Author: newsdesk

  • Free electricity extended to President, judges, and NAB chairman, contrary to PM’s claims

    Free electricity extended to President, judges, and NAB chairman, contrary to PM’s claims

    Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar’s recent statement regarding free electricity for judges in Pakistan has sparked controversy, as it appears to be at odds with existing policies and practices.

    In a recent address, the Prime Minister asserted that only Wapda’s employees, including retirees, are entitled to free electricity, and this privilege is not extended to judges or other officials. However, a closer examination of the facts suggests that the Prime Minister may have been misinformed., according to Geo.

    Contrary to the Prime Minister’s statement, serving judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts in Pakistan enjoy the benefit of having their utility bills, including electricity, covered by the government. This includes both current and retired judges.

    For retired Supreme Court judges, the provision of free electricity extends up to 2000 units per month, while retired High Court judges receive 800 units per month without incurring any charges. The President and Prime Minister, whether in office or after retirement, are also entitled to free utilities, including electricity, without any specified limits.

    It’s worth noting that even former President’s receive a monthly allowance of 2000 units of electricity, with the costs borne by taxpayers’ funds.

    Additionally, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman enjoys similar privileges to those of a Supreme Court judge, which includes the provision of free electricity. However, there is no official confirmation regarding the entitlements of services’ chiefs as claimed by the Prime Minister.

    The President’s Salary, Allowance and Privileges Act of 1975, amended in 2018, specifies in Section 7 that the actual charges for electricity and gas consumption shall be covered each year for the President. Similarly, the President’s Pension Act outlines provisions for electricity, gas, and water supplies.

    The transparency of these policies was underscored in October 2020 when Justice Faez Isa and his wife disclosed their income tax and asset details. These documents clearly indicated that post-retirement benefits for a Supreme Court judge include 2000 units of electricity, 25 HM3 of gas, water, and 300 litres of petrol per month.

    Furthermore, the High Court Judges (Leave, Pension, Privileges) Order of 1997 not only addresses the payment by the government for electricity, gas, and water but also states in Section 28 that retired judges and their spouses are entitled to certain benefits, including 800 units of electricity per month and 25 HM3 of gas per month.

  • Another child dies after falling into a manhole

    Another child dies after falling into a manhole

    A four-year-old girl, Umra Baloch, died after falling in an open manhole in Mowach Goth in Karachi on Thursday.

    According to Moachko SHO Shahid Chaudhry, Baloch was playing outside her home in Ghazi Khan Wara when she fell and drowned in the gutter which was uncovered.

    Her body was retrieved by Edhi divers.

    The police said that the family does not want any legal proceedings.

    Previously on August 14, a three-year-old boy fell in an uncovered manhole in Memon Goth and died. According to Dawn News, the chief executive officer of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation had put the number of uncovered manholes in the city at 20,000.

  • PCB offers special tickets for the PAK-IND match

    PCB offers special tickets for the PAK-IND match

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has offered special tickets for the most anticipated match of Asia Cup 2023 between Pakistan and India.

    PCB has started selling additional tickets for cricket fans for the Pak-India clash, giving fans the opportunity to sit on the grass and watch the match.
    Fans will be able to watch the match on the grass hill with a scoreboard for 1500 Lankan Rupees while they can watch the match between India and Nepal at 2560 Lankan rupees.

    Read More: Asia Cup 2023: Sri Lanka defeats Bangladesh by five wickets

    Fans will be able to buy the tickets from Abitha ground box office in Kandy.

    The match between Pakistan and India will be played on September 2, Saturday.

  • Court orders release of PTI’s Parvez Elahi

    Court orders release of PTI’s Parvez Elahi

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to release the president of Pakistan Tehrrek-e-Insaf (PTI), Parvez Elahi, on Friday, after the accountability watchdog’s decision to arrest the former chief minister of Punjab was challenged in court through a petition.

    After Elahi was brought before the court, LHC Justice Amjad Rafiq announced the decision, telling NAB at the hearing today that if Elahi is not produced today, the court will issue a warrant against the director-general of the accountability body.

    On the NAB prosecutor’s reply, Justice Amjad Rafiq said that there will be a complete inquiry, ordering Parvez Elahi’s immediate release.

    It should be noted that when Parvez Elahi first filed an application in the Lahore High Court, the court granted him bail in all cases. But against the decision of the single bench of the court, the Punjab government filed an appeal before a two-member bench, which suspended the decision of the single-member bench.

  • Pakistani BTS fans are honouring Jungkook in the most adorable way possible

    Pakistani BTS fans are honouring Jungkook in the most adorable way possible

    Happy birthday Jungkook!

    The baby of the Korean pop band ‘BTS’ is 26 years old today and fans across the world, including Pakistan, are celebrating in creative ways. The singer released his solo ‘Seven’ feat Lattoo that took the world by storm, including Pakistan.

    A fan won hearts in July when she plastered posters promoting ‘Seven’ all over Gulistan-e-Johar in Karachi proving that Pakistani fans are super dedicated to the ‘Golden maknae’.

    READ MORE: Gulistan-e-BTS: Karachi K-pop fan plasters neighborhood with Jung Kook pictures

    Last year, BTS fans pulled all stops to make sure that the entire country celebrated Jung Kook’s birthday along with them, including setting up a birthday ad in Bahawalpur and Multan, and then a medical camp in Lahore offering free medication.

    This time, the fans have been working hard to ensure that their baby girl’s special day is celebrated with joy, as we take a look at some of the elaborate projects the fan base has organised, and honestly we love how caring and dedicated this fanbase is to their icon.

    The BTS Twitter account Pk_bts_land announced a project was set up to raise funds and provide education to children from poor families across Pakistan, along with the account details.

    In Quetta, a medical camp was announced by the page Jungkook_Pakistan to provide free services to people in need.

    Happy birthday Jungkook! In celebration of today, we’ll continue dancing to Seven!

  • One rupee relief: Petroleum Division reveals ‘benefit’ of importing Russian crude

    The Petroleum Division has presented a comprehensive briefing to the caretaker Prime Minister, Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, regarding the potential impact of Russian crude oil on petroleum prices in Pakistan.

    According to The News, the Petroleum Division highlighted that the projected benefit to consumers resulting from the import of Russian crude oil remains relatively modest, at approximately Re1 per litre for both petrol and diesel. This assessment takes into account various operational intricacies and market dynamics.

    Importing Russian crude oil carries two notable risks, the division stated. The first pertains to the duration of transportation, which spans between 30 and 36 days, and the second revolves around the production of furnace oil.

    Approximately 60 per cent of furnace oil generated from Russian crude must be exported, incurring a 25 per cent loss in the process.

    It is significant to note that, currently, only the Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) has expressed readiness to refine Russian oil. However, if PRL assumes the responsibility of refining Russian oil exclusively, only a nominal Re1 relief can be passed on to consumers for each litre of gasoline and diesel.

    In a potential collaborative effort, the prime minister was informed that if PARCO (Pak-Arab Refinery Company) and NRL (National Refinery Limited) jointly undertake the refining of Russian oil, the benefit to consumers could potentially increase to Rs3 per litre. The magnitude of this relief would be contingent on the volume of Russian crude involved in the process.

    PARCO, as a comparatively modern refinery with superior facilities, is expected to contribute to enhanced yields from Russian crude and, consequently, a reduction in the production of furnace oil. However, it was also revealed that both PARCO and NRL have declined the proposition to refine Russian oil.

    The caretaker Prime Minister, Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, has expressed the need for a thorough evaluation of the situation, considering the potential benefits, risks, and the willingness of refineries to participate in the process. The decision regarding the import and refining of Russian crude oil remains a pivotal concern as Pakistan navigates its energy landscape in the coming days.

    This development emphasises the intricate balance between economic considerations and strategic decisions in the energy sector that Pakistan faces as it grapples with global oil market dynamics.

  • SRK hasn’t forgiven his son’s imprisonment and here is proof

    SRK hasn’t forgiven his son’s imprisonment and here is proof

    Mess with the scorpio, earn the sting.

    If history has proven something, its that SRK will always get the last word.

    Recently, the official trailer of the action/thriller ‘Jawan’ was released on Youtube. A clip from the trailer has generated a lot of buzz. Right when the clip credits Gauri Khan as the producer of the film, Shah Rukh can be heard saying, ‘Betay ko hath lagane se pehlay baap say baat karo.”

    As soon as the clip was noticed by social media, netizens applauded the burn, praising SRK for aiming the stinger directly at the people responsible for his son Aryan’s arrest.

  • Asia Cup 2023: Sri Lanka defeats Bangladesh by five wickets

    Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by five wickets in their first match of Asia Cup 2023 played at Pallekele Stadium in the island nation.

    Bangladesh’s Captain Shakib-al-Hassan won the toss and chose to bat first. Bangladesh team collapsed at 164 runs in 42.4 overs. Najam-ul-Husain Shanto was the top scorer with 89 runs on 122 deliveries, while only four other batsmen could get into double figures. Bangladesh set up a target of 165 runs for the Lankans to chase.

    Matheesha Pathirana becoming the top wicket taker with four scalps.

    In the second inning, while chasing the target of 165 runs, Sri Lanka lost three early wickets on the score of 43. Asalanka and Samarawickrama then set a partnership of 78 runs that led Sri Lanka to victory.

    Read More: Pakistan, India match in trouble as bad weather looms

    Asalanka remained unbeaten with 62 runs on 92 balls while Samarawickrama scored 54 runs on 77 balls.
    Shakib al Hassan was the top wicket-taker from the Bangladesh side with two wickets.

    The next match of Asia Cup 2023 will be played on September 2 between Pakistan and India at Pallekele stadium.

  • ECP will keep an eye on election campaigns and expenses

    ECP will keep an eye on election campaigns and expenses

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has said on Thursday that it will keep an eye on election campaigns and expenses in the upcoming general elections, stating that the decision has been taken after consultations with political parties.

    According to ECP, the services of the army, police, and other law enforcement agencies will be sought to ensure a safe and peaceful environment at polling stations.

    The electoral watchdog has said that this matter came up in the meeting about the upcoming general elections with Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) and Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam) PML(Q)

    Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, ECP secretary, and other senior officers were part of the meeting.

    The TLP’s delegation comprised of party leaders Chaudhry Rizwan, Mohammad Qasim, Ziaur Rahman, and Chaudhry Azhar, whereas the PML-Q was represented by Mohammad Tariq Hussain, Farukh Khan, Ghulam Mustafa, Rizwan Sadiq, and Hafiz Aqeel Jalil.

  • Elon Musk’s X to launch audio and video calls soon

    Elon Musk’s X to launch audio and video calls soon

    In a significant development for the social media landscape, Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter (now known as X), has officially announced the imminent launch of audio and video call features on the platform. 

    This revelation marks a departure from the platform’s previous attempts, which were either delayed or abandoned. Now, it appears that users can finally anticipate the long-awaited feature.

    The unveiling of this groundbreaking feature came directly from Elon Musk himself, who detailed that audio and video calls will be accessible on a wide range of devices, encompassing Android, iOS, Windows, and MacOS platforms. 

    Remarkably, this feature is designed to function seamlessly without the necessity of traditional phone numbers. Instead, X will serve as a global address book, relying on user-generated usernames. In Musk’s words, “This set of factors is unique,” emphasising the distinctive nature of this forthcoming addition.

    However, Elon Musk has remained tight-lipped regarding a specific launch date for this exciting feature, simply indicating that it is “coming soon. This cryptic announcement has left users eagerly anticipating its arrival.

    Notably, this isn’t the first time Twitter (X) has teased the possibility of audio and video calls. Just last month, the company’s designer shared tantalising screenshots of what users can expect from the feature. 

    One such preview showcased a phone receiver icon prominently positioned at the top right corner of Twitter (X) direct messages (DMs), signalling the impending arrival of the functionality. Upon tapping this icon, users will be presented with the choice to initiate audio or video calls, promising a more immersive and interactive communication experience.

    As the tech world eagerly awaits further updates and a definitive release date, Twitter (X) users can anticipate a transformative shift in their social media interactions, thanks to Elon Musk’s ambitious vision for the platform’s future.