has always interested fans. Recently, Moammar appeared as a guest on ‘Daisbook’, hosted by Junaid Saleem, and talked about his rivalry with Shaan.

    The co-host asked, “Can you tell us why you don’t get along with Shaan and why you both avoid working together in films?”

     Moammar Rana said, “I respect Shaan as my senior, but I think he’s the one who should explain our differences. We were both action heroes, just like Shatrugan Sinha and Amitabh Bachchan. Shaan was the action king, always doing daring stunts, while I focused on acting. It’s like the difference between Shatrugan Sinha’s action-oriented approach and Amitabh Bachchan’s focus on acting.”

    Both superstars have worked together in several films including ‘Guns and Roses’, ‘Ik Junoon’, and ‘Chupan Chupai.’ Moammar is known for romantic roles in numerous hit films like ‘Kuriyon Ko Daalay Daana,’ ‘Chooriyian,’ and ‘Jhoomar.’

  • NADRA’s appeal against restoration of Hafiz Hamdullah’s identity card scheduled for hearing

    NADRA’s appeal against restoration of Hafiz Hamdullah’s identity card scheduled for hearing

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan has scheduled the hearing of NADRA’s appeal against the restoration of the identity card of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Hafiz Hamdullah.

    A two-member bench headed by Justice Muneeb Akhtar of the Supreme Court will hear the case on July 10.

    NADRA had cancelled the identity card on grounds of Hamdullah being a foreigner.

    The Islamabad High Court declared the cancellation of Hafiz Hamdullah’s identity card null and void and ordered its restoration.

    NADRA has now filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the decision of the Islamabad High Court.

  • Season 2024-25: PCB to host tri-series after 21 years

    Season 2024-25: PCB to host tri-series after 21 years

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the details of Pakistan’s 2024-25 home/ international season, which includes hosting a tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, an event the country will host after 21 years.

    According to the press release from PCB, the season will prove to be quite busy for the national cricket team, with two Test matches against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi and Karachi from August 21 to September 3 this year.

    In October of the same year, England’s cricket team will visit Pakistan to play three Test matches from October 7 to 28.

    The West Indies team will come to Pakistan to play two Tests in January 2025 in Karachi and Multan.

    In February 2025, the national team will play a tri-nation ODI series against South Africa and New Zealand from February 8 to 14 in Multan.

  • Fixed electricity rates increased for industrial, commercial, agricultural consumers

    Fixed electricity rates increased for industrial, commercial, agricultural consumers

    The government has further increased the price of electricity by five rupees 72 paise per unit, starting July 1.

    Fixed charges will apply to electricity consumers. For non-protected consumers, the new rates are as follows: Up to 100 units, the rate is Rs. 23.73; for 201 to 300 units, the rate is Rs. 32.98 per unit.

    Monthly fixed charges for industrial electricity consumers have risen by 184 per cent, and fixed charges for commercial electricity consumers have increased by 150 per cent.

    Agricultural tubewell customers will see a 100 per cent increase in monthly fixed charges.

    The federal cabinet has approved the increase in fixed electricity charges, as per sources.

    Industrial customers’ monthly fixed charges have reportedly increased from Rs. 440 to Rs. 1250.

    Fixed charges for commercial users have risen from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1250, while fixed charges for agricultural tubewell users have increased from Rs. 200 to Rs. 400, sources report.