Author: newsdesk

‘Storm the British Council, solve papers forcefully’: Students disappointed over Cambridge exams cancellation

Considering the current rioting on the streets, the Punjab Boards Committee of Chairmen yesterday (Wednesday) decided to “postpone” board exams of class 9, scheduled to be held on May 11 and 12 till further notice.

The British Council has also cancelled Cambridge exams scheduled for today (Thursday).

Students and their parents are disappointed at the cancellation of the exams.

“Our grades will be affected badly,” said one student while talking to Dawn.

Another disappointed student said that she did not celebrate Eid because she was preparing for the exams.

“We are working here day and night for a bright future and here we were just engulfed by darkness because of the ‘situation’ in our country,” said another student.

One of the O level students suggested to his friend on social media that they should go to the British Council and solve the paper forcefully.

Reaction of Parents:

One parent said that her daughter had worked very hard the entire year but both her major science subjects’ papers got cancelled. Another parent said that it would affect a student’s future, especially if science or medicine were her major career goals.

May 11, 2023
Gold price increases to Rs240,000 per tola amid political turmoil and IMF loan delay

On Wednesday, the price of gold surged massively in Pakistan due to political turmoil following the arrest of the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan.

According to the All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APSGJA), the price of gold (24 carats) rose by Rs9,900 per tola and Rs8,487 per 10 grams to reach Rs240,000 and Rs205,761, respectively.

However, there was no increase in the international market price, which remained at $2,031 per ounce. The primary reason for the increase in gold’s price is the latest political storm that has caused violent protests across the country and led to the army’s deployment in three provinces.

People in Pakistan are purchasing gold to protect themselves against inflation and currency depreciation, as the economy is already in dire straits. Furthermore, the delay in the revival of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, which negatively impacts the currency market, is bolstering the demand for gold.

According to Brecorder, the rupee also fell to a fresh low of Rs290.22 against the US dollar in the interbank market on Wednesday, after losing Rs5.38 or 1.89 per cent. The APSGJA also reported that the price of silver reached a new high, rising by Rs100 per tola and Rs85.75 per 10 grams to settle at Rs3,100 and Rs2,657.7, respectively.

May 11, 2023
Bilawal advises PTI to end violent protests
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said on Thursday that one attack on General Headquarters of the Army (GHQ) was carried out by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and now another one has been carried out by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Addressing a press conference, the Foreign Minister referred to violent acts of PTI workers, pointing out that this is not the first time that they have violated the law. “I had warned earlier that you people are creating Altaf Hussain in Punjab,” said Bilawal.

He continued by adding that Imran Khan believes that he can cross every red line and the law is only applicable on others.

The PPP head advised PTI to not make “matters worse [and] call for an end to violent protests and declare that you will abide by the rule of law and Constitution.”

Bilawal said that he is principally against banning any political party but said that “such decisions are made in view of the circumstances”.
If such a decision is taken, he continued, “it would be taken because there would be no other choice left.”

PM’s address to the nation:

Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif in an address to the nation on Thursday termed damaging public property an “act of terrorism” and “enmity” towards the country.

In a short address, the premier said that he would like to warn “terrorists” who are harming the country to stop, otherwise strict actions will be taken against them.

Sharif was referring to PTI supporters who are protesting against the arrest of party head Imran Khan.

PM also recalled his party members’ arrests, adding that “revengeful acts in politics never renders good results”.

He also added that “all evidence” has been accumulated in the Al-Qadir Trust case against PTI Chairman Imran Khan, who is now under NAB custody for the next eight days.
May 11, 2023
Miami girl shifts to Hunza, says its more comfortable than ‘toxic’ America

Samantha Shea, a Miami native, has penned a loving essay about her adopted home Hunza, saying that her quality of life here is infinitely better.

“I save thousands each month compared with living in a US city, and my quality of life is infinitely better,” Shea wrote for Business Insider.

Stating that she finds American hustling culture “toxic”, Shea said that the people in Hunza are generally polite and respectful.

“I breathe clean air and eat organic, home-cooked food for every meal,” she writes.

Shea writes that people from back home think Pakistan is a desert, and she herself didn’t know much about it before travelling to the country after college.

When she first came to Pakistan in 2019, she had never lived outside of the US.

“In Hunza, electricity comes on for only a few hours a day, you walk to the local market if you need anything – Amazon doesn’t deliver to the mountainous valley region – and running hot water isn’t guaranteed,” she says.

However she writes that the valley is now her home:
“Here, I don’t lock up my bike or my front door, I can walk everywhere, and my recent major home renovation cost me only $3,000.”

And though she travelled to Pakistan from India, she says she found it easier to travel here.

“I found it easier and more fun to travel here than in India, a much more ‘mainstream’ backpacking destination. I encountered fewer scammers traveling in Pakistan. I also found Pakistan had less trash on the streets, and the roads were in better condition.”

Samantha, who is now a travel blogger, says she has learnt Urdu and is now learning Burushaski, one of the two major languages spoken in Hunza.

May 11, 2023
Telecom operators, govt suffer major revenue losses due to mobile internet shutdown

According to reliable sources, the suspension of mobile broadband services has had a devastating impact on the economy in Pakistan. Telecom operators have incurred a revenue loss of approximately Rs820 million, while the government has lost around Rs287 million in tax revenue.

The suspension has also caused significant losses for digital app users, such as Careem, InDrive, and FoodPanda, as well as brought digital payments to a halt. The situation has caused widespread inconvenience and hardship for the general public, necessitating the immediate attention of the relevant authorities to resume data services.

Furthermore, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter remained partially or fully suspended on the second day. Jazz CEO, Aamir Ibrahim, expressed his dissatisfaction through a tweet, emphasising that shutting down the internet is not a solution to any problem, but instead, it creates more problems than it solves. He stated that the impact on the economy is quantifiable, but the inconvenience to the people is incalculable.

According to Brecorder, Muhammad Zohaib Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), strongly criticised the indiscriminate blockage of internet services in Pakistan due to the emergent political situation. He condemned the mindless and consultation-less decision and highlighted that the IT industry has come to a standstill since Tuesday evening.

May 11, 2023
Wheat prices soar in Lahore, hitting Rs5,100 per 40kg bag

In Lahore, the price of a 40kg bag of wheat has surged to Rs5,100, which is significantly higher than the government’s fixed rate of Rs3,900. The leader of the flour mills association has stated that the government’s rate is not being implemented in the market.

As a result of the increase in wheat prices, the price of a 20kg bag of flour has risen to Rs2,750, as opposed to the government’s fixed rate of Rs2,316.

The flour millers have explained that they are unable to sell the wheat at lower rates after procuring it at an exorbitant price from the open market.

Last month, officials from the Punjab Food Department foiled an attempt to smuggle wheat and flour to Afghanistan. More than 70 containers loaded with wheat and flour were being smuggled to Afghanistan from Rawalpindi Motorway.

During the inspection, district food authority officials seized 46 containers loaded with wheat and 16 containers of flour. The wheat and flour were being transported from Punjab to Afghanistan, despite a ban on wheat transportation from the province. The containers were sealed and 16 people were booked in connection with the incident.

May 10, 2023
Asia Cup 2023: Sri Lanka aligns with India to exclude Pakistan from Asia Cup?

Asia Cup is scheduled to be held in September 2023 but the event remains mired in doubts with India trying to derail the tournament. Pakistan has the official rights of hosting Asia Cup but Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not ready to send its cricket team to the host country.

The world has witnessed that many international teams have visited Pakistan to play matches.

A series with New Zealand was recently concluded, in which both teams played five T20I and five One-Day International (ODI) in the different cities of Pakistan but BCCI still has concerns.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi has presented a Hybrid Model in which India play their matches in Dubai, or more likely, in Sri Lanka.

However, the BCCI has expressed dissatisfaction with this proposal. Currently, Sethi is in Dubai, where he met with ICC officials on Tuesday.

He was scheduled to meet with Pankaj Khimji, Deputy President of the Asian Council, and cricket officials from the UAE to discuss the possibility of hosting India’s matches in the UAE under the ‘Hybrid Model.’

The PCB is concerned that if the Asia Cup is not held now, the same issue may arise during the hosting of the Champions Trophy in 2025 and the ICC may decide to relocate the event if India does not participate.

Therefore, under the proposed model, the Indian cricket team’s Champions Trophy matches will be held in Bangladesh. Currently, there is a tense stand-off between Pakistani and Indian officials, with India allegedly using its media to its advantage.

The BCCI has also collaborated with Sri Lanka, convincing them to play two additional matches, as they have been eager to host the Asia Cup for some time now. In response, Pakistan has reminded Afghanistan that they recently played additional matches in Sharjah, and they stand with the PCB on this matter.

While there are concerns about the heat in Dubai, efforts are being made to convince Bangladesh to cooperate, and they are reportedly willing to do so.

PCB officials have publicly stated that “we have earned a substantial amount of money due to the PSL, and therefore, the Asia Cup’s cancellation would not be a significant concern for them.”

In reality, the Pakistani authorities aim to avoid financial losses and prioritize preparations for the upcoming World Cup.

Several news reports regarding the Asia Cup were circulating in the Indian media yesterday. One report claimed that “the members have rejected the PCB’s ‘Hybrid Model’ and moved the event from Pakistan.”

However, an official representative from the PCB, who was in contact with an Indian Express representative, dismissed these reports as baseless and an attempt by the BCCI to increase pressure.

He stated that the ACC has not officially denied accepting the ‘Hybrid Model’ proposed by the PCB, and discussions are still ongoing. The official further added that unverified news from unnamed sources is not credible.

May 10, 2023
Donald Trump, former US President, is a convicted sex-offender now

Former US President Donald Trump has been found guilty of sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll by a federal Manhattan jury.

The jury has awarded Carroll $5 million in damages.

Carroll had alleged that Trump had raped her in the dressing room of a luxury department store in the spring of 1996. She had also claimed defamation after Trump publicly denied assaulting her, called her “not his type” and accused her of fabricating the story to push sales of her book.

The former President has denied all wrongdoing. He will not face jail time as a result of the civil suite.

The jury found that Trump had sexually abused her, however, Carroll could not convince the jury that she had been raped.

Trump did not attend court proceedings as defendants are allowed to skip hearings if the case is a civil suit.

Immediately after the verdict, Carroll called the verdict a victory for her and for other victims of sexual abuse.

Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s lead attorney, released a statement that said, “No one is above the law, not even a US President.”

May 10, 2023
Intraday update: Pakistani rupee plunges to historic low of Rs290 against dollar amid political turmoil

On Wednesday, the Pakistani rupee (PKR) reached a historic low against the US dollar, falling to Rs290 during intraday trading at the interbank foreign exchange market. This decline is a major setback to Pakistan’s economy, as the rupee lost Rs5.16 in a single day compared to the previous day’s closing rate of Rs284.84.

The previous record low of Rs288.43 was set in April. The sharp decline in the Pakistani rupee raises concerns about the country’s financial stability, and several factors have contributed to this depreciation.

The arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on corruption charges has led to increased uncertainty and added pressure on the Pakistani rupee. This political turmoil has negatively impacted investor confidence and the value of the local currency.

Furthermore, the uncertain status of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programme has further exacerbated the decline of the Pakistani rupee. Although the government had anticipated an installment of $1.2 billion under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program, delays in loan disbursement and recent developments in negotiations have raised concerns about Pakistan’s ability to meet its financial obligations. These doubts have put additional strain on the rupee’s value.

Currency experts are closely monitoring these developments and expressing caution about the future outlook of the Pakistani rupee. The government must take decisive measures to stabilize the currency and restore investor confidence. This may involve implementing effective economic policies, addressing corruption concerns, and ensuring a more transparent and predictable investment environment.

It is crucial for the Pakistani government to engage in constructive dialogue with the IMF to secure the much-needed loan program. Demonstrating a commitment to fiscal discipline, structural reforms, and good governance can potentially alleviate concerns surrounding the economy and enhance the rupee’s value in the international market.

While the situation appears challenging, it is important to note that currency fluctuations are not unique to Pakistan. Several emerging economies have faced similar issues in recent years. The government’s response and its ability to address the underlying causes of the rupee’s depreciation will be critical.

May 10, 2023
Woman who wrote book on grief after husband’s death charged with his murder

Kouri Richins, a mother of three and author of a book about grief following the death of her husband, has been charged with his murder.

According to prosecutors, she allegedly poisoned Eric Richins with a lethal dose of the synthetic drug fentanyl, which was found in his system after he died on March 4, 2022.

Ms Richins was detained in Provo, Utah, on Monday and is also charged with possessing GHB, a drug commonly associated with “date rape” cases due to its sedative effects.

Search warrants seen by KPCW revealed that Mr Richins’ family had expressed suspicion that Ms Richins was responsible for his death, and he had reportedly warned them that she was to blame if anything happened to him. The charges also come after an “unnamed acquaintance” claimed to have sold fentanyl to Ms Richins.

Ms Richins claimed to have found her husband “cold to the touch” after she had given him a THC gummy and a Moscow Mule to celebrate him selling a house. Following his death, she wrote a picture book titled “Are you with me?” to help children dealing with the loss of a loved one.

She had been promoting the book in recent television interviews, including an appearance on “Good Things Utah,” where she explained that children needed to be reminded that a loved one’s spirit is always present in the home.

In addition to the murder charge, Ms Richins is also accused of altering her husband’s life insurance policy to make herself the sole beneficiary. She is currently in custody, and the case is ongoing.

May 10, 2023