The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will make the anthem for International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup 2024.
PCB has advertised for anthem sponsorship rights on their official website.
PCB has also advertised for the new Chief Curator, according to which interested and eligible candidates will be able to submit their applications till May 16.
ICC T20 World Cup is scheduled to be played from June 1 to June 29 in USA and West Indies.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab President Rana Sanaullah as his adviser on political and public affairs.
The President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment of Sanaullah as the PM’s advisor.
Rana Sanaullah served as the interior minister during the previous government but lost his seat in the general elections 2024 in the National Assembly (NA-100) constituency in Faisalabad.
Sanaullah’s appointment came just after a day Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was given the additional role of Deputy Prime Minister.
Sanaullah had recently hinted at the possibility of him taking a role in the federal government, stating that Nawaz Sharif would decide the matter after coming back from his China visit.
Bollywood’s resident thespian king Aamir Khan has revealed that he’s been discussing a movie collaboration with the other two reigning Khans of Indian cinema, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. During an appearance on Netflix’s The Great Indian Kapil Show, Aamir responded to a fan’s question about teaming up with the other two Khans by saying, “We think alike,” in a clip that hadn’t been shown before.
The perfectionist Khan said that he had a meeting with Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan where they talked about a possible project they could work on together.
“I told them, we’ve been in this industry for many years, and at this point in our careers, not making a film together would be unfair to our fans. We should make at least one film together,” he narrated, getting fans excited about the prospect. “I hope we come across great stories, and talented directors present those stories to us.”
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has announced the name of party leader Sher Afzal Marwat as the new chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), putting an end to internal conflicts within the party.
The PTI chairman told journalists in Rawalpindi that “All disputes are over [now] as the party has picked Marwat for the slot.”
Last week, opposition leader in parliament and PTI member Omar Ayub Khan said that Sher Afzal Marwat should be the chairman of PAC, as PTI’s founder Imran Khan had suggested his name.
Earlier, PTI senior leader Sardar Latif Khosa announced the name of Hamid Khan as the new chairman of the PAC.
PTI formed a committee of three party members on Tuesday, including chief minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur, Shibli Faraz, and Omar Ayub, to hold a dialogue with the military establishment.
Urdu News reported on April 30 that under the new government that came into being after the February 8 elections, the smuggling of Iranian oil has increased by 67 per cent.
During the previous caretaker set-up, a crackdown resulted in smuggling being reduced by half across the country.
89 lacs litres of Iranian oil is being smuggled to Pakistan daily through six land and sea routes of five districts in Balochistan out of which 70 per cent is further smuggled to three major provinces, Urdu News revealed.
According to a report prepared by the Civil Intelligence Department in April, 105 people, including many current members of the Balochistan Assembly, former provincial ministers and politicians, were involved in the smuggling of Iranian oil.
After the general elections, the smuggling of Iranian oil has again reached an estimated 8.9 million litres per day.
The smuggling causes a loss of at least Rs 277 billion to the national exchequer.
Every time I sit down to write the intro for our monthly round-up, the first word to sum everything up is “crazy”. The things are sometimes too bad, other times, slightly less but overall, always not-so-good.
At least that’s what has been the pattern lately, no?
The centre of powers always seem to be at an advantage, leaving a little or no room for hope to seep in. But then there are the bravehearts who snap us back to the truth — the ultimate reality: justice.
After decades of confusion and naivety, April 2024 has once again proved that with courage and resistance, anything can be jolted — if not broken.
And that matters!
Politics
by Natasha M. Zai
What a month! From the Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges letter hogging the spotlight in the first few days of the month to Maulana Fazlur Rehman suddenly becoming PTI’s unlikely ally, April had it all.
Where do we begin? Well, the early part of the month was all about the explosive letter by six IHC judges. The Supreme Court held hearings on the suo moto it took, and the Chief Justice thundered down from the rostrum that the judiciary will not take dictation. All for nothing though, as the end of the month saw a sustained campaign against IHC judge Babar Sattar.
Meanwhile, PTI turned into a spectacle of infighting. Omar Ayub became the leader of the opposition, while every possible name was thrown about for the position of Chairman of Public Accounts Committee. After alleging that former first lady Bushra Bibi was being poisoned by Harpic (hint hint), PTI decided to start a dialogue with the military establishment. Imran Khan even named Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub and Ali Amin Gandapur as the three who are allowed to talk to the establishment. While we are talking about Gandapur, he also threatened to take over Islamabad if KP was not given “due rights”. He also gave yet another misogynistic statement, something he just can’t stop doing.
Moving on to the PML-N, the party acted true to its name and made samdhi jee Ishaq Dar the Deputy Prime Minister. Now the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Chief Minister, Party Head, Foreign Minister are part of the Sharif clan. The government now seems more like a Pvt Limited company than a political administration.
Lastly, the PPP decided to lay low this month, after ensuring that Yousaf Raza Gillani becomes the Senate Chairman.
On the international front, a report in The Guardian said that India is indeed orchestrating killings in Pakistan, vindicating Pakistan’s stance. The Iranian president visited Pakistan and offered to share tech expertise, prompting the US to sanction companies that provide parts to Pakistan’s missile program. Shehbaz Sharif may actually be close to crafting an investment deal with Saudi Arabia, providing a much needed shot in the arm to Pakistan’s ailing economy.
Business
By Sadaan Khan
The economic landscape of Pakistan in April 2024 presented a mix of highs and lows, underscoring the country’s ongoing challenges and resilience. The month began with adjustments to fuel prices, reflecting the fluctuating international market trends and domestic policy decisions. The federal government hiked the price of petrol by Rs9.66 per litre to Rs289.41, while the price of High-Speed Diesel (HSD) was reduced by Rs3.32 to Rs282.24 per litre, offering some relief to industries reliant on diesel.
In the precious metals market, gold continued its upward trajectory. The price of gold at the beginning of April was around Rs237,100 per tola in Pakistani markets, indicating a significant increase following a surge in international gold prices. This trend continued through the month, with gold prices hitting a record high of Rs251,900 per tola by April 17, driven by global market forces.
The Pakistani rupee (PKR) remained relatively stable against the US dollar, opening the month at Rs277.92 and closing at Rs278.4. This stability came as Pakistan initiated discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new multi-billion-dollar loan agreement to support its economic reform programme. The negotiations are crucial as the country approaches the end of a nine-month, $3 billion loan programme with the IMF, designed to address its balance-of-payments crisis.
Despite consistent foreign aid, Pakistan’s economic performance remains a concern. The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) highlighted that the country has received over $200 billion in foreign aid since its inception, with around $155 billion disbursed. However, the inflows have not substantially improved Pakistan’s economic trajectory, with the PIDE stating, “It would not be misplaced to state that Pakistan is addicted to aid.”
Foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) saw a decline of $73.5 million or 0.91 per cent week-on-week, standing at $7.98 billion by April 19, 2024. The SBP attributed this decrease to debt repayments, adding to the country’s ongoing economic challenges.
The World Bank’s Pakistan development update painted a sobering picture, indicating that the poverty headcount rate, measured at the lower-middle-income country purchasing power parity (PPP), is expected to remain around 40 per cent over FY24–26.
Real GDP growth is projected to be 1.8 per cent in FY24, with high inflation, weak confidence, and political uncertainty contributing to the slow economic recovery.
Meanwhile, the stock market’s benchmark index, KSE-100, crossed the 70,000 mark on April 9 and closed the month even higher at 71,695, providing a glimmer of hope amidst economic turbulence.
Addressing other key issues, the Power Minister set a deadline of April 23 to combat electricity theft, aiming to eradicate all forms of illegal practices from the country’s power grid. The minister instructed all Discos’ chairmen and CEOs to take immediate action to curb electricity theft.
Finally, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) decided to maintain the key policy rate at 22 per cent for the seventh consecutive time, signaling a cautious approach to monetary policy. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) noted that macroeconomic stabilsation measures are showing signs of improvement in both inflation and external positions, albeit with moderate economic recovery.
April 2024 was a month of mixed economic signals for Pakistan, with rising gold prices and a steady stock market juxtaposed against challenges in foreign aid, poverty, and foreign exchange reserves. The outcome of ongoing discussions with the IMF will be critical in determining Pakistan’s economic trajectory in the coming months.
Lifestyle
by Urwa Khurshid
As I was scrolling the feed to have an idea of the most prominent stories of the month of April, I felt chills down my spine because of an overwhelming number of crime-related stories making waves in the country. Because of this, these 30 days felt more like an eternity.
Ramzan was trailing off in the beginning yet the three most standout events were Qari Abu Bakar Muawiyah’s, Toba Tek Singh’s Maria murder case and Millat Express Case.
Faisalabad’s Qari Muawiyah reportedly charged for attempting to assault a child came out of jail scot-free on intervention of a senior religious scholar. While there was no investigation, the most problematic part was the fact that the child of the father forgave him for “Allah ki Raza”. This created a lot of stir, yet nothing came out of it.
Toba Tek Singh’s Maria was choked to death by her brother while their father lying on the bed encouraged him. This murder was filmed by another brother and even though this shocked the whole nation, the blame game that ensued after was paralysing. The one who filmed the murder blamed the complicit brother and father to have raped the victim and vice versa.
Millat Express Case was another testimony of how the morality of our society is going down the drain. A police officer was secretly filmed beating a protesting woman. While it was claimed that she was disturbing the fellow passengers and was mentally sick, it was still not an excuse for the cop to beat her this way. Victim Maryam’s death — either a suicide or the policeman killed her — became even more tangled because of the contradictory statements from family, police and railway department. It puts a question mark over the supposed rule of law in the country.
The dark episodes of crime does not end here as there are scores of other incidents of people getting killed over as trivial a reason as eating the burger of a girlfriend and as big as man slaughtering his wife and seven children due to poverty.
Internationally, except from the student protests in America, the conversation was mostly dominated by climate change. Be it the floods in Dubai or the heatwave in Bangladesh, the signs of an impending catastrophe are clearer than ever. It is hitting home with the flood-like situation in Balochistan because of heavy rains but unsurprisingly it remains ignored everywhere.
Sports
By Wasim Sarwar
On April 1, Pakistan women cricket team all-rounder Aliya Riaz and Waqar Younis’ younger brother and commentator Ali Younis got engaged.
On April 2, former Indian captain and Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni crossed an important milestone in T20 cricket, becoming the first wicketkeeper in the world to take 300 wickets.
On April 8, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir hosted an iftar party for the Pakistan cricket team in Rawalpindi.
On April 5, South African professional footballer Luke Flores was shot dead during a car robbery incident.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director Media and Communications Aliya Rashid resigned from her host on April 5.
On April 8, after more than 1,300 days, the reign of popular wrestler Roman Reigns in WWE came to an end, after he was defeated by Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 40.
On April 16, England spin legend Derek Underwood passed away at the age of 78, his county Kent announced.
On April 21, Pakistan defeated India by 2-1 in the karate combat competitions held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
On April 25, former captain of Pakistan women’s cricket team Bisma Maroof announced her immediate retirement from cricket on her Instagram account.
The Gamer Galaxy E-Sports Festival became the site of a huge upset when Nauman Chaudhry defeated the uncrowned king of Tekken, Arslan Ash, on April 27.
On April 28, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed former South African cricketer Gary Kirsten as the head coach of Pakistan’s white ball team and former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie as the head coach of the red ball team.
Entertainment
By Kainat Alvi
Get the latest scoop on entertainment news!
This month was packed with exciting events and news. Let’s dive in.
Famous Korean popstar Daud Kim, who became a Muslim five years ago, plans to build a mosque in Incheon.
Pakistani actress Hina Rizvi tied the knot with Ammar Ahmed Khan in a sweet and intimate wedding.
Actor Zaviyar Ijaz’s dance moves didn’t impress everyone, especially his mix of Bhangra and chewing gum!
The upcoming Netflix series ‘Heeramandi’ has everyone talking and eagerly waiting for its release.
Pakistani actress Mahira Khan stole the show at the EMIGala 2024 in Dubai, accepting the ‘Artist in Fashion’ award and attending Arijit Singh’s concert in style.
The pre-wedding celebrations of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in India grabbed attention, but surprisingly, the wedding will now happen in England!
Get ready for a hilarious Eid with the upcoming movie ‘Umro Ayyar’!
Stay tuned for more entertainment news and keep the good times rolling.
Foreign
May marked 200 days since October 7 attacks, i.e. 200 days of Israeli genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. As of April 29, at least 34,535 Palestinians have been killed and 77,704 wounded.
The month for the besieged strip started with Israeli forces pulling out from Gaza’s largest hospital, Al Shifa, after an intensive two-week military operation, leaving behind charred buildings and bodies all over the premises. This was followed by an attack on the people working for US-based charity, World Central Kitchen, in Gaza which included an Australian, three Britons, a North American, a Palestinian and a Pole. Israel conveniently deemed it a ‘mistake’ on their end.
The people of Gaza also marked the “saddest” Eid. Israel, in fact, did not spare that occasion either and killed 14 members of a family in a strike at a home.
The anti-Israeli voices, however, became louder across the world this month.
Within the Middle East, Iran warned Israel of punishing it for an airstrike that killed seven Revolutionary Guards, two of them generals, at its embassy in Damascus. Two weeks later, Iran launched several drones toward Israel, which, of course, were intercepted by the Israeli defence system.
And even though the situation did not blow up, the conflict remains.
Back in the US, student protests at universities gained strength as tensions flared between pro-Palestinian student protesters and school administrators at several US universities, while in-person classes were cancelled and demonstrators arrested.
The protests began at Columbia University with a large group of demonstrators establishing a “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” on school grounds, spread to other campuses, including Yale, MIT and others. The demand to the universities to divest from investing in Israel expanded beyond US borders and the demonstrations took place in Australia, France, and Germany — where too, the police harassed the demonstrators. And as of April 30, Columbia University began suspending student demonstrators after they defied an ultimatum to disperse.
Google also fired 28 employees following a sit-down protest over the tech giant’s contract with the Israeli government, organised by “No Tech for Apartheid”; while five Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip filed a legal complaint in Berlin against the German government over its delivery of weapons to Israel.
Over and above, the world’s biggest election started on April 19 in India, which will continue through the month of May as it is conducted in seven phases in a span of 44 days. The results will be announced on June 4 with Modi likely to win for the third time in a row. This possibility is keeping Muslims and other minorities in the country on their toes as they fear another term of hatred and harassment at the hands of Hindutva followers. Only a couple of days back, unknown persons entered a mosque and allegedly tortured and killed the imam in Ajmer. On the other hand, some Hindu activists already want to “reclaim” the Shahi Idgah in a campaign endorsed by members of the BJP.
So, which direction is India really headed towards? And how long will it take for the world to put an end to a genocide?
Pakistan is about to send a satellite mission to the moon with help from China.
Talking to Geo News, Dr. Khurram Khurshid, a member of the Core Committee of the Institute of Space Technology, said that Pakistan’s first satellite mission will be sent to the moon on May 3 at 12:50 pm from China’s Hainan Space Launch Site. The launch of satellite ICUBE-Q will be telecast live on the website.
Institute of Space Technology (IST) has said that satellite ICUBE-Q has been designed and developed by IST in collaboration with China’s Shanghai University and Pakistan’s national space agency SUPARCO.
ICUBE-Q orbiter carries two optical cameras to image the lunar surface. Following successful qualification and testing, ICUBE-Q has now been integrated with the Chang’e6 mission. Chang’e6 is the sixth in a series of China’s lunar exploration missions.
The launch activity will be telecast live on the IST website and social media platforms, informs The Express Tribune.
Chang’6 will touch down on the moon’s far side to collect samples from the surface and return to Earth for research.
The mission holds significance for Pakistan as it will also take a Pakistan CubeSat Satellite iCube-Q, developed by IST.
CubeSats are miniature satellites typically characterised by their small size and standardised design. They are constructed in a cubic shape, consisting of modular components that adhere to specific size constraints.
The primary purpose of cubesats is to facilitate scientific research, technology development, and educational initiatives in space exploration.
These satellites are utilised for a wide range of missions, including Earth observations, remote sensing, atmospheric research, communications, astronomy, and technology demonstration.
Due to their compact size and relatively low cost compared to traditional satellites, CubeSats offer opportunities for universities, research institutions, and commercial entities to participate in space missions and gather valuable data for scientific advancement.
Former Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Najam Sethi is angry over the misbehavior of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) staff during a raid on the PCB.
“FIA officials took PCB ticketing head Mehwish with them, Mehwish has done important work for PSL first and then as ticketing head for Pakistan cricket,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“Total worth of 60 crore of tickets were sold in PSL, but Mehwish is accused of corruption of 80,000, such behavior with a PCB professional is regrettable.”
Yesterday, the FIA started an investigation into irregularities in the sale of tickets for various cricket series.
A woman working under Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer and two other employees were called to the FIA office for questioning. The checks issued for the sale of tickets are being scrutinized.
AstraZeneca has admitted in court that its vaccine can cause rare side effects, including blood clots and low platelet count.
The vaccine, which was developed with the University of Oxford, was sued over claims that it caused death and serious injury in dozens of cases.
The lawsuit was spearheaded by Jamie Scott, whose life took a tragic turn after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine in April 2021. Scott suffered a permanent brain injury, prompting legal action against this pharmaceutical giant.
“We need an apology, fair compensation for our family and other families who have been affected. We have the truth on our side, and we are not going to give up” said Kate Scott, the wife of the victim.
In total, 51 cases have now been lodged in Britain and victims and relatives are seeking damages worth £100 million.
BOMBSHELL NEWS
AstraZeneca just ADMITTED IN COURT that their covid injection can cause a severe blood clot side effect.
This is absolutely huge news.
They are now being sued in a class action lawsuit from victims that have suffered after being lied to by the “experts” about… pic.twitter.com/4CcISuihLA
— PeterSweden (@PeterSweden7) April 29, 2024
“It is admitted that the AZ vaccine can, in very rare cases, cause TTS (Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome). The causal mechanism is not known,” the company said in court documents, quotes Dawn.
While the company has contested the claims of Scott, the court submission marks the first time it has admitted that the vaccine can cause side-effects that are characterised by blood clots and a low blood platelet count in humans.
“Further, TTS can also occur in the absence of the AZ vaccine (or any vaccine). Causation in any individual case will be a matter for expert evidence,” the admission in court added.
The UK government has indemnified AstraZeneca against any legal action but has so far refused to intervene.
According to the Council for International Organisations of Medical Sciences, “very rare” side effects are those reported in less than 1 in 10,000 cases.
AstraZeneca vaccine was developed by the British-Swedish company in collaboration with Oxford University, and produced by the Serum Institute of India. It was widely administered in over 150 countries.
Some studies conducted during the pandemic found the vaccine was 60 to 80 per cent effective in protecting against the covid-19.
Gold prices in Pakistan continued their downward trend for the third consecutive session on Tuesday, mirroring the decline in international markets.
The price per tola of gold fell by Rs2,000 to settle at Rs241,900, according to data released by the All Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA).
In the local market, the cost of 10 grammes of gold decreased by Rs1,715, bringing the price to Rs207,390. This marks a notable reduction compared to the previous day’s loss of Rs500 per tola.
The drop in local gold prices corresponds with a fall in the international market.
According to the APGJSA, the global price of gold reached $2,316 per ounce, which includes a premium of $20, after a single-day decrease of $19.
Silver prices also saw a decline, with a reduction of Rs20, bringing the price down to Rs2,630 per tola.
Over the past three sessions, gold prices in Pakistan have fallen by Rs3,100 per tola, a significant correction from the record high of Rs252,200 per tola earlier this month.
This continued downward trend suggests a possible easing of demand or adjustments in the international gold market.