Category: Uncategorized

  • Why are women advised to stay in bad marriages?

    Why are women advised to stay in bad marriages?

  • Pakistan is one of the least competitive tourist destinations

    Pakistan is one of the least competitive tourist destinations

    The Travel and Tourism Competitive Index 2019 released by the World Economic Forum has ranked Pakistan at number 121 out of 140 countries. Pakistan has jumped up 3 spots – it was ranked at number 125 in the last edition which was two years ago.

    According to the report, the country is one of the least competitive in South Asia in terms of travel and tourism. This means that Pakistan needs to improve its tourist service infrastructure, safety, security and better health and hygiene, among other things.

    However, the report also stated that Pakistan had made considerable improvements as far as the human resources and labour market of the tourism industry is concerned.

    Meanwhile, Spain topped the list. It was followed by France, Germany, Japan and the United States in the top 5. India ranked at number 34.

    The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), that covered 140 economies, measures the set of factors and policies that enable the sustainable development of travel and tourism sector which contributes to the development and competitiveness of a country.

    Despite this, relaxation in the visa policy and the influx of popular influencers has changed the perspective of foreigners who are looking at Pakistan as an exotic tourist destination.

    Earlier this year, The Telegraph had named Pakistan as tourism’s next big thing while UAE’s Gulf News carried a special report which shared world-renowned travel bloggers positive experiences in Pakistan.

  • Twitter spat after Arshad Sharif says will reveal inside stories about Ali Haider Zaidi

    The journalist and programme host Arshad Sharif, and the Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Ali Haider Zaidi are exchanging responses on Twitter after anchor Rauf Klasra shared Arshad’s talk show video about Ali Zaidi.

    Arshad Sharif in his talk show said that he will reveal some inside stories about how the minister is “accommodating his and Finance Minister Hafeez Shiekh’s friends and trying to lobby with certain businessman”.

    Ali Haider later replied to the tweet by saying, “I’m waiting for the film from OUR friend “Arshad” as well! Both friends only showing trailers!”.

    Soon after the minister’s reply, Arshad stepped into the fight and said, “The Kachra King was a good movie. Abhi film Baqi hai meray dost. Why the panic? Ali Zaidi Kay dost mahaan! Zardari kay dost chor? What’s this logic?”.

    Ali Zaidi then replied and requested Arshad to do a live show with him, where he can ask all the questions he wants on live TV.

    Arshad came back and replied with, “But please tell how your friends are Mahaan & Zardari’s friends are Chor? Why Imran Khan admonished you? Hold a press conference and answer that Minister”.

    The minister then wrote, “by the Grace of Almighty I was given a desk thumping applause in the cabinet meeting held on Sept 3rd 2019. Allah Karim”.

  • Pakistani engineers develop a prosthetic arm that is controlled with brain

    Pakistani engineers develop a prosthetic arm that is controlled with brain

    Two Pakistani
    engineers, Mohammad Awais, and Anas Nazir have developed a prosthetic arm for
    disabled people that can be controlled by the brain. The two started working on
    the project during their university days.

    “Project was aimed at making a name for ourselves in the world of bio-robotics. Now we are working on bionic-based lower limbs and exoskeletons”, Awais said.

    As per reports, the
    project has helped more than 30 physically challenged persons. The fingers and
    hand movements in response to the signals transmitted by the brain and its cost
    are 312,700 rupees.

    Explaining the mechanics of the arm, Niaz said sensors are placed at those points where the brain sends signals to fingers directing them to move.

  • Kashmir crisis not Muslim Ummah’s issue, UAE had told Pakistan; claims Hamid Mir

    Kashmir crisis not Muslim Ummah’s issue, UAE had told Pakistan; claims Hamid Mir

    United Arab Emirates (UAE) had said that Pakistan and India should not make the Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) crisis an issue of the Muslim Ummah as it was a dispute between two neighbouring countries, The News International reported Thursday.

    According to reports, senior journalist Hamid Mir on Wednesday quoted federal government officials as saying that UAE Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan is visiting Pakistan apparently to express solidarity with Pakistan on the IoK issue.

    However, the foreign minister, in his earlier interaction with Pakistani authorities, conveyed that Kashmir issue should not be made an issue of the Muslim Ummah as, according to him, it is a bilateral issue and should be resolved through talks between Pakistan and India.

    The report quoted Mir as saying that Pakistani leadership must convey to the world in general and the Muslim countries in particular that Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s atrocities were not limited to the troubled valley, rather he wanted to unleash a reign of terror across India to forcibly convert Muslims.

    In this context, he added, the Kashmir issue was not a dispute only between Pakistan and India.

  • India to offer Russia $1 billion loan for development of Far East

    India to offer Russia $1 billion loan for development of Far East

    Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on Thursday said India will “walk shoulder-to-shoulder with Russia in its development of the Far East” and announced a $1 billion line of credit for the development of the resource-rich region.

    Addressing the plenary session of the 5th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok city of Russia, Modi said the friendship between India and Russia was not restricted to governmental interactions in capital cities, but was about people and close business relations.

    “India’s connection to the Russian Far East goes back a long way. India was the first country to open a Consulate in Vladivostok,” Indian media reports quoted Modi as saying. “For its development, India will give a line of credit worth $1 billion.”

    “My government has actively engaged East Asia as part of its ‘Act East’ policy. I firmly believe that today’s announcement will add a new dimension to the economic diplomacy of the two countries,” he added.

    The Indian premier, in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, also unveiled the “Act Far East” policy to boost India’s engagement with Russia’s Far East region. “Let us deepen the bond between India and Russia even further.”

    The development comes a day after media reports claimed that India was trying to garner Russia’s support as Pakistan attempts to challenge the Modi-led government for robbing occupied Kashmir of its autonomy.

    New Delhi had in August abrogated Article 370 of its constitution to snatch away the held valley’s special status — a move which Pakistan fears can pave way for a Muslim genocide in the disputed territory.

  • ‘Govt collected Rs644bn taxes against target of Rs580bn’

    ‘Govt collected Rs644bn taxes against target of Rs580bn’

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has succeeded in collecting Rs644 billion taxes against the envisaged target of Rs580 billion, Adviser to Prime Minister (PM) on Finance and Revenue Dr Hafeez Shaikh has said.

    Addressing a press conference, Shaikh said the government is confident to surpass the growth target of 2.4 per cent set for the current fiscal year as after gaining stability on the external front during the past year, the economy is currently moving in a positive direction.

    “There has been considerable growth in exports, which grew from $2.01 billion during first two months of last year to $2.23 billion this year, while imports have declined from $5 billion to $4.1 billion, reducing overall current account deficit of the country by 7.3 per cent.”

    PM Imran Khan’s adviser also said that the overall revenue has increased from Rs509 billion during the first two months of the last year to Rs580 billion during the current year, showing a 25 per cent growth.

  • Govt gives Zardari TV in jail, denies AC

    Govt gives Zardari TV in jail, denies AC

    The government has granted Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari the access to a television (TV) set, books, newspapers and icebox for medicine at his Adiala Jail cell in Rawalpindi, a private media outlet reported.

    However, he was denied an air-conditioner (AC) despite request because the medical board that had recently examined him at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), didn’t “recommend” it.

    The ailing former president has also been provided with medical staff to regularly monitor his health condition, including blood pressure and sugar level, in addition to a physiotherapist.

    Zardari, who is in jail for his alleged involvement in the fake accounts case, was transferred to the hospital last week after he had fallen sick.

    “Medical reports show that three arteries of Asif Zardari are blocked and he is suffering from severe spinal issues due to which he needs immediate medical attention,” his daughter Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari had told reporters at the time.

    His counsel had also moved an accountability court for A-Class jail accommodation and argued that the constitution guarantees facilities to a former president for life.

  • Twitter spat after Mazari ‘refuses’ to appear in Geo News show

    Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari and Geo news channels programme host Shahzeb Khanzada are exchanging responses on Twitter, right after the minister refused to come on the anchor’s show.

    The minister yesterday wrote on her Twitter account that “Shahzeb Khanzada’s man messaged me to invite me for the show, adding that, “I, unfortunately, was committed elsewhere! To then go on TV and say I refused to come is an absolute lie. Unfortunate for him to have distorted things [sic]”.

    To which the official account of Geo’s Shahzeb show “GeoASKKS” shared a screenshot of a conversation with Shireen Mazari, in which they invited her on their show and the minister refused to come.

    Shireen Mazari has now again responded to the tweet and wrote: “I specifically asked available for what and said not available for TV show – sometimes one gets requests for comment on an issue for print also”.

    “Anyhow I guess they think it will add the spice they need so I can’t stop them!”, the minister added.

  • Drugs awarded to Peshawar cops for good performance

    Drugs awarded to Peshawar cops for good performance

    The higher police officials in Peshawar have been alleged to have distributed drugs among the police constables as a gift for good performance.

    According to a recent newspaper clipping, the Peshawar police constables performed quite well over the past 6 months and managed to recover heavy amount of drugs from various places.

    So, in order to appreciate the raid team involved in recovering those drugs, the higher police officials distributed around “1-kilo drugs” (packets) to each of the raid team constables.

    However, CCPO (Capital City Police Officer) Karim Khan has directed SSP Coordination Sarfaraz Ali Shah to perform an inquiry on the matter and ordered a severe punishment for all those involved.

    Speaking on the matter SSP said, “we have visited all the areas specified in the news and have tried to gather evidence from people and police constables”, adding that we have not found any solid proof as of yet and the news seems fake.

    While talking on the morning show “Geo Pakistan” SSP Shah has requested the newspaper which published the story to provide any evidence (if they have any) on the matter and has asked them to help the authorities.

    “In case we found the news story to be fake or propaganda against the police, we will take strict action against the newspaper involved”, Shah added.