Author: newsdesk

  • Seven wicket on debut without giving any runs; Indonesian female bowler makes world record

    Seven wicket on debut without giving any runs; Indonesian female bowler makes world record

    Indonesian female bowler Rohmalia made a stunning world record by taking seven wickets without giving a single runs against Mongolia on April 25.

    The 17-year-old off-spinner made it even more special by achieving the feat on her international debut. Mongolian cricketers could not score any runs in three overs and two balls that Rohmalia bowled.

    She surpassed the previous record held by Netherlands fast bowler Frederik Overdijk, who took seven wickets for three runs against France in the T20 World Cup Europe Region Qualifier in 2021.

  • Shocking number of people have ‘love marriages’ in Pakistan: Survey

    Shocking number of people have ‘love marriages’ in Pakistan: Survey

    In Pakistan, marrying a person of choice is usually looked down upon considering the shame attached to it and lack of option and privilege to interact with people.

    Which is why the result of Gallup’s new survey comes as no surprise.

    Gallup Pakistan, the well-known public opinion polling agency, has released a new survey on social attitudes, according to which only five per cent of people in Pakistan get married to people of their choice, aka love marriage.

    Whereas 85 percent of the country’s marriages are arranged.

  • 22-year-old fakes his own kidnapping in Muzaffargarh

    22-year-old fakes his own kidnapping in Muzaffargarh

    A 22-year-old man staged his own kidnapping to trick his father into giving him two million rupees, reports Dawn News.

    Two days ago, Muhammed Ahmad, son of Mushtaq Mahra, went missing from Rohillanwali, 25 km from Muzaffargarh city. His father approached police by calling 15, complaining about his son being abducted by Katcha gangs of Sindh.

    Rohillanwali police registered a case. A day later, Mushtaq received a call from his son who told his father that he had been kidnapped by the Katcha area gangs of Sindh who demanded two million rupees as ransom for his release. He told his father that the kidnappers would kill him if they did not get the money.

    Police took action, reaching the Katcha area of Ranipur in Sindh, and located Ahmad by using modern technology and recovered him.

    The SHO said that Ahmad had faked his kidnapping and his ‘kidnapper’ kept calling his parents, demanding the ransom amount.

    During the investigation, police came to know that Ahmad wanted to marry a girl of his choice while his parents opposed it. He made a plan with his friend to get a money from his father and contract a love marriage. Police arrested Ahmad and his accomplice who was with him in Ranipur.

  • ICC T20 World Cup trophy reaches Islamabad

    ICC T20 World Cup trophy reaches Islamabad

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup 2024 trophy has reached Islamabad.

    The trophy was unveiled on a double decker bus at various locations including D Chowk, Faisal Masjid and Pakistan Monument. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and ICC officials were also present on the occasion.

    A photo shoot of the trophy was also held at the Pakistan Monument, while a large number of citizens also took photos of the trophy.

    After Islamabad, the World T20 trophy will be taken to Abbottabad and Lahore, where the trophy will be unveiled at Gaddafi Stadium on the occasion of the fifth T20 between Pakistan and New Zealand cricket team.

    The trophy will go to India after completing the tour in Pakistan.

  • Only five lacs for century of Guinness World Records; Irfan Mehsood returns check

    Only five lacs for century of Guinness World Records; Irfan Mehsood returns check

    Irfan Mehsood, the world record holder who made a century of Guinness World Records, has returned the prize check of five lacs rupees, displaying unhappiness with the behavior of the officials of the Sports Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    Irfan was given a prize check of PKR five lac rupees in recognition of his services but the player returned the check to the office staff of the Sports Advisor.

    Irfan Mehsood told Geo News, “The behavior of the officials of the sports department was disgraceful. If the sports authorities cannot respect the players, then do not call them to their offices for some money.”

    He said that officials of the sports department were bargaining with him that two or three lacs would be enough.

    Sports officials have said that they are not aware of the check being returned.

  • 4th T20I: New Zealand defeats Pakistan by 4 runs

    4th T20I: New Zealand defeats Pakistan by 4 runs

    In the fourth T20 match, New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 4 runs in Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.

    Pakistan skipper Babar Azam won the toss and invited New Zealand to bat first.

    New Zealand inning:

    Batting first, New Zealand scored 178 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

    New Zealand’s Tim Robinson scored 51 runs and Dan Foxcroft scored 34 runs, while Tom Blundell scored 28 runs and Michael Bracewell scored 27 runs, Josh Clarkson was dismissed for zero.

    On behalf of Pakistan, Abbas Afridi dismissed 3 players, Usama Mir and Iftikhar Ahmed also got one wicket each.

    Pakistan inning:

    The national team managed to score 174 runs for 8 wickets in pursuit of the target of 179 runs.

    Fakhar Zaman scored 61 runs on behalf of Pakistan, Iftikhar Ahmed scored 23 runs, Saeem Ayub scored 20 runs and Usman Khan scored 16 runs. Imad Wasim was not out with 22 runs.

    Last match of this series will be played on April 27 in Gaddafi cricket stadium.

  • Study reveals foreign aid to Pakistan fails to drive economic growth

    Study reveals foreign aid to Pakistan fails to drive economic growth

    A report by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) reveals that foreign aid to Pakistan, despite commitments exceeding $200 billion, has failed to deliver sustainable economic growth.

    The report, titled “Foreign Aid Donors and Consultants Analysing Pakistan’s Foreign Aid Inflows and Their Outcomes,” highlights that while about $155 billion has been disbursed from the committed amount, there’s little evidence that these funds have significantly improved Pakistan’s economy.

    PIDE finds that the aid has not met key criteria for effective foreign aid, as outlined in the influential Millikan-Rostow report.

    These criteria include the ability to transfer resources without creating future liabilities, avoiding source-tied aid, promoting sustainable economic development, increasing the marginal savings rate to drive capital formation, and supporting development programmes that enable productive use of additional capital.

    The PIDE report notes that Pakistan’s aid programmes fail to meet these benchmarks.

    According to Mettis Global, the research acknowledges some positive outcomes in specific sectors, such as the United Nations-led vaccination efforts, which have improved public health.

    However, it also points out that this success has led to greater dependency on external sources for vaccines, raising questions about the long-term sustainability of such programmes.

    Overall, the report suggests that despite the significant amount of foreign aid received, Pakistan’s economy has not experienced the desired transformation.

    Even when examining Official Development Assistance (ODA) by sector, the improvements are marginal and do not lead to substantial aggregate economic growth.

    This finding raises concerns about Pakistan’s reliance on foreign aid and underscores the need for more effective and sustainable economic policies.

  • Booming demand for Samsung Galaxy S24 leads to shortage in Pakistan

    Booming demand for Samsung Galaxy S24 leads to shortage in Pakistan

    Samsung Electronics Co. is experiencing a shortage of its Galaxy S24 smartphones in Pakistan due to overwhelming demand for the flagship device, according to Bloomberg.

    Since the device’s launch earlier this year, demand has surged, leading to limited availability across the country.

    The Galaxy S24 series, which is assembled in Pakistan, has garnered considerable interest, particularly for its premium models like the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

    This surge in demand suggests a growing market for high-end smartphones among Pakistan’s more affluent consumers.

    With 192 million mobile phone users, Pakistan is the world’s fifth-most populous nation, representing a significant market for smartphone manufacturers.

    Samsung Electronics acknowledged the shortage in an email statement, stating that the company is working to meet customer demand and expects sales to resume shortly.

    The Pakistani government has introduced financial incentives that have transformed the country’s smartphone industry.

    In 2017, Pakistan primarily imported smartphones, but the majority of handsets are now assembled domestically. This shift has contributed to a growing mobile phone manufacturing sector.

    According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, mobile companies in Pakistan produced about 21 million units last year, with local and Chinese brands such as VGOTEL, Infinix, and Itel leading production. An additional 1.7 million units were imported.

    Despite the shortage, the Galaxy S24 models are crucial for Samsung’s position in the global smartphone market.

    The company lost its top ranking to Apple Inc. last year, marking the first time since 2010 that Samsung was not the world’s leading smartphone maker, according to industry tracker IDC.

  • Pakistan’s forex reserves fall by $73.5 million in one week

    Pakistan’s forex reserves fall by $73.5 million in one week

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported a significant decline in its foreign exchange reserves for the week ending April 19, 2024, attributing the drop to external debt repayments.

    The central bank’s reserves fell by $73.5 million, a 0.91 per cent week-on-week reduction, bringing the total to $7.98 billion.

    This decrease reflects Pakistan’s ongoing struggles to maintain a stable foreign exchange reserve position amid mounting economic pressures.

    The SBP issued a statement explaining the decline, citing debt repayments as the primary reason for the dip. “During the week ended on April 19, 2024, SBP’s reserves decreased by $74 million to $7.98 billion due to external debt repayments,” the statement read.

    Concurrently, the total reserves of Pakistan, which include those held by commercial banks, also fell. The country’s total reserves dropped by $93.2 million, a 0.7 per cent week-on-week decrease, to $13.28 billion.

    Commercial banks’ reserves diminished by $19.7 million, or 0.37 per cent week-on-week, bringing their total to $5.3 billion.

    Last week, the SBP reported a slight increase in its reserves, up by $14.4 million despite a $1 billion Eurobond repayment. However, this week’s decline indicates continued pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

    In a recent development, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) executive board is set to meet on April 29 to discuss the approval of a $1.1 billion funding tranche for Pakistan.

    This funding represents the second and final installment of a $3 billion standby arrangement with the IMF, which was agreed upon last summer to avert a sovereign default.

    The current arrangement with the IMF is due to expire at the end of this month, prompting Pakistan to seek a new long-term and larger loan from the IMF.

    Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb expressed optimism about the country’s foreign exchange reserves, stating that he expects the reserves held by the SBP to rise to around $9–10 billion by the end of the current fiscal year.

    Despite the recent decline, the total liquid foreign reserves have increased by $4.12 billion, or 44.98 per cent, since the beginning of the fiscal year.

    Additionally, the current calendar year has seen an increase of $0.61 billion, or 4.79 per cent.

    The fluctuations in Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves underscore the country’s ongoing economic challenges and the critical importance of securing international funding to maintain financial stability.

  • Palestinian stories shine at Arab film festival in Berlin

    Palestinian stories shine at Arab film festival in Berlin

    The ALFILM festival in Berlin is standing strong in its promise to highlight Palestinian stories, even when faced with tough opposition. Despite the difficulties and tensions around discussing Palestine in Germany, the festival organizers are determined to give these important stories a platform.

    Pascale Fakhry, the director of ALFILM, knows it’s harder now, but she’s still committed to the festival’s mission. She says, “It feels like an impossible task right now. It doesn’t even feel like an act of courage. It feels like a suicide somehow, honestly.”

    But the festival keeps going, knowing how important it is as a big part of Arab culture in Germany. Fakhry says it’s crucial to keep talking and sharing stories, even when things seem tough.

    Even though there have been some tough moments, like questions from authorities about the festival’s venues, the organizers stay strong in their goal of creating a diverse and welcoming cultural space.

    In a time when antisemitism is growing and tensions are high, the festival is a symbol of strength and unity. Filmmakers from around the world are encouraged to speak out, even on sensitive topics.

    This year, the festival is focusing on Palestinian cinema with a special section called “Here is Elsewhere: Palestine in Arab Cinema and Beyond.” One documentary, ‘Bye Bye Tiberias’ by Lina Soualem, tells stories of Palestinian women and their strength through generations, showing how history still affects them today.

    Stories like Soualem’s are important because they challenge stereotypes and make sure Palestinian voices are heard. Even when it’s hard, the ALFILM festival keeps fighting to share these stories and promote understanding through art and cinema.