Author: newsdesk

  • Donia Abu Talib becomes first Saudi female to qualify for Paris Olympics

    Donia Abu Talib becomes first Saudi female to qualify for Paris Olympics

    Saudi national taekwondo team member Donia Abu Talib has officially become the first Saudi female athlete to qualify for the Paris Olympics after winning the Asian qualifying rounds.

    According to media reports, Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in youth sports in recent years under Vision 2030, with a special emphasis on women.

    The British newspaper Telegraph has said that there are 330,000 registered female athletes in Saudi Arabia, while the number of female athletes in Saudi Arabia has increased by 195% since 2021.

  • Saudi Crown Prince MBS reaffirms support for Pakistan to CM Shehbaz

    Saudi Crown Prince MBS reaffirms support for Pakistan to CM Shehbaz

    Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s steadfast support for Pakistan during a congratulatory phone call with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who assumed office earlier this month.

    The crown prince congratulated the prime minister on his re-election, a PM Office press release said.
    Prime Minister Shehbaz thanked the Saudi crown prince for the telephone call as well as the warm message of greetings he had sent immediately after he had assumed office.
    The prime minister also conveyed his sincerest wishes and prayers for the health and well-being of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

    Highlighting the historic and fraternal ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, PM Shehbaz praised the Saudi government’s unwavering commitment and support for Pakistan. He also extended blessings for the month of Ramadan to the Saudi leadership and people, praying for peace and prosperity for Muslims worldwide.

    Furthermore, PM Shehbaz extended an official invitation to the crown prince to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience, expressing the anticipation of a warm welcome from the people of Pakistan.

    The invitation was well received by MBS, who acknowledged the “kind sentiments” and the eagerness of the Pakistani people.

  • Aqib Javed appointed bowling coach of Sri Lanka cricket team

    Aqib Javed appointed bowling coach of Sri Lanka cricket team

    Former Pakistani fast bowler Aqib Javed has been appointed as the bowling coach of the Sri Lankan cricket team.

    According to Sri Lanka Cricket, the former Pakistani pacer has been hired and appointed as the bowling coach for the T20 World Cup. Aqib will join Sri Lanka Cricket immediately and will coach the team in T20 World Cup, initially conducting a fast bowling camp.

  • Sirajul Haq warns against privatising state institutions   

    Sirajul Haq warns against privatising state institutions   

    Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq has warned against the privatisation of state institutions on Friday, as per SAMMA.

    Sirajul Huq criticised the newly-elected government by saying that “the government is holding talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on more slavery rather than securing the next tranche.”

    “The privatisation of state institutions is unfair to the masses. The country’s economy cannot afford the privatisation,” Haq said.

    He also called on the global community to play a role in the Gaza ceasefire. “No strategy has been formulated in the assembly for the protection of the people of Gaza.”

    “I was of the view that Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif would do something to save the people of Gaza.”

  • Property transfers for overseas Pakistanis to be made easier by CM Punjab

    Property transfers for overseas Pakistanis to be made easier by CM Punjab

    In a bid to protect expatriates from fraud, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, has announced the launch of a property transfer service tailored for overseas Pakistanis.

    Chairing a special meeting of the Punjab Board of Revenue (BoR) focusing on reform, the chief minister outlined key features of the service.

    The newly introduced property transfer service aims to streamline the process for Pakistani diaspora, offering facilities such as mutation, e-filing, and land registration.

    CM Maryam ordered launching the service at the earliest for Pakistanis residing in the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf countries.

    Asserting strict adherence to timelines in property transfer services, CM Maryam urged for meticulous record-keeping of government land across the province. The meeting also delved into discussions regarding the Punjab Land Record Authority, with the chief minister directing measures to establish roadside small gyms and parks on government land, alongside the setup of land facilitation centers in every district.

    Plans were unveiled to establish land facilitation centers in 11 divisions by June 30, with the online availability of land records for 5,798 Mauza anticipated by December 2024.

    Additionally, the initiative intends to kickstart online land record projects in 10 districts of the province, utilizing 811,044 acres of government land for corporate farming.

    Maryam directed to take measures for building roadside small gyms and parks on the government land. She also ordered the establishing of land facilitation centers in every district.
    The meeting was told the land facilitation centers would be set up in 11 divisions by June 30. The participants were also told that land records of 5,798 Mauza would be available online till December 2024.
    Earlier engagements saw CM Maryam presiding over a meeting on the Urban Unit in Lahore, where she emphasized the importance of comprehensive planning for the Regional Economic Corridor in Punjab. Directives were issued to draft a mapping plan for industrial zones, with a focus on assisting small industrialists and controlling smog through data-driven strategies.

    Maryam Nawaz affirmed the government’s commitment to facilitating investors, highlighting the dedication to fostering a conducive environment for economic growth and development in Punjab.

  • Pakistan will host a Tri-Series ahead of Champion trophy 2025

    Pakistan will host a Tri-Series ahead of Champion trophy 2025

    Pakistan will host a Tri-Series ahead of International Cricket Council (ICC) Champion Trophy 2025. This series will include New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan.

    Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi met the chairman of South Africa and New Zealand Cricket Board in Dubai, in the meeting the final shape of the tri-nation cricket tournament in Pakistan in February was finalized.

    The cricket teams of South Africa and New Zealand will come to Pakistan at the end of January 2025 to play the tri-series cricket tournament, while the series will be played in February.

    Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi also invited the chairmen of South Africa and New Zealand Cricket Boards to visit Pakistan.

    Last time Pakistan hosted a tri-series in 2004 in which Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe participated.

  • PSL Eliminator 1: Islamabad United defeats Quetta Gladiators by 39 runs

    PSL Eliminator 1: Islamabad United defeats Quetta Gladiators by 39 runs

    In the first eliminator of Pakistan Super League 9, Islamabad United defeats Quetta Gladiators by 39 runs in National Stadium Karachi.

    Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan won the toss and elected to bat against Quetta Gladiators.

    Islamabad United’s inning

    Against Quetta Gladiators, Islamabad United scored 174 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

    Martin Guptill scored 56 runs and Agha Salman scored 31 runs, Alex Hales, Shadab Khan scored 23 runs each and Azam Khan scored 18 runs while Faheem Ashraf and Hyder Ali scored one run each.

    Apart from this, Naseem Shah was not out with 7 runs while Imad Wasim also scored 4 runs.

    On behalf of Quetta, Muhammad Amir and Akeel Hosein dismissed 2 players each while Muhammad Wasim, Abrar Ahmed and Saud Shakeel took one wicket each.

    Quetta Gladiators inning

    Chasing the target of 175, Quetta lost their first five wickets within just 16 runs. At this point Akeel Hosein and Omair Yousuf made a partnership of 52 runs but Akeel was dismissed on 31 runs, Wasim Jr was also dismissed by Faheem Ashraf on 6 runs. Apart from this Muhammad Amir scored 23 runs and Omair scored 50 runs.

    Quetta Gladiators whole team returned to the pavilion on runs in overs.

    From Islamabad United Imad Wasim took 3 wickets, Naseem Shah took 2 while McCoy, Hunain and Faheem took one wicket each.

    Islamabad will face Peshawar Zalmi on March 16 for the finals race.

  • Govt keeps petrol price unchanged at Rs279.75 per litre

    Govt keeps petrol price unchanged at Rs279.75 per litre

    The newly elected government, in its inaugural fortnightly review following assumption of power, has opted to keep the price of petrol unchanged for the upcoming fortnight at Rs279.75 per litre.

    According to a statement released by the Finance Division, the price of diesel has been revised downwards by Rs1.77 per litre, resulting in a new price of Rs285.56 per litre.

    In the previous review, the interim government at the time maintained the diesel price at its existing level while raising the petrol price by Rs4.13 per litre.

    Petrol price in Pakistan from March 16, 2024
  • Honda City CVT is now only Rs50,000 more expensive than manual variant

    Honda City CVT is now only Rs50,000 more expensive than manual variant

    In a development likely to spark interest among sedan enthusiasts across Pakistan, Honda Atlas Cars Limited (HACL) has announced significant price reductions for its highly sought-after Honda City models.

    Effective March 15, 2024, the automobile manufacturer has implemented noteworthy price cuts on two of its City variants, signalling a strategic move amidst a dynamic market landscape.

    This decision follows a similar initiative by the Indus Motor Company, which recently reduced prices for its Toyota Yaris lineup.

    Under the revised pricing structure, the Honda City MT 1.2L now boasts a new price tag of Rs4.649 million, reflecting a reduction of Rs50,000.

    Meanwhile, the City CVT 1.2L has seen a substantial price drop of Rs140,000, bringing its revised cost to Rs4.689 million.

    Of particular interest is the narrowing price gap between the manual and automatic variants, with a mere Rs50,000 difference observed between the two models.

    This adjustment is anticipated to significantly influence consumer preferences, potentially tilting the scale in favour of the automatic transmission option.

    The decision to revise prices comes in response to the recent imposition of a 25 per cent sales tax on automobiles priced above Rs4 million.

    This tax hike has prompted various automotive giants to recalibrate their pricing strategies to remain competitive in the market.

    Notably, Toyota also initiated price reductions for its Yaris sedan lineup, ranging from Rs73,000 to Rs133,000, in alignment with the prevailing market dynamics.

    However, it’s worth mentioning that while sedan manufacturers have navigated the tax increase by implementing price adjustments, SUV manufacturers producing vehicles below 1400 cc were unable to circumvent the tax hike.

    Advocating for the inclusion of a Rs4 million price cap, these manufacturers have found themselves subject to the augmented sales tax regime, impacting certain Toyota, Honda, and Suzuki models.

    With these strategic manoeuvres, Honda Atlas Cars Limited aims to not only cater to evolving consumer demands but also maintain its competitive edge in the dynamic automotive market of Pakistan.

  • Gold prices remain unchanged in Pakistan amid global market stability

    Gold prices remain unchanged in Pakistan amid global market stability

    Gold prices in Pakistan remained steady on Friday, in line with the unchanged trend witnessed in the global market for the precious metal.

    As reported by the All Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA), there were no fluctuations in the local market’s gold prices.

    The price per tola remained firm at Rs228,550, while the rate for 10 grammes stayed constant at Rs195,945.

    This stability followed a minor increase in gold rates noted on Thursday, with a rise of Rs250 per tola reported.

    Similarly, the international gold price held its ground on Friday, standing at $2,188 per ounce with a $20 premium, as verified by APGJSA.

    Silver prices also maintained their stability, remaining unchanged at Rs2,600 per tola.