Category: Uncategorized

  • Govt decides to increase power tariff by Rs2.8 per unit

    Govt decides to increase power tariff by Rs2.8 per unit

    The government has decided to further increase the electricity tariff by Rs2.8 per unit, under the Circular Debt Management Plan (CDMP). The decision has been taken to collect an additional Rs292 billion from consumers as per the conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    The tariff will go up from February to July this year, in two phases.

    As per the sources of The Nation, the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCOE), which met under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, was informed that the power sector circular debt has increased by Rs196b during the first six months (Jul-December) of the fiscal year 2021-22 as compared to the same period of the previous year and has increased to a record high of Rs2,476b.

    The first rise, of at least 63 paisa, is anticipated to be implemented from this month, bringing in Rs85 billion for the government till June of next year.

    However, because of the higher-than-expected currency devaluation, the Ministry of Energy has warned the cabinet committee that the rise might be as high as 75 paisa per unit. According to the decision, another hike of Rs2.17 per unit will be implemented in July, putting an additional cost of Rs207 billion on customers.

  • US becomes friendly when in need, later abandons Pakistan: PM Khan

    US becomes friendly when in need, later abandons Pakistan: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said that the United States (US) has also been “a good friend of Pakistan” but it hasn’t been an “all-weather friend” like China.

    In an interview with Dr Eric Li, Director of the Advisory Committee of the China Institute of Fudan University, PM Khan said: “There have been times when the US has been very friendly but then when they think Pakistan is not of use to them, then we get abandoned. Then they again sort of become friendly.” PM said that Pakistan became a frontline state against the Soviets in Afghanistan, Pakistan became a friend of the US, and “they even helped us and they were good to us”. He added that the moment the Soviets left, “they slapped sanctions on Pakistan”.

    “Ten years later when 9/11 happened, they [the US] again became very good to us but then when they could not win against Afghanistan, then we [Pakistan] were blamed for this debacle,” said PM Khan.

    PM Imran Khan said that with China, our relationship has been consistent for seven decades regardless of the government in power. “It’s a people-to-people friendship.”

    “When you have no clear aims why you invaded a country, it is going to be a failure. Anyone who thinks of controlling the Afghan people has not read their history,” said PM Khan when asked about the situation after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. He added that the whole mission of the US in Afghanistan was “based on a false premise”.

    On Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, PM said, “If Afghanistan descends into chaos because of the sanctions, as its 75 percent economy depends on foreign aid, this will be the biggest manmade human disaster.”

    https://twitter.com/appcsocialmedia/status/1491987521630355456

  • ‘Well done Pakistan’: 58% of eligible population fully vaccinated

    Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that 58 per cent of Pakistan’s eligible population has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. He also mentioned that Pakistan has set a record by administering 2.24 million Covid-19 vaccination doses in a day.

    “Another record set with 2.24 million vaccinations in a day. Last 4 days in a row we have vaccinated more than 2 million each day. Every 3 out of 4 Pakistanis eligible for vaccination have received at least 1 dose. 58% are fully vaccinated. Well done Pakistan,” the minister wrote in his tweet.

    As per the National Command Operation Center (NCOC), Pakistan recorded 3,498 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours with 39 people losing their lives to the deadly virus.

  • Khan admits failure, awards only 10 favourite ministers: Bilawal

    Khan admits failure, awards only 10 favourite ministers: Bilawal

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Thursday said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan had himself admitted failure of his entire cabinet by awarding ‘best performance’ certificates to only 10 ‘blue-eyed’ federal ministers.

    Taking a jibe at Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Bilawal said that Imran Khan had committed a ‘great injustice’ to Multan for not conferring a certificate on Qureshi while distributing performance certificates.

    He said PM Imran had given a certificate to the minister who halted the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and also conferred a certificate on another who had promised to create a Seraiki province in 90 days. He gave another certificate to a minister who was removed from one ministry but now held the planning portfolio for “planning the sugar, gas, petrol, medicine and fertiliser crises in the country”.

    PM Khan on Thursday awarded appreciation certificates to the “top 10 best performing federal ministries” under his government, with the communications ministry, planning ministry, and poverty alleviation division getting top honours of first, second and third respectively.

    “When I came [into power], I had very revolutionary ideas to bring sudden changes but I realised our system doesn’t have the capability to absorb sudden shocks [and only by] incentivising will we bring positive changes in our bureaucracy and ministries,” said PM Khan.

    The premier further said that the government and ministries had not given the desired results. “The biggest problem is that there has been no connection between the government and the interest of the country,” he added.

    “Are our ministries performing how to stabilise the country through increasing exports and how the condition of the people can be improved, how poverty can be eliminated?” he asked.

  • ‘Anyone who understood Afghanistan’s history would never have done what Americans did’: PM Khan

    ‘Anyone who understood Afghanistan’s history would never have done what Americans did’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has spoken about the invasion in Afghanistan by the United States (US) for the “war on terror”, which continued for 20 years, terming it as a failure.

    In an interview with the Director of the Advisory Committee of China Institute of Fudan University Dr Eric Li, PM Khan said, “Anyone who understood the history of Afghanistan would never have done what the Americans did.” He argued that after the killing of former Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, American forces didn’t know what they were doing there.

    “They [Americans] were never clear on what they were trying to achieve in Afghanistan. Was it nation-building; was it democracy; was it liberating the Afghan women? They had no clear aims,” the premier posed several questions during his interview.

    Since the ousting of the Ashraf Ghani-led government, the prime minister has been supporting to unfreeze the Taliban-run country’s assets.

    He said joining the “war on terror” and the corruption of the past rulers badly affected Pakistan. Furthermore, he highlighted that the country lost about 80,000 people and over $100 billion in the war.

    Talking about the recent treatment of Indian Muslims in India, the prime minister criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for marginalisation of minorities, including Muslims, and termed it a “tragedy” for the Indian nation.

  • ‘PM Khan wear a helmet whenever you go, people will grab you from collar’: Maryam Nawaz

    ‘PM Khan wear a helmet whenever you go, people will grab you from collar’: Maryam Nawaz

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz has said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan is turning his guns on the Opposition as he is aware that his party’s lawmakers are “ready to jump ship” because of his “failures”.

    “There is unrest in the country; terrorism is on the rise once again […] I want to tell the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, (PTI) MPAs and MNAs: stop supporting the government,” the PML-N leader said.

    “It’s my honest opinion: wear a helmet whenever you go to meet the people,” Maryam told PM Imran Khan, adding: “People will grab you from the collar, so be careful from now on,” said Maryam.

    Maryam said that at first PML-N, supremo Nawaz Sharif did not favour moving a no-confidence motion against PM Khan. But, according to her, the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) convinced him to listen to people’s demands.

    The PML-N leader said the masses also demand the prime minister’s ouster. “Nawaz heard people’s voice and backed the no-confidence motion,” she stated.

    In response to the Opposition’s strategy, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that the PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam “orchestrated the drama of no-confidence motion” against PM Imran Khan in a bid to flee the country.

  • Shoaib Akhtar believes Shahid Afridi will ‘100 per cent step into politics’

    Shoaib Akhtar believes Shahid Afridi will ‘100 per cent step into politics’

    Former speedster Shoaib Akhtar has said that former all-rounder of Pakistan cricket team Shahid Afridi will follow the steps of Imran Khan and step into politics.

    Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Jashan-e-Cricket’, Akhtar, who has earlier said he would have a huge vote bank if he contests elections, stated his mother had prohibited him from entering into politics.

    While he said that he is 100 per cent sure that Afridi will step into politics following PM Khan.

    Talking about the Pakistan Super League (PSL), he said he will turn it into an even bigger brand than the Indian Premier League (IPL) if he becomes the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    He also urged the Lahore Qalandars’ management to sell the franchise to him. “If I played PSL, I would opt to play for Lahore Qalandars.”

    The former cricketer advised PM Imran Khan and the government on some political issues recently, including focusing on fixing “the problems of old Pakistan” instead of focusing on Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari and on the Murree tragedy.

    The former pacer also predicted that the Qalandars, who are currently in a fine position, will get into a difficult situation in PSL seven’s Lahore leg.

  • Muhammad Ali Tariq: The only coach to be awarded Expert status at the GMAT and GRE communities

    Muhammad Ali Tariq: The only coach to be awarded Expert status at the GMAT and GRE communities

    Hi.

    My name is Muhammad Ali Tariq.

    I am the only Pakistani SAT, GRE, and GMAT coach to be awarded Expert status at the two largest and only truly global GMAT and GRE communities: GMATClub and BeatTheGMAT.

    I am starting a new batch exclusively for those who are ambitious enough to aim +90th percentile in their first attempts and are ready to put in the effort and time!

    I start my SAT batches with Reading. 

    Every single time! 

    My conviction to sort out SAT Reading ASAP in the SAT preparation journey is strong. And for reasons, I can probably write a complete book on!

    Why this much emphasis to beat Reading first? 

    It’s because of the way SAT is designed: The test begins with the Reading section. And beginnings are special. 

    Things messed up in the beginning can never be fixed. Confidence shattered in the beginning is very hard to regain. 

    Even if you are super comfortable with SAT Math, because of the bad performance in the Reading you have already given up in your mind even before you reach the Math section. 

    This is the reason that those who consistently score 800/800 on the SAT Math in mocks when they perform poorly on the Reading on the test day, their score is always lower than their mocks even in Math. 

    First section messed up and the day is already gone. Game over even before it begins. 

    If you plan to take May 2022 SAT, start with Reading. Can’t emphasize enough. It’s strategically the most prudent move you can make. 

    If you sort out Reading first, the entire SAT is oriented on the track to +1550 type of a score. Start with anything else and the journey is difficult, and in most cases you are destined to doom from the very beginning. And guess what?

    Things messed up in the beginning can never be fixed. 

    Follow    @sat_m.ali.tariq_bilal_tariq     for exclusive SAT tips and tricks.

    Follow    @prepvista_by_alitariq    for GRE, and GMAT tips.

    Also once you follow, DM for the study plan of our next batch.

    P.S: 

    In my live courses, I share the secrets you won’t find anywhere else –neither in Books nor on the Internet.

    It’s my best, newest!

    Enrollments close next week. 

    Once closed, we won’t take any more though the heavens fall!

  • ‘Rot in the deepest pits of hell’: Osman Khalid Butt lashes out at Zahir Jaffer

    ‘Rot in the deepest pits of hell’: Osman Khalid Butt lashes out at Zahir Jaffer

    Actor Osman Khalid Butt recently took to his Twitter to lash out at primary suspect, Zahir Jaffer in the Noor Mukadam murder case.

    He penned, “After all this time, not a hint of remorse. Not a hint of shame. I hope you rot in the deepest pits of hell, Zahir.”

    The actor made his remarks in the response to Jaffer who retracted his confessional statement and refuted all the allegations of the murder of Noor Mukadam.

    Zahir recently said that Noor called her friends at his house for a drug party, and she was murdered by someone else, maybe someone present at the drug party, and not him.

    Several celebrities have shown their concerns over the delayed justice to the victim including Hadiqa Kiani and Adnan Siddiqui.

    Earlier this month, a local court in Islamabad, requested the Islamabad High Court (IHC) grant additional time to complete the trial. The murder trial began in October 2021.

    Noor Mukadam was brutally murdered in Islamabad on July 20 at Zahar’s residence. Her death sparked national outrage, including protests and candlelight vigils across the country. The Islamabad police arrested main suspect Zahir on the night of July 20 from his house.

  • PM Khan to reportedly watch PSL 7 final at Gaddafi Stadium

    PM Khan to reportedly watch PSL 7 final at Gaddafi Stadium

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan will reportedly watch the final of the ongoing seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

    PM Khan, who is the patron in chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has been officially invited by PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja to watch the match live at the stadium.

    As per Geo News, the PCB will invite other government officials and major personalities from other walks of life to Gaddafi Stadium to watch the final game.

    The report further stated that the representatives of Cricket Australia, who will be in Pakistan by the day of the PSL 7 finale to participate in the upcoming Pakistan vs Australia series, will also witness the closing ceremony.

    The PSL Lahore-leg matches will kick off today with 50% spectators capacity and children under 12 in the stadium under the updated National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) protocols.

    The unbeaten Multan Sultans will lock horns against Peshawar Zalmi on the first game of the second leg matches, which will be staged completely under the lights of the Gaddafi Stadium.

    PSL 2022 final is scheduled to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium on February 27.

    Earlier, PM Khan had also revealed that Lahore is his favourite team and will win this year’s league.