Prime Minister’s aide on Commerce Razzak Dawood has said that Pakistan’s exports for month of November have passed the $2 billion mark amid a resurgence of economic activity after the coronavirus lockdown.
Dawood said exports increased 7.2 per cent year-on-year in November “in these difficult times with resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan and globally”. However, Pakistan has “once again crossed the $2bn mark per month”, Dawood wrote in a Twitter message.
In October, Dawood had said that Pakistan’s exports had crossed $2bn mark despite the contraction in our major markets due to COVID-19 and the uncertainty created by recent resurgence of the pandemic.
Last month, Bloomberg reported that Pakistan’s decision to loosen pandemic restrictions early helped the country’s exports emerge stronger than its South Asian peers.
The newspaper had reported that outbound shipments had grown at a faster pace than Bangladesh and India as textiles, which account for half of the total export, led the recovery. The country had seen total shipments grow 7 per cent in September, compared with New Delhi’s 6pc and Dhaka’s 3.5pc.
According to the report, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s administration was the first in the region to ease pandemic restrictions, allowing export units to reopen in April, a month after locking them down to stem the spread of COVID-19. This helped draw companies from the South Asian nation.
Shaan Shahid, known for his hard-hitting statements, called former finance minister Ishaq Dar “shameless to the core” after the latter’s interview with BBC HARDTalk went viral on social media.
The actor, in a social media post, wished that “Pakistani authorities were strong on accountability as these people are bad image for Pakistan”.
He also tagged Prime Minister Imran Khan in his tweet, requesting him to take action against the corrupt.
“Corrupt should be made an example of by putting them behind bars and strip them of all the assets they sold their soul to make,” wrote the actor further. “Let there be a wall of shame built and let their names be written there forever so the nation could see that lies never win no matter how rich they are.”
“Let it be known that honesty and truth will always remain our core values. Let the truth win for once. Pakistan Zindabad”, he concluded.
Later, when a Twitter asked Shaan: “Are you [an] actor or politician? Or [a] puppet like Shahbaz Gill?,” Shaan responded: “I’m a Pakistani first, who is hurt by the words and the actions of the corrupt. In cleaning themselves, they are dirtying the name of Pakistan.”
I’m a Pakistani first who is hurt by the words and the actions of the corrupt .. in cleaning themselves they are dirtying the name of Pakistan
Dar, who is in a self-imposed exile after corruption cases were filed against him, appeared on BBC News to talk about corruption charges, PML-N fight against the government, and NAB.
When the host asked Dar about the number of properties owned by his family. The PML-N leader responded, “It’s all in my tax returns.”
Upon the insistence of the host, he said: “I have my main residence in Pakistan which has been taken over by this regime… I haven’t got too many properties.”
“How many properties do you and your family own,” the host asked him again. At this, Dar said: “One.” At this, the show host asked him about the news reports in the Pakistan press that claim that the former PML-N minister owned multiple properties in and outside Pakistan. “You are sitting in London and you don’t own anything here,” the host asked Dar.
Dar responded that he doesn’t own any property in London or anywhere else as claimed by the media reports.
However, he went on to admit that his sons recently acquired a villa in Dubai. “They are adult and are in the business for the past 17 years,” he clarified.
Dar, 69, is currently in London, “undergoing medical treatment”. He is absconding from several cases in Pakistan since 2017 and has been declared a proclaimed offender by the courts. He is facing charges of accumulating assets beyond known sources of income.
Meanwhile, Shaan has often voiced his support for PM Khan and spoken against PML-N, Nawaz Sharif and his aides.
In a recent interview, Shaan had said that though he is not from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) or any other political party, he believes that Pakistan needs to give the PTI government, which came to power in 2018, more time to govern.
“The race is not yet finished,” said the actor. “Give him [PM Imran] enough time to prove himself. As a Pakistani, I feel that this [PTI government] is the last hope for democracy in the country.”
The Capital Administration has imposed a ban on indoor dining in restaurants and hotels on Tuesday after a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat said the order was issued in pursuant to decisions of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) and under the Epidemic Diseases Act. He added that restaurants and hotels will be allowed to serve food in an outdoor setup and takeaway.
The deputy commissioner said all assistant commissioners and subdivisional magistrates would remain in the field to ensure the ban is implemented.
Indoor dining has been restricted in Islamabad. Only take aways and dining outside in open area is allowed. All Assistant Commissioners / Sub Divisional Magistrates are in field ensuring the orders issued under Epidemic Diseases Act in order to prevent further covid infection
Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari’s maiden address at the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) jalsa in Multan, which was seen as the formal entry into politics by the daughter of the late former PM Benazir Bhutto and ex-president Asif Ali Zardari, has left people impressed. While followers of the party have made that clear on social media, others have also admired the budding politician.
Among those who lauded Aseefa are singers Farhan Saeed and Momina Mustehsan.
“Great Debut,” said Farhan, while sharing a picture of Aseefa on social media. “Any day a better choice to lead PPP.”
Similarly, Momina welcomed Aseefa into the political arena and hailed it as a big win for women in Pakistan.
“The hearts and spirits of many young women all over Pakistan must have been reignited seeing more females step into leadership positions in a male-dominated political arena,” said Momina. “Here’s welcoming Aseefa. More power to you!”
The hearts and spirits of many young women all over pakistan must have been reignited seeing more females step into leadership positions in a male dominated political arena. Here’s welcoming @AseefaBZ More power to you!
Earlier, Ali Tareen, who is the son of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s close aide and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) bigwig Jahangir Tareen, was offered to join the PPP in response to a tweet calling Aseefa “pretty cool”.
Political differences aside, Aseefa is pretty cool.
Aseefa was filling in for her coronavirus positive brother PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari at the PDM jalsa in Multan. Many said she reminded them of her mother Benazir.
At the jalsa, Aseefa delivered a short and brisk speech. She vowed to stand by her brother “every step of the way”.
She began her speech by heaping scorn on the “selected” government. “Despite the cruelty and oppression by the selected [government], so many of you have gathered here. This selected [government] will have to go!”
Speaking about her mother, she said Benazir had carried on her father’s mission — to establish a welfare state — and faced several setbacks.
“[Former] president Asif Zardari introduced the 18th Amendment and BISP [Benazir Income Support Programme] and fought for the people’s rights,” she said and promised supporters that she would continue their mission and would not back down.
“They think that we are afraid of arrests. If they arrest our brothers, then they should know that every woman of PPP is ready to take up the struggle,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ahmed Ali Butt said that Aseefa’s entry “looks like Game of Thrones Season 6, Episode 1”.
A day after BBC HARDTalk host Stephen Sackur grilled former finance minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ishaq Dar over his alleged assets, people on social media are calling out Pakistani anchorpersons over their failure to conduct such ‘hard hitting’ interviews for whatever reasons.
One journalist who remained the target of this criticism was Geo’s Hamid Mir, who hosts Capital Talk, a primetime TV show. The social media users claimed that if Dar was appearing on a Pakistan talk show he wouldn’t be having such a hard time, as most of these journalists are on the alleged payroll of these politicians.
One wrote: “Ishaq Dar thought BBC HardTalk was going to Geo Capital Talk and Stephen Sackur as shrewd as Hamid Mir I told you Stephen Sackur was going to skin Ishaq Dar and he did just that!”
Ishaq Dar thought BBC HardTalk was going to Geo Capital Talk and Stephen Sackur as shrewd as Hamid Mir
I told you Stephen Sackur was going to skin Ishaq Dar and he did just that! https://t.co/QtHotQVS43
This is what our mainstream anchors should be doing. But they are not neutral as they conduct their shows with an agenda, be it pro or anti govt. Its futile to even think of Hamid Mir types that they grill policy makers in a similar fashion than to normalise their corruption. https://t.co/DQFVmdmrDt
Responding to critics, Hamid Mir tweeted that he also wanted to pose these questions to PML-N leader Ishaq Dar, but he cannot because Pakistani journalists/channels are not allowed to give coverage to Dar due to a Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) ban.
He also questioned the logic of this ban. He said the local media cannot interview Dar, but they can broadcast his interview given to BBC, what kind of ban is this?
میں بھی اسحاق ڈار سے سوالات کرنا چاہتا ہوں لیکن نہیں کر سکتا کیونکہ میں پاکستانی ہوں پاکستانی چینل پر کام کرتا ہوں پاکستان میں اسحاق ڈار سے انٹرویو کرنا ممنوع ہے یہ کون سا پاکستان ہے جس میں پاکستانی چینل بی بی سی پر اسحاق ڈار کا انٹرویو چلا سکتے ہیں خود انکاانٹرویو نہیں کر سکتے https://t.co/8dsZIQtL4C
Dar, who is in a self-imposed exile after corruption cases were filed against him, appeared on BBC News to talk about corruption charges, PML-N fight against the government, and NAB.
During the show, the host asked Dar: “Is it your contention that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has no integrity? To this, Dar responded that NAB has lost its integrity. “It is an institution that has been used against political opponents.”
Dar said the prime allegation in the Panama Papers Joint Investigation Team report on which the Supreme Court directed NAB to file a reference against him was that he didn’t file his tax returns in Pakistan for 20 years i.e. 1981-2001. Dar said as a chartered account, he had never missed filing his tax returns while living in the UK and North America, as he called these “blatant allegations”.
At this the host asked Dar about the number of properties owned by his family. The PML-N leader responded, “It’s all in my tax returns.”
Upon the insistence of the host, he said: “I have my main residence in Pakistan which has been taken over by this regime… I haven’t got too many properties.”
“How many properties do you and your family own,” the host asked him again. At this, Dar said: “One.” At this, the show host asked him about the news reports in the Pakistan press that claim that the former PML-N minister owned multiple properties in and outside Pakistan. “You are sitting in London and you don’t own anything here,” the host asked Dar.
Dar responded that he doesn’t own any property in London or anywhere else as claimed by the media reports.
However, he went on to admit that his sons recently acquired a villa in Dubai. “They are adult and are in the business for the past 17 years,” he clarified.
Dar, 69, is currently in London, “undergoing medical treatment”. He is absconding from several cases in Pakistan since 2017 and has been declared a proclaimed offender by the courts. He is facing charges of accumulating assets beyond known sources of income.
Hamza Ali Abbasi has announced that he is in the process of writing a book on religion and God.
The actor said that he hopes to complete it by June 2021.
“Will be a little inactive on social media because of that,” shared Hamza.
In the process of writing a book….obviously it,ll be about God …hoping to be done by June 2021 Insha Allah. Will be a little inactive on social media bcz of that.
In November last year, Hamza announced that he is taking a break from acting to focus on his spiritual journey and get a better understanding of Islam.
“I had this divine revelation some time back, that all that I am doing in this world will end the moment I die,” Hamza said in a video message, adding that death is inevitable.
“All these trophies, all these accolades will not bring me any good on the day of judgment when I meet my Maker. I have decided that I want to leave everything that might be a hurdle when it comes to making my matters easier on the day of Judgment.”
Hamza later clarified that he is only taking a break from acting and will continue to make videos and use his voice and popularity to spread the message of Islam and inspire others to undertake this spiritual journey.
The actor turned evangelist also often shares his thoughts and understanding of religion on social media. He also takes out time to interact with his followers and other social media users and explains them things they do not understand.
Limit ur relationship with the world to only earning enough halal rizq to lead a comfortable life, spend the rest of ur time on knowing the creator. Imagine the regret on Judgement Day tht U had 1 chance to know & even be friends with the Emperor of all existence & u wasted it.
Instead of presenting to the world Gods last direct visible intervention thru Muhammad SAW, We Muslims introduced him as if he acted on his own and God helped him.
An eighth member of Pakistan’s cricket squad has tested positive for coronavirus as the team undergoes quarantine in Christchurch, New Zealand health authorities said Wednesday.
The health department said there was one new confirmed case among the squad and a further two members were being investigated, adding to the seven who previously tested positive over the past week.
The department said the team would not be allowed to train together until doctors were confident it would not lead to more coronavirus cases.
Director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield issued the team with a “final warning” last week for flouting social distancing protocols at their hotel.
No further breaches have been reported since.
Two of the original six cases last week were subsequently found to be historical, meaning they were not infectious, while the other four were active. A seventh member of the squad tested positive on Saturday.
The 53-member tour party, led by skipper Babar Azam, arrived in Christchurch on November 24 for two weeks of quarantine which is mandatory for all overseas arrivals in New Zealand.
All tested negative before leaving Lahore for the five-match tour, which is scheduled to begin with a Twenty20 international in Auckland on December 18.
New Zealand has largely eradicated community transmission of coronavirus recording just 1,704 cases and 25 deaths in a population of five million.
Islamabad Zoo’s lone elephant Kavaan arrived in Cambodia on Monday, where he was taken to his new home, a wildlife sanctuary. Cher, who had long campaigned for his release, was on the tarmac at the airport of Cambodia’s second-biggest city Siem Reap to greet Kaavan along with Buddhist monks, who performed rituals on his arrival.
According to details, Kavaan has already made himself at home in Cambodia and can be seen making new friends and socializing with female elephants.
“Kavaan is already socialising with neighbours: beautiful female elephants,” shared Press Officer at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia Neth Pheaktra.
A very happy #Kaavan. I myself also happy to see him in form, good health and active, specially start quickly to socializing with beautiful female elephants. #Cambodiapic.twitter.com/gyBfzDNOf6
Similarly, animal rescue organisation Four Paws shared a beautiful picture of Kavaan interacting with fellow elephants in the sanctuary.
#FreeKaavan : First contact in 8 years! We can now officially call him the “former loneliest elephant in the world”! Seeing Kaavan interacting with other elephants is a huge moment for us but more importantly for Kaavan. We are extremely moved! pic.twitter.com/x5k60XTORP
Kavaan was first brought to Pakistan in 1985 as a gift from Sri Lanka when he was only a year old. Since then he was living at Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad with his partner Saheli, who died in 2012. After Saheli’s death, Kaavan became alone and was dubbed as the world’s loneliest elephant. In 2016 he caught the attention of Cher, who along with other animal rights activists fought a long legal battle for his release and transfer.
He was airlifted from Islamabad to Cambodia in a Russian cargo plane.
#FreeKaavan : Kaavan arrived! ✈️ Last night the loneliest elephant in the world was loaded on an airplane in Islamabad. Together with the team on-site, Dr Frank Goeritz and Dr Amir Khalil were right by his side throughout the whole trip. pic.twitter.com/b1745OQFsi
“Kaavan was eating, was not stressed, he was even a little bit sleeping, standing leaning at the crate wall. He behaves like a frequent flyer,” said Kavaan’s best friend vet Dr Amir Khalil, while sharing details of his flight.
“The flight was uneventful, which is all you can ask for when you transfer an elephant,” he added.
“Kaavan was eating, was not stressed and he even slept a little bit whilst leaning on the wall of the crate! He behaves like a ‘Frequent Flyer’”. The flight was uneventful, which is all you can ask for when you transfer an elephant!
As the world inches closer to the COVID-19 cure, the federal cabinet has approved a grant of $150 million to procure coronavirus vaccine amid a surge in infections across Pakistan.
This was announced by Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on National Health Dr Faisal Sultan along with Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz while giving details about decisions taken by the cabinet in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Meanwhile, the government has also decided to administer the vaccine to people in phases. In the first phase, the health workers and the elderly, who are more vulnerable to the infection, will be innoculated, followed by other ages group.
According to the minister, the government has already approached a few companies to procure the potential vaccine and an initial conversation has been started with them.
On November 4, it was learnt that the health ministry had recommended purchases of potential coronavirus vaccines under last-stage trials and allocation of $100 million in funds for its advance booking. The request was subsequently approved by the prime minister and was sent to the cabinet for final approval.
Commenting on the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) recent public rally in Multan, Faraz urged the opposition not to play with the lives of people for “its personal gains”, saying the second wave of coronavirus was at its peak in the country. He said public rallies are banned to protect people from the coronavirus and the government will deal with the violators legally.
The number of coronavirus cases is on the rise in Pakistan. Over 5,000 localities across the country have been put under ‘smart lockdown’ by the government to contain the soaring tally. On the other hand, the violation of anti-virus precautionary measures are continued, as people disregard the use of mask and social distancing in public and private places.
Today is the 1st day of the last month. The unforgettable 2020, which has been so far filled with elbow-bump greetings, lockdowns, Zoom family gatherings and over-washing the groceries, is almost over. There will be cold, sunny days throughout major cities in Pakistan.
Morning Meme
The Opposition’s Jalsa: Aseefa Zardari is “pretty cool”
Yesterday’s jalsa in Multan was attended by political bigwigs, including PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz, and PPP’s Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, who was attending in place of her brother Bilawal Bhutto. The star of the jalsa was undoubtedly Aseefa, whose attendance and way of speaking reminded many on social media, of her mother Benazir Bhutto.
So many people were talking about her likeness to Benazir that Ali Tareen, son of PTI’s Jahangir Tareen, called Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari “pretty cool”, in response to which he was offered to join PPP by a PPP supporter. The next jalsa will be held in Lahore on December 13.
The government has imposed 5082 smart lockdowns, with at least two million people under lockdown. Azad Jammu and Kashmir is in complete lockdown, while 1459 smart lockdowns are in place in Punjab, 206 in Sindh, 182 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 3205 in Islamabad and 30 in Gilgit Baltistan.
According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the National Positivity Ratio has reached 8.53%. Sindh has reported the highest positivity ratio at 14.04%, followed by Balochistan at 11.95 %, Islamabad at 6.62% and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 5.57%. In Punjab and Gilgit Baltistan, the positivity rate is 4.84% and 3.43% respectively.
Reaction on sexual abuse allegations against Babar Azam
Pakistan Cricket Board Director of Media and Communications Samiul Hassan nay kaha hai kay the sexual violence allegations against Captain Babar Azam are a personal matter and the board won’t be commenting on the issue.
The board’s spokesperson was responding to a question posed by an Urdu daily after a damning press conference by the alleged victim, Hamiza, who claims to be Babar’s schoolfellow and neighbour.
Press say baat kartay huye the Lahori woman claimed that the young cricketer tricked her into believing that he loved her and would marry her.
You won’t believe what washed up on a beach in South Africa. Around 20 shell-less, dragon-like creatures known as Blue Dragons, were spotted on a beach near Cape Town. And they look like they have come straight out of a fantasy or a sci-fi movie.
They are also called ‘the most beautiful killer in the ocean’ because they feed on venomous aquatic creatures and kill with a sting that can cause nausea and pain. While they look a lot like mini dragons, they also have features of a bird, lizard, and octopus.
Current Baba’s prediction
You haven’t wanted to take a break from work jitna you want to today. Shaid you need some good sights and sounds ya phr some new faces and places. Maheenay ka pehla din hai so MIGHT BE the day for you!
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