Author: newsdesk

  • Pakistan is powerful enough to fight with TTP for 100 years, says PM Kakar

    Pakistan is powerful enough to fight with TTP for 100 years, says PM Kakar

    Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has firmly rejected the possibility of engaging in negotiations with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), emphasizing that Pakistan is powerful enough to fight them for the next 100 years.

    “Don’t you see that their people are being killed daily? Our people are also being martyred. So what kind of talks or impediments [you are talking about]? They are killing my children and I am killing them,” he told the media during his visit to Peshawar on Friday.

    “The state of Pakistan is powerful enough to fight the TTP, not just for one year, rather a 100 years,” the interim premier said.

    When questioned about the challenges in negotiations with the TTP, the Prime Minister emphasized that the primary hurdle was the absence of any willingness on their part to engage in dialogue. “We don’t want to talk to them. Who told you that we have any intention to talk with TTP,” he asked. Pakistan has witnessed a notable increase in terrorist activities, Kakar observed, particularly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in recent months. This surge has seen TTP militants targeting both security forces and innocent civilians.

  • Female staff being harassed by seniors in Multan Development Agency for not following illegal orders

    Female staff being harassed by seniors in Multan Development Agency for not following illegal orders

    Journalist Salman Qureshi has filed a detailed report about the discriminatory system and exploitation of the Multan Development Authority.

    According to the details filed in Daily Express, the Director General of Multan Development Agency (MDA) has started harassing women officers who did not obey illegal orders.

    A senior female officer at Multan Development Authority refused to work under a junior officer. The Director General MDA, in response, rejected her request for leave.

    According to the details, the Director General, Dr. Zahid Ikram, removed the director of town planning, Anaiza Hira, and gave the charge of the directorship to a junior officer, Ali Raza.

    As a result, senior officers, including Dr. Anaiza Hira, refused to work under the junior officer.

    Dr. Hira then submitted a leave application after being removed from her post, but Dr. Ikram did not accept her request and kept it hanging for days, directing administration officers to do likewise.

    It is also being reported that the female officers have been reprimanded. Under these circumstances, reports of the female officers fainting have also come to light. One female officer who fainted was given the required treatment within the office premises after calling the dispenser.

    In another case, assistant director of the town planning department, Sanbla Mumtaz, was called to the office and reprimanded for carrying out a task. Out of tension and under stress, she fell unconscious.

    Female employees were called to pick her up who then shifted her to another room and called the dispenser to provide first aid in the office.

    This was followed by a wave of anxiety among other women officers who no longer feel safe.

  • In pictures: Fawad Khan spotted at Mahira Khan’s wedding

    In pictures: Fawad Khan spotted at Mahira Khan’s wedding

    Mahira Khan has uploaded a video of the Qawali night held at PC Bhurban during her wedding celebrations. Among the star-studded celebrity guests was her Humsafar co-star Fawad Khan.

    Screenshots show Fawad Khan lounging among the celebrity guests as they enjoy a performance by Abida Parveen.

    Instagram users were overjoyed over the five second cameo of the heart throb, who co-starred opposite Mahira in the blockbuster ‘Maula Jatt’.

    Other celebrities spotted at Mahira’s wedding in the video were Sarmad Khoosat, Sheheryar Munawar and Momal Sheikh.

    READ MORE: Here are all the celebrities who were present at Mahira Khan, Salim Karim’s wedding

  • 12,000 fake passports recovered from Afghans in Saudi Arabia

    12,000 fake passports recovered from Afghans in Saudi Arabia

    The staggering number of 12,000 Pakistani passports have been found in the possession of Afghan nationals in Saudi Arabia, media reports have confirmed.

    The discovery comes as law enforcement agencies initiate a crackdown against people and groups involved in the issuance of fake citizen documents to illegal immigrants.

    According to reports by Geo News, the Pakistani embassy in Riyadh was informed of the passports by Saudi authorities.

    An investigation into the matter has been initiated by Director General Immigration and Passports Directorate Mustafa Kazi and the Federal Investigation Agency.

    The prime suspect, Umar Javed, has been arrested in Lahore for making fake passports.

    Earlier, a former officer and a serving grade-15 officer of the Passport Directorate were arrested and probed in regards to the issuance of fake documents.

    As reported by Azaz Syed on Geo news, an interior ministry official has asserted that a detailed investigation is underway and NADRA data is also being counterchecked.

  • Actor-in-Law; Fake Kenyan lawyer won every case he contested

    Actor-in-Law; Fake Kenyan lawyer won every case he contested

    This is not a movie plot-line but a baffling revelation of an imposter working as a lawyer with a streak of 26 victories in a row. Brian Mwenda Njagi, an alleged advocate, now faces arrest and unsettling questions about the country’s judicial credibility.

    The unmasking happened when Njagi dared to represent former leader Maina Njenga. A video of the courtroom went viral, prompting the Law Society of Kenya(LSK) Nairobi Branch to dig deep into the matter only to find out that Mwenda was never registered as a member of the society. On top of that, he also had no legal qualifications.

    He had been presenting himself as a lawyer for three years and had handled 26 cases before High Court Judges, Magistrates, and Court of Appeal Judges. He won all the 26 cases before his arrest.

    This shocking expose has garnered a range of reactions, from shock to amusement that someone without any qualification outperformed established lawyers in the court.

    One social media user posted “So he won 26 cases against Lawyers who went to the law school but he’s rather being punished? Those lawyers should rather be punished for letting one who hasn’t attended a law school win cases against them,”

    Other pleaded to give him the lisence. “Fair enough. Winning 26 cases isn’t beans. He deserves that license.”

    Another user pointed out the forgery of Law Schools. “Brian Mwenda has proved that Law School is a Scam and Law Bar Examination is a Scam too these are Standards made by the Colonial systems this man litigated and won all his cases give him the Law license to practice Law.”

  • Military officers appointed at NAB

    Military officers appointed at NAB

    In what is being called an effort to enhance the accountability process in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to revive corruption cases, the Establishment Division has officially assigned four military officers to various roles within the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), as reported by The News on Saturday.

    According to the notification, Brigadier Muhammad Khalid of Infantry has been appointed Director National Accountability Bureau in (BS-20), Lt Col Nadeem Muzaffar as Additional Director in (BS-19), Major Waleed Khalid of Military Intelligence as Deputy Director (BS-18), and Major Qais Kamran Syed of Military Intelligence as Deputy Director (BS-18).

    These military officers have been assigned on a temporary basis under the standard terms and conditions outlined in JSI-4/85, effective immediately. The notification was released following Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar’s approval.

    Reports indicate that, in addition to assistance from intelligence agencies, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has also requested technical support from experts in various government departments such as the State Bank of Pakistan, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and others to aid in their investigation of white-collar corruption.

  • Park Hyung-Sik, Park Bo Young to make special cameo in Netflix K-drama ‘Strong Girl Namsoon’

    Park Hyung-Sik, Park Bo Young to make special cameo in Netflix K-drama ‘Strong Girl Namsoon’

    Great news for ‘Strong Girl Bong-Soon’ fans!

    Every K-drama fan who loved the 2017 rom-com drama ‘Strong Girl Bong-Soon’ are in for a special treat, as main leads Park Hyung-Sik and Park Bo-Young, who played Min Hyuk and Do Bong Soon, are set to make a special cameo in the currently airing Netflix spin-off ‘Strong Girl Nam-Soon’.

    Today, stills were released of the duo’s upcoming appearance in Saturday’s episode, and from the looks of it, they’re going to remain the obsessed married couple they were in the previous drama.

    ‘Strong Girl Nam-Soon’ is a comedy drama that revolves around three generations of women with super-human strength as they investigate drug cases in the Gangnam area. It stars Lee Yoo-Mi as Gang Naam Soon, a woman born with super powers. As a child, Nam Soon loses her parents while on a vacation to Mongolia, and now as an adult she travels back to Korea to find her mother.

  • Pakistani rupee appreciates by Rs5.07 against US dollar in five days 

    Pakistani rupee appreciates by Rs5.07 against US dollar in five days 

    The Pakistani rupee (PKR) showed a notable increase in value against the US dollar (USD), appreciating by 5.07 PKR in five days to reach a closing rate of 277.62 PKR per USD on Friday. This stands in contrast to the previous week’s closing rate of 282.69 PKR per USD.

    In today’s interbank trading session, the local currency exhibited a gain of 96 paisa. It reached an intraday high (bid) of 278.5 PKR and a low (ask) of 287.55 PKR.

    In the open market, exchange companies adjusted their rates, with the rupee strengthening by 1 PKR. These companies quoted the dollar at 274 PKR for buying and 277 PKR for selling, as opposed to the prior rates of 275 PKR for buying and 278 PKR for selling.

    This increase in the value of the rupee can be attributed to several factors. Notably, there has been a concerted effort, backed by the military, to curtail illegal outflows of US dollars from the country.

    Additionally, the government has implemented various measures aimed at bolstering the local currency.

    Addressing concerns related to Afghan transit trade, Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce recently took a significant step by imposing a ban on 212 items that were previously imported into Afghanistan through Pakistan under the Afghan transit trade agreement.

    This move, enacted through a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) issued on October 3, was executed in accordance with the authority granted by the Imports and Exports (Control) Act of 1950.

    Furthermore, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has imposed a 10% processing fee on five key categories of Afghan transit commercial goods imported into Afghanistan via Pakistan.

    In parallel, the State Bank of Pakistan has introduced recent reforms aimed at consolidating and redefining various types of exchange companies into a single category. These changes come with well-defined mandates and higher capital requirements, ultimately contributing to a more transparent financial landscape.

  • Eggs and tomatoes lead weekly price hikes in latest SPI inflation report 

    Eggs and tomatoes lead weekly price hikes in latest SPI inflation report 

    The latest data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reveals that, for the week ending on October 12, the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) reflected a notable weekly inflation uptick of 0.30 per cent.

    During this period, the SPI for this particular category surged to 282.86 points, marking a distinct rise from the preceding week’s 282.00 points.  

    Among the 51 items tracked, the price dynamics exhibited a balanced distribution, with 17 items experiencing upward price movements, 17 witnessing price declines, and 17 remaining stable throughout the week. 

    Some of the commodities that observed a decline in prices encompassed sugar (4.47 per cent), pulse gramme (2.75 per cent), bananas (2.47 per cent), pulse moong (2.44 per cent), gur (1.93 per cent), chicken (1.69 per cent), rice irri-6/9 (1.46 per cent), and pulse masoor (1.26 per cent). 

    Conversely, there was a noticeable surge in the prices of several items during the same week, including tomatoes (6.28 per cent), eggs (3.48 per cent), salt powdered (2.75 per cent), cooked beef (1.06 per cent), garlic (1.04 per cent), tea prepared (0.73 per cent), beef (0.39 per cent), potatoes (0.35 per cent), electricity charges for Q1 (8.59 per cent), energy server (0.55 per cent), shirting (0.47 per cent), and LPG (0.31 per cent). 

    For a broader perspective, when evaluating these price changes on a year-on-year basis, it becomes evident that certain commodities have shown significant variations.  

    For instance, tomatoes witnessed a substantial year-on-year decline of 43.53 per cent, while onions experienced a decrease of 16.67 per cent.  

    Furthermore, pulse gramme recorded a drop of 4.01 per cent, and mustard oil saw a more modest decline of 1.19 per cent. These statistics provide valuable insights into the evolving economic landscape and the relative stability of various consumer goods. 

  • SBP Governor confirms Pakistan’s strong position to achieve IMF targets 

    SBP Governor confirms Pakistan’s strong position to achieve IMF targets 

    The Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Jameel Ahmad, provided a reassuring update to investors on Friday, affirming that the nation is well-positioned to meet the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) end-September targets for net international reserves and net domestic assets. 

    Ahmad said that Pakistan is “very comfortably” placed to meet IMF targets. 

    This declaration was made by Governor SBP during a meeting with prominent international investors held on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank gatherings in Marrakech, Morocco.  

    The meeting was organised by prominent global banks such as Barclays, JP Morgan, Standard Bank, and Jefferies. 

    According to an official press release from the central bank, investors were apprised of recent macroeconomic developments, the government’s response to prevailing challenges, and the economic outlook of Pakistan and were provided with the opportunity to seek clarification on these matters. 

    Governor Ahmad informed investors that the current policy framework is strategically oriented towards achieving stability by addressing prevailing macroeconomic imbalances. 

    He highlighted that the SBP had taken early measures to tighten monetary policy in response to escalating global inflation. 

    Nevertheless, certain domestic obstacles, such as the 2022 floods, had complicated the SBP’s efforts to combat inflation. 

    The governor noted that these stabilisation measures have begun to yield positive outcomes. Inflation, after reaching a peak of 38.0 per cent in May 2023, decreased to 31.4 per cent in September 2023 and is anticipated to continue on a downward trajectory in the coming months. 

    Furthermore, Pakistan’s external account has exhibited substantial improvements, with foreign exchange reserves being steadily replenished. 

    Governor Ahmad expressed confidence that inflation would significantly decrease in the latter half of the fiscal year. 

    He emphasised that the stand-by arrangement with the IMF is anticipated to provide essential support for ongoing economic stabilisation efforts. 

    In addition, he reported that foreign exchange reserves have improved considerably, marked by an increase from a low of $3.1 billion in January 2023 to $7.6 billion at the end of September 2023. 

    This reserve enhancement was largely bolstered by non-debt-creating inflows amid favourable market conditions. 

    According to Geo, the Governor further revealed that the SBP has successfully met the forward book target of $4.2 billion for end-September 2023, as agreed with the IMF, with a substantial surplus. 

    Likewise, the SBP is confidently poised to fulfil other end-September IMF targets, including net international reserves (NIR) and net domestic assets (NDA). 

    Concluding his statement to investors, Governor Ahmad conveyed that Pakistan is diligently addressing long-standing structural deficiencies.  

    He expressed optimism that, with the support of both multilateral and bilateral partners, the nation is on course to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the medium term.