Author: newsdesk

  • Is Muhammad Amir making a come back to the national team?

    Is Muhammad Amir making a come back to the national team?

    Former fast bowler Muhammad Amir has spoken up about returning to the national team. This week, Muhammad Amir shared his perspective on the current state of his cricket career during a press conference with his ILT20 team ‘Desert Vipers’.

    “At this time I had moved on, there were different things to do in my life, and now the chapter of my return to the national team is closed.”

    “Three years away from international cricket is a long time. If you look at Pakistan’s system now, it’s changing every month so you never know what’s going to happen,” he said.

    Stating that the discussion is closed for him after being out of the team since three years, the pacer emphasized, “I don’t think it would be a wise decision for me to come back. At least I don’t know what will happen in the next few years.”

    Amir retired from international cricket in 2020, citing what he called injustices meted out to him by head coach Misbah ul Haq and Waqar Younis.

  • Khan warns candidates of losing party tickets if they don’t launch campaigns

    Khan warns candidates of losing party tickets if they don’t launch campaigns

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan issued a warning to his party candidates to launch their election campaigns in a peaceful way; otherwise, their tickets will be cancelled for the February 8 elections.

    The former prime minister, who is currently in Adiala jail, said to his ticket holders that those leaders will not come out for the election campaign; their tickets will be replaced.

    Imran Khan gave his remarks while talking to journalists in the Adiala jail courtroom.

    The former prime minister was jailed in May last year, and PTI’s electoral symbol “bat” was taken away this month. Furthermore, the party—PTI-Nazriati — with which it sought an alliance also backtracked from its commitment.

    However, the PTI has vowed to participate in the upcoming elections actively, opting not to boycott them despite the removal of its iconic electoral symbol, the ‘bat.’

    After the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision regarding the bat symbol, the PTI candidates are now contesting elections on multiple symbols.

  • Pakistan’s debt burden increases by Rs86.28 billion within seven days

    Pakistan’s debt burden increases by Rs86.28 billion within seven days

    In the week ending January 12, the government of Pakistan increased its debt burden by Rs86.28 billion, bringing the total net borrowing for the ongoing fiscal year 2024 to Rs2.57 trillion, as per the latest estimates from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

    The government’s borrowings fall into three main categories: budgetary support, commodity operations, and others.

    The breakdown of the weekly net borrowing reveals that Rs87.7 billion was allocated for budgetary support, while Rs1.37 billion went towards retiring commodity operations.

    Additionally, Rs48.4 million was used for other purposes during the week.

    Cumulatively, this brings the borrowing figures for the fiscal year 2024 to Rs2.77 trillion for budgetary support, Rs193.72 billion for retiring commodity operations, and Rs1.1 billion for other purposes.

    The primary sources of financing for budgetary support are the State Bank of Pakistan and the Scheduled Banks. In the ongoing fiscal year, the government has repaid a net sum of Rs1.05 trillion to the central bank.

    The Federal Government accounted for Rs954.56 billion of this repayment, while the Provincial Government, AJK Government, and GB Government contributed Rs77.73 billion, Rs11.17 billion, and Rs2.05 billion, respectively.

    On the other hand, scheduled banks have extended a net total of Rs3.81 trillion in loans. The Federal Government borrowed Rs3.9 trillion, while the Provincial Government repaid Rs90.41 billion during this period.

  • Saudi Arabia to open first liquor store in Riyadh

    Saudi Arabia to open first liquor store in Riyadh

    Saudi Arabia is gearing up to inaugurate its maiden alcohol store in the capital city of Riyadh, exclusively catering to non-Muslim diplomats, according to a reliable source and an official document disclosed on Wednesday.

    Prospective customers will be required to register through a designated mobile app, obtain a clearance code from the foreign ministry, and adhere to monthly purchase quotas, as outlined in the document.

    This development marks a significant milestone in Saudi Arabia’s initiatives, spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to transform the ultra-conservative Muslim nation into a hub for tourism and business. Notably, the consumption of alcohol is strictly forbidden in Islam.

    Situated in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, a locale housing embassies and diplomats, the new store will be “strictly restricted” to non-Muslims, according to the document. 

    It remains unclear whether other non-Muslim expatriates will be granted access to the establishment, given that the majority of expatriates in Saudi Arabia are Muslim workers from Asia and Egypt.

    Insiders familiar with the plans have indicated that the store is anticipated to open its doors in the coming weeks.

    Saudi Arabia has long maintained stringent laws against alcohol consumption, with penalties ranging from lashes, fines, and imprisonment to deportation. 

    As part of ongoing reforms, the practice of whipping has largely been replaced by jail sentences. Until now, alcohol has only been available through diplomatic mail or on the black market.

    According to Reuters, the Saudi government has not responded to requests for comments on the matter.

    Recent reports from state-controlled media suggest that the government is imposing new restrictions on alcohol imports within diplomatic consignments. This move is expected to bolster demand for the forthcoming alcohol store. 

    The new regulations aim to control imports and prevent the improper exchange of special goods and alcoholic beverages received by non-Muslim embassies in Saudi Arabia, as reported by the Arab News daily on Sunday.

    In recent years, Saudi Arabia, traditionally closed off to the world, has relaxed strict social codes. These changes include ending the segregation of men and women in public places, lifting the requirement for women to wear all-covering black robes (abayas), and allowing women to drive. 

    These transformations, part of Vision 2030, align with the broader goal of developing local industries, logistics hubs, and generating hundreds of thousands of jobs for Saudi nationals.

  • Under-19 World Cup: Pakistan defeats Nepal by five wickets

    Under-19 World Cup: Pakistan defeats Nepal by five wickets

    In the Under-19 Cricket World Cup, Pakistan defeated Nepal by 5 wickets for their second win on Buffalo Park, East London.

    In the match played in East London, the national team achieved the target of 198 runs in 47.7 overs, Azan Owais scored 63 runs, Shamyl Hussain and Shahzaib Khan scored 37 runs each.

    Nepal won the toss and decided to bat against Pakistan and scored 197 runs and gave Pakistan a target of 198 runs to win. Arafat Minhas took 3 wickets, Obaid Shah and Ahmed Hussain took 2 wickets each for Pakistan.

  • ‘Ensure uninterrupted Internet access’; Sindh High Court orders on Jibran Nasir’s petition

    ‘Ensure uninterrupted Internet access’; Sindh High Court orders on Jibran Nasir’s petition

    The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued a directive on Wednesday, instructing the government and the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) to ensure uninterrupted internet access until February 8, the scheduled date for the general elections in the country.

    The order came from a two-member bench led by SHC Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, following a petition filed by lawyer and independent candidate Jibran Nasir. The petition addressed the recent “unconstitutional” internet outages experienced across the country in the past month.

    Jibran took to X (former Twitter) and said, “SHC has directed PTA and Govt to ensure smooth uninterrupted access to Internet till Election Day 8th Feb to ensure no further pre poll rigging happens and any rigging attempts on Election Day can also be reported through social media.”

    “This is not just stopping the PTI from contesting free and fair elections — which is pre-poll rigging — but is also hindering the way of independent candidates like me,” he stated, highlighting that the internet and social media were efficient and cost-effective platforms to reach out to voters.

    Notably, three nationwide disruptions occurred on December 17, January 7, and January 20, coinciding with virtual events organized by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on social media platforms. The PTI had recently approached the Supreme Court, urging it to take notice of the suspension of internet services and the blocking of social media websites.

    During a press conference earlier in the week, caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi attributed the outages to “technical” issues and system installations. He also stated that there was “no guarantee” such incidents wouldn’t occur in the future.

    In Nasir’s petition, the PTA, the federal government, and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications were named as respondents. Nasir argued that the act of shutting down mobile internet and broadband services should be declared as “unconstitutional, illegal, disproportionate, unreasonable, and without lawful authority.”

    The plea further sought the immediate restoration of access to social media platforms and the suspension of any directives restricting access to social media until the conclusion of the general elections.

    In response to the petition, the SHC issued notices to the respondents and directed authorities to ensure uninterrupted internet access until the general elections on February 8. The hearing has been adjourned until January 29.

    Read more: PTA warns of possible internet disruption in next 90 days

  • Here’s how you can apply for the Three Step E-visa policy for Turkey

    Here’s how you can apply for the Three Step E-visa policy for Turkey

    Turkey has launched an e-visa service, allowing tourists and business travelers to obtain their visas without visiting Turkish embassies.

    The service is available for ordinary passport holders with valid Schengen, USA, UK, Ireland visas, or residence permits.

    Three-step process

    To apply for a visit visa to Turkey, Pakistani applicants can follow a straightforward three-step process:

    Step-I: Apply

    Visit the official website at https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/ to initiate the application.

    Step II- Pay fee

    After entering the required information, applicants can make the necessary payments using a credit or debit card (Mastercard, Visa, or UnionPay).

    Step III-Download

    Upon successful completion of the application, the applicant will receive a link to download their e-Visa. This link will also be emailed to them for convenience.

    It is advised to keep a copy of the e-Visa, either in electronic format (on a tablet, smartphone, etc.) or as a hard copy in case of any system issues at the entry points.

    Visit visa fee

    Applicants can obtain their Turkey visit visas electronically after making the required payments.

    The visit visa fee for Pakistani nationals is set at $60. This affordable fee opens the doors to explore Turkey.

    Other financial requirements

    In addition to the visa fee, applicants must fulfill specific financial requirements, including providing proof of a return ticket and hotel reservation.
    Official guidelines stipulate that a tourist should have a minimum of $50 for each day of their stay in Turkey.

    Therefore, a Pakistani tourist planning to spend 30 days in Turkey must demonstrate a bank statement with a balance of at least $1,500 to meet this requirement.

  • Iqra Aziz opens up about Saboor Aly’s wedding dress controversy

    Iqra Aziz opens up about Saboor Aly’s wedding dress controversy

    Iqra Aziz recently explained why she ended up using a wedding dress similar to her co-star Saboor Ali’s in the drama ‘Manat Murad.’

    Iqra Aziz appeared as a guest on a talk show where she spoke about the controversy surrounding the copy of Saboor Ali’s wedding dress. “Actually, we wanted a traditional dress to shoot the wedding scene in the drama as it was the director’s demand but we couldn’t find any traditional dress despite trying hard. So the director showed me the picture of the couple after a little research. On doing this I found out that this is a pair designed by Faiza Saqlain.”

    The actress said that they approached Faiza Saqlain. “We couldn’t change the dress completely, so I kept the dupatta and gharara same and requested her to change the shirt of the dress.”
    “With this dress, we also kept the jewelery simple and traditional,” she added.
    Iqra Aziz said, “I designed my entire bridal look for the play myself. I won’t say I copied it but my look was really inspired by Saboor Ali’s wedding look because she wore it at her wedding. She looked very beautiful and I wanted to look as beautiful as her in the drama.

    “But my dramatic bridal look was inspired by Saboor Ali’s wedding look and the outfit I wore was not technically Saboor Ali’s but I got it from a designer, I didn’t know that. It would have become a big problem otherwise I would have asked Saboor Ali before shooting because I am one of those people who care about others’ happiness.”

  • Israeli soldiers killed by their own bombs

    Israeli soldiers killed by their own bombs

    In a huge setback to Israel, 24 of its soldiers were killed in the biggest single-day losses since the start of its ground war in Gaza.

    The soldiers were killed on Monday, with the army saying 21 of them were reserve soldiers who got killed when rocket-propelled grenade fire hit a tank and two buildings they were trying to blow up.

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said an investigation was launched into the “disaster” and that Israel “must learn the necessary lessons”. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the “Deaths of 24 of our fighters, our best sons…is a heavy blow”.

    On the ground, fighting raged in Khan Yunis, the biggest city in southern Gaza, which the army said it had “encircled”.

    Witnesses said powerful explosions rocked Khan Yunis, as well as Deir al-Balah in north Gaza and Rafah in the south.

    Gaza’s Ministry of Health said Nasser Hospital and El Amal City Hospital in Khan Younis, among the few partially functioning hospitals in the territory, were under “extreme danger” from Israeli bombardment.

    “The buildings of the Nasser Medical Complex are exposed to shrapnel, endangering the lives of patients, staff and displaced people,” the ministry said on its Telegram channel on Tuesday.

    “The Israeli occupation places Nasser Medical Complex and El Amal Hospital in Khan Younis in extreme danger,” it said, calling for “urgent intervention” to safeguard both facilities.

    Moreover, Al-Jazeera just released a video compilation of Israeli soldiers filming themselves enjoying and being insensitive to the Palestinian properties.

  • Get ready to shake a leg with Bilal Saeed’s Hogai Ghalati

    Get ready to shake a leg with Bilal Saeed’s Hogai Ghalati

    Bilal Saeed is one of the biggest names in the Pakistani music industry. The ‘ singer has released a new song video called ‘Hogai Ghalti’ with new singer Mehr Tahir. Bilal introduced Mehr through this song, and the video is available on his official YouTube channel, One Two Records. He also directed the video himself.

    The song starts with female voice, and then Bilal Saeed comes in with a captivating Punjabi rap. ‘Hogai Ghalti’ is about being willing to make mistakes in love. It tells the story of lovers who have their own unique ways of expressing love.

    Watch the video :