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  • LJCP website removes pending cases data amidst growing backlog concerns

    LJCP website removes pending cases data amidst growing backlog concerns

    The website of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP), the country’s top body responsible for overseeing the legal system, has been found lacking statistics on pending cases in courts nationwide, reported Dawn on Saturday.

    Typically, the LJCP’s website provides access to data on pending cases. However, the information appears to have been removed recently, leaving many questioning the decision.

    A senior LJCP official clarified that the website is undergoing an upgrade and is being revamped by the Punjab Information Technology Board. When asked about the absence of specific details on pending cases while other data remained accessible, the official attributed it to a technical matter, offering assurances that the information will be updated once the website revamp is completed.

    Meanwhile, the judiciary faces criticism for a massive backlog of cases, which has now surpassed two million in both superior and lower courts, but the official denied the website issue was connected to the matter.

  • July 2023 set to smash heat records, hottest month in over 120,000 years

    July 2023 set to smash heat records, hottest month in over 120,000 years

    As temperatures surge to unprecedented levels year after year, July 2023 is on track to become the hottest month ever recorded on Earth, surpassing previous records by a significant margin, CNN has reported.

    Scientific reports from both the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization have confirmed that this month’s scorching heat is virtually certain to break global climate records.

    Till the first 23 days of July, the average air temperature across the entire world reached a staggering 16.95 degrees Celsius (62.51 Fahrenheit), well above the previous record of 16.63 degrees Celsius (61.93 Fahrenheit) set in July 2019.

    Scientists warn that these extreme temperatures are the hottest witnessed in human history, with estimates suggesting they are the warmest the planet has experienced in over 120,000 years

  • Nearly 1,000 smartphones and high-tech gadgets seized by Customs at Faisalabad Airport

    Nearly 1,000 smartphones and high-tech gadgets seized by Customs at Faisalabad Airport

    According to reliable sources, customs officials at Faisalabad Airport recently intercepted a significant shipment of smuggled smartphones, drone cameras, and related accessories valued at millions of currency units. This operation led to the arrest of three suspected smugglers upon their arrival from Sharjah to Faisalabad.

    During the inspection of the passengers’ luggage, the customs officials discovered and seized 971 smartphones, 78 iPods, a drone camera, and gaming hardware concealed cleverly within their bags and shoppers.

    In a separate incident at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) apprehended a passenger named Abdul Razzaq, who had just returned from the UAE. The FIA spokesperson disclosed that the accused, Abdul Razzaq, was a wanted criminal in Punjab, specifically in connection with a murder case. Subsequently, the FIA handed over the suspect to the local police for further legal proceedings.

    Moreover, a few days prior to this incident, customs officials successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle iPhones at Sialkot Airport. The authorities seized 30 smuggled iPhones worth nearly Rs100 million from a passenger named Adeel, who had arrived from Sharjah on flight number PK-210. Notably, the accused, Adeel, was identified as an employee of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Investigations revealed that he was involved in the distribution of smuggled smartphones to Karachi and Lahore.

    Additionally, the customs officials disclosed that the accused PIA flight steward, Adeel, had an accomplice named Ali Ahmed, who was also part of the smartphone smuggling operation. Both individuals were employed by PIA.

    These actions by customs officials and law enforcement agencies demonstrate their commitment to curbing smuggling activities and ensuring the safety and security of the nation.

  • New postal rates: Pakistan Post customers to pay up to 150% more from next month

    New postal rates: Pakistan Post customers to pay up to 150% more from next month

    Pakistan Post has announced a substantial increase in domestic postal rates, set to take effect from August 1. The Ministry of Communication released an official notification outlining the revised rates, which will impact various types of mail and parcel services.

    For non-registered ordinary letters, envelops, the new rates will be as follows:

    – 20 grammes: Increased from Rs20 to Rs30

    – 50 grammes: Increased from Rs38 to Rs60

    – 100 grammes: Increased from Rs50 to Rs75

    – 250 grammes: Increased from Rs75 to Rs120

    – 500 grammes: Increased from Rs100 to Rs150

    – Per kilogramme: Increased from Rs200 to Rs300

    – 2 kilogrammes: Increased from Rs250 to Rs380

    However, for certain printed materials, including textbooks, pamphlets, journals, periodicals, music sheets, maps, circulars, invitations, bills, greeting cards, and other books apart from textbooks, the rates will experience a more modest increase from Rs2 to Rs5 per 100 grammes.

    The parcel rates have also been significantly adjusted, with the following changes:

    – 1 kilogramme: Increased from Rs100 to Rs150

    – 3 kilogrammes: Increased from Rs175 to Rs270

    – 5 kilogrammes: Increased from Rs250 to Rs380

    – 10 kilogrammes: Increased from Rs375 to Rs570

    – 15 kilogrammes: Increased from Rs500 to Rs750

    – 20 kilogrammes: Increased from Rs625 to Rs940

    – 25 kilogrammes: Increased from Rs750 to Rs1,130

    – 30 kilogrammes: Increased from Rs875 to Rs1,320

    Furthermore, urgent mail service rates have also experienced a hike.

    For deliveries within cities or between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, inclusive of all taxes and charges, the new rates will be as follows:

    – Up to 250 grammes: Rs59 to Rs90

    – 500 grammes: Rs110, with an additional Rs45 for every subsequent half kilogramme.

    Deliveries between other cities will follow the following rates:

    – Up to 250 grammes: Rs230

    – Each additional half kilogramme: Rs75

    Cash-on-delivery charges for deliveries within the city are as follows:

    – Up to 250 grammes: Rs55

    – Up to 500 grammes: Rs80

    – Each additional half kilogramme: Rs18

    For cash-on-delivery outside the city, the charges are:

    – Up to 250 grammes: Rs87

    – 500 grammes: Rs122

    – Each additional 500 grammes: Rs35

    These rate adjustments are expected to impact both individuals and businesses utilising Pakistan Post’s services for their communication and delivery needs.

  • Aditya Roy Kapur says nepotism has nothing to do with his success

    Aditya Roy Kapur says nepotism has nothing to do with his success

    Bollywood actor Aditya Roy Kapur has made a string of successful movies like ‘Aashiqui 2’ and ‘Ye Jawaani Hai Deewani’, but he has been met with plenty of criticism that his career has a lot to do with nepotism.

    The actor, who’s eldest brother Siddharth is the CEO of UTV Motion Pictures and other brother Kunaal is an actor, comes from a family of Bollywood royalty, dating back to his grandfather who was a film producer in the 1940s.

    Speaking to Filmfare to finally address the issue, ‘The Night Manager’ actor said his career wasn’t influenced by his brothers, who did not help him in getting movies as he began his acting journey.

    “I think people know that I have kind of made my way into the industry. I started with supporting roles in films my brothers weren’t involved with.”

    Kapur, who has gone public with his relationship with Ananya Panday, also pointed out that his career progress has been incredibly public, with people noticing how slowly he went from supporting roles to getting leading roles in films:

    “My journey has been a public one. People saw my career develop slowly. By the time I did my first leading role, I had already done three supporting parts. So I think that journey is clear for people to see.”

    The issue of nepotism within the Bollywood industry has been a much discussed topic, with several actors like Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor being subjected to intense scrutiny for the arguments they made in favor of nepotism.

    Johar, who had been publicly called ‘the flag bearer of nepotism’ by Kangana Ranaut on ‘Koffee With Karan’ said in an interview with Man’s World India:

    “I never said I was running an NGO. I’m running a bona fide commercial entity. I’m very excited to introduce new talents. Some will be from the fraternity, some will not. I’m done with being apologetic about it”

  • Samsung Galaxy S23 FE: What to expect from the Fan Edition model

    Samsung Galaxy S23 FE: What to expect from the Fan Edition model

    Samsung is gearing up for the imminent launch of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, the Fan Edition variant of the Galaxy S23, which was initially introduced during the Galaxy Unpacked event in February this year. During their second Galaxy Unpacked event of the year, the South Korean tech giant unveiled several exciting products, including the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Tab S9 series, and the Galaxy Watch 6 series.

    The news about the upcoming Galaxy S23 FE was confirmed by a high-ranking Samsung executive, Justin Hume, who serves as the Vice-President of Mobile for Samsung South Africa. He mentioned that there exists a noticeable gap in the lineup between the Galaxy A54 5G and Galaxy S23, and the company plans to fill that void with the launch of the Galaxy S23 FE.

    According to a report by Android Authority, the Galaxy S23 FE is expected to include the most sought-after features from the Galaxy S23 series, which comprises the base Galaxy S23, the Galaxy S23+, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

    Geekbench listings have further hinted at the possible specifications of the Galaxy S23 FE. The phone is likely to be powered by the in-house Exynos 2200 SoC, although there are indications that it could be launched in North America with either a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, leading to the possibility of different chip variants in various regions.

    Regarding memory and storage options, the Galaxy S23 FE is rumored to offer up to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 inbuilt storage. Additionally, the Exynos SoC is said to be paired with an Xclipse 920 AMD GPU. The phone will run on Android 13-based One UI.

    The display of the Galaxy S23 FE is expected to be a 6.4-inch flat screen with a center-aligned hole-punch slot housing a 12-megapixel front camera sensor. On the back, the phone is likely to sport a triple rear camera setup, featuring a 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 12-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide-angle lens, and an 8-megapixel sensor with a telephoto lens.

    Powering the device will be a robust 4,500mAh battery, ensuring ample usage time on a single charge. As the launch date approaches, anticipation is building among consumers and tech enthusiasts eager to explore the new offering from Samsung’s Galaxy lineup.

  • Muharram 9, 10: Mobile services suspended in multiple areas to ensure safety

    Muharram 9, 10: Mobile services suspended in multiple areas to ensure safety

    On July 28, mobile services were suspended in several parts of Pakistan in observance of Ashura (Muharram 9), as part of precautionary measures taken by the authorities to maintain peace and avoid any potential untoward situations during this significant religious event.

    In Islamabad, the Ministry of Interior requested the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to enforce the suspension of mobile services not only on Muharram 9 but also extend it to Muharram 10 and 11.

    As per the directives, mobile service remained unavailable in sectors G6 and G7 from 1 pm to 10 pm on Muharram 9. Additionally, in Sector 10-I and adjoining areas, the services were blocked from 6 pm to 6 am on the following day.

    On Muharram 11, mobile phone services were suspended in Shah Allah Ditta from 2 am to 7 pm, and in the areas surrounding Noorpur Shahan/Bari Imam, the suspension was in effect from 12 pm to 7 pm.

    In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sources from the provincial home department informed Geo News that mobile services would remain suspended in 14 districts on Muharram 9 and 10, including Sadar, Pishtakhara, Hassan Ghari, inner city Peshawar, Mardan, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Kohat, Hangu, and Bannu. The mobile service suspension continued until 10 pm on these days to ensure a peaceful Ashura observance.

    Similarly, local authorities in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, decided to suspend mobile services on Muharram 9 and 10 to prevent any potential disturbances during the religious event.

    Additionally, the provincial government of Balochistan had already imposed a ban on pillion riding in the Quetta division from Muharram 1 to Muharram 12 (July 28 to August 8) as an added security measure.

    In Karachi, the PTA had previously announced a partial suspension of mobile services in some areas until Muharram 10 (July 29). However, the suspension was extended to Muharram 8 and was expected to remain in effect on Muharram 9.

    Moreover, in Lahore and Sindh, authorities enforced a ban on pillion riding during the observance of Ashura on July 28.

    It’s important to note that despite the temporary disruption of mobile services, landline and cable net services continued to operate without interruption.

    These measures were taken to ensure the safety and security of the public during the important religious commemoration of Ashura on July 28, 2023.

  • Rana Sanaullah says Dar ‘neither nominated nor rejected’ for caretaker PM slot.

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has said on Friday that no one proposed the name of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for caretaker Prime Minister.

    “Neither was Ishaq Dar’s name suggested, nor was it rejected. It can be a rumour,” the minister remarked while speaking on Geo News’ programme “Geo Pakistan”.

    Admitting that discussions are currently taking place about the interim setup, Sanaullah said that the caretaker Minister should be a politician or a bureaucrat.

    “In case there’s a consensus that a politician can be appointed, then it can either be Ishaq Dar or any other politician from any party,” he said.
    He offered assurances that the government will appoint a suitable person on the position.

    As yet many names have surfaced in various reports and rumors about who will get the coveted position of caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan, including Ishaq Dar, caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab Mohsin Naqvi and textile baron Gohar Ijaz.

  • The ONE thing Kajol dislikes about Shah Rukh Khan

    Bollywood actors Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan are the filmi duo that keep entertaining our millenial hearts, whether on film or as hilarious buddies. Now speaking to Mashable India, Kajol reflected on her long friendship with the Bollywood actor, revealing that there is after all one thing she doesn’t like about the actor: his ability to memorise the entire script, even everyone else’s lines on set!

    “What I don’t like and I also find is most endearing about him, is the fact that when he comes on the set, he knows all the dialogues of everybody on the set,” said the ‘Baazigar’ actress.

    “It doesn’t matter if we are doing a three-page scene, he would have memorized all the three pages. He knows my dialogues, his dialogues, and third person’s dialogues as well.

    Kajol went on to gush about her bond with the ‘Pathaan’ superstar whom she can call any time of the day, stating that she doesn’t text him everyday or Khan would have stabbed her.

    “I know for a fact that if I ever had to call him up at 3 o’clock in the morning, he would pick up my phone and he knows vice versa..(but) No, I do not message him every day ‘Good morning there’ and send him a flower photograph. I think he’d stab me with a nice fork if I ever tried it.” the ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum’ actress joked.

  • Shabbar Zaidi says Pakistan would have economically collapsed had Imran Khan govt continued

    Shabbar Zaidi says Pakistan would have economically collapsed had Imran Khan govt continued

    The economic performance of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has been criticised by Shabbar Zaidi, one of its own highest ranking officials.

    In an interview with Geo News’ Shahzeb Khanzada, Zaidi said that Pakistan would have economically collapsed had the PTI government continued.

    “Had this […] government continued, the party would not have even secured 5% votes as the country would have economically collapsed,” the former Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) head, appointed with much fanfare at the time by Imran Khan, said on the show.

    Accusing the then-Prime Minister of not “listening” to anyone who was offering advice to rectify the government’s shortcomings, Zaidi said that Imran Khan did remove Asad Umar as Finance Minister when told of the government’s poor performance.

    He narrated an incident where 40 parliamentarians, led by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, barged into his office after he “mistakenly” sent a tax notice to a landlord in Multan.

    He also accused Asad Qaiser, the former Speaker of the National Assembly of preventing the tobacco industry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from being brought into the tax net.

    “You cannot do this…you cannot enter our areas,” Qaiser told Zaidi.

    Shabbar Zaidi was the head of FBR from 2019 till 2020.