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  • SECP registers over 400 new IT companies in Pakistan in one month

    SECP registers over 400 new IT companies in Pakistan in one month

    The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) registered 2,617 new companies in September 2024, marking a 5.7 per cent increase compared to the same month last year.

    This brings the total number of registered companies in Pakistan to 231,111.

    Of the companies registered in September, 55 per cent were private limited companies, while 41 per cent were single-member companies. The remaining 4 per cent included public unlisted companies, not-for-profit associations, trade organizations (TO), and limited liability partnerships (LLP).

    The majority of these companies—99.8 per cent—were registered online, with only 0.2 per cent registered offline.

    The information technology sector saw the highest number of new companies, with 410 being incorporated in September. Following closely were trading companies with 377 new firms and the services sector, which registered 306 companies.

    Other key sectors included:

    – Real estate development and construction: 237 new companies

    – Tourism and e-commerce: 125 new companies each

    – Food and beverages: 112 new companies

    – Education: 101 new companies

    – Mining and quarrying: 98 new companies

    – Marketing and advertising: 73 new companies

    Additional sectors that showed notable activity included:

    – Corporate agricultural farming: 60 new companies

    – Engineering: 57 new companies

    – Healthcare: 49 new companies

    – Textile: 49 new companies

    Smaller sectors, such as cosmetics and toiletries (46 companies), chemicals (42 companies), and transport (39 companies), also contributed to the overall growth, with a total of 82 companies incorporated in various other sectors.

    With over 400 new IT companies registered in Pakistan in just one month, the benefits are immense. This growth means more job opportunities, driving employment and boosting economic activity and innovation across the country.

    The rise of these IT firms also enhances Pakistan’s tech exports, bringing in much-needed foreign revenue and attracting international investments. On top of that, it helps improve digital infrastructure, inspires more people to start their own businesses, and boosts the skills of the local workforce.

  • New ‘Joker’ film, a dark musical, tops N.America box office

    New ‘Joker’ film, a dark musical, tops N.America box office

    Warner Bros.’ “Joker: Folie a Deux,” a dark new musical Batman spinoff, earned an estimated $40 million over the weekend to top the North American box office, industry watchers reported Sunday.

    But that was far behind the $96.2 opening of the original “Joker” in 2019, a movie that earned Joaquin Phoenix a best-actor Oscar and grossed more than $1 billion worldwide. Industry analyst David A. Gross called it “a weak opening for the follow-up sequel in a superhero series.”

    “Folie a Deux” — French for “shared madness” — again stars Phoenix as the unbalanced titular villain, this time joined by Lady Gaga (playing the cheerily deranged Harley Quinn) as the two sing, dance and plan assorted acts of mayhem. Todd Phillips directs, and the cast includes Brendan Gleeson and Catherine Keener.

    Last week’s box office leader, family-friendly sci-fi tale “The Wild Robot” from DreamWorks Animation, slipped a spot to second, taking in $18.7 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations estimated.

    Lupita Nyong’o voices Roz, an intelligent robot who is marooned on an uninhabited island and, to survive, has to befriend a menagerie of woodland animals — and ends up adopting an adorable gosling.

    Warner Bros.’ “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” also slipped a spot, to third, earning $10.3 million.

    Michael Keaton again plays the creepily hilarious title character with Winona Ryder reprising her role as Lydia Deetz, backed by “Beetlejuice” newcomers Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci and Justin Theroux.

    In fourth was Paramount’s animated action film “Transformers One,” the latest installment in the toy-based franchise, at $5.4 million.

    And in fifth, for the second straight week, was “Speak No Evil,” a psychological horror film from Blumhouse and Universal Pictures, at $2.8 million. James McAvoy and Mackenzie Davis star.

    Rounding out the top 10 were:

    “White Bird” ($1.5 million)

    “Deadpool & Wolverine” ($1.5 million)

    “The Substance” ($1.3 million)

    “Megalopolis” ($1.1 million)

    “My Old Ass” ($908,000)

  • Sher Afzal Marwat cites health issues for absence in protests

    Sher Afzal Marwat cites health issues for absence in protests

    As Saturday’s protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petered out to after Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur went to KP House instead of D-Chowk in Islamabad, followers of the party turned their ire towards absent PTI leaders.

    PTI leadership including bigwigs Ali Muhammad Khan, former speaker of National Assembly Asad Qaiser, opposition leader Omer Ayub Khan and Sher Afzal Khan Marwat were all slammed by party supporters for not being present at the protest.

    Social media users trolled PTI leadership by asking, “Were they doing work from home?”

    Marwat replied to the criticism on X (formerly Twitter) by stating that he is seriously ill: “I am feeling pain and embarrassment to tell my loved ones that my health is not getting better.”

    “My liver test and other tests were not normal and my health is deteriorating day by day,” he wrote.

    He said that he is trying to stabilise his health so that he can go back to being the way he was, “the way you liked me.” But, he stressed again that he gets fever every day which goes away. “My health is deteriorating fast,” he stated.

    “Main apnay mulk kay liye, apnay murshad Imran Khan kay liye or Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) kay liye buhat kuch karna chahta hu.” he added.

    The only big name to be making his way towards the protest, CM KP Ali Amin Gandapur, also did not reach D-Chowk. A day after pulling a mysterious disappearance, he arrived at the provincial assembly yesterday, while many PTI supporters remained in Islamabad.

    Clarifying rumors about his whereabouts amid the federal capital and Ranger’s raid at the provincial house, Gandapur claimed that he was hiding in KP House, but police were unable to discover him.

  • ‘Hina Altaf and I may never stop respecting each other’: Aagha Ali on divorce

    ‘Hina Altaf and I may never stop respecting each other’: Aagha Ali on divorce

    Going through a divorce can be tough, bringing a lot of big changes in life.

    Agha Ali recently talked about his experience after divorce from his ex-wife Hina Altaf.

    During a podcast with Ahmed Ali Butt, he reflected on his life after divorce. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m doing good, I’m now doing pretty well, actually. Very happy to say that and happy to feel it at the same time. Life is tough, but what can I say.”

    Talking about her ex-wife Hina Altaf:

    Aagha said, “The good thing is that we should never stop respecting each other. There’s nothing better than this because in most relationships, when they end, people lose respect for each other.”

    “I think that any relationship in your life that you have built with your own happiness, you should put in all your effort to maintain it. You should pray as well, but if you can’t make it work, then the only way out is to separate.” Agha added.

    Thinking about how divorce affects us emotionally, the Ishqaway actor said, “When relationships end, usually nothing remains except hatred so, yes, it was very tough and something I could never have imagined in my life, but again, if you both try with all your heart, then the only option left is to wish each other well and move on.”

    Hina Alaf and Aagha Ali tied the knot on 22 May, 2022 in Karachi.

  • Pro Palestine singer who spoke up against Kamala Harris gets number one spot

    Pro Palestine singer who spoke up against Kamala Harris gets number one spot

    Chappell Roan, a rising singer known for her support of Palestine, recently hit the number one spot on the Artist 100 and Top Album Sales charts for the first time. The success follows her outspoken stance against Vice President and Democrat candidate for President Kamala Harris, and her decision to reject an invitation to perform at the White House Pride event earlier this year.

    In a candid interview with The Guardian, Roan explained why she doesn’t feel pressured to endorse any political candidate, including Kamala Harris, in the upcoming U.S. presidential election. “There’s problems on both sides,” she said. “I have so many issues with our government in every way. There are so many things that I would want to change.”

    Roan encouraged her fans to think critically about their votes. “Use your critical thinking skills, use your vote — vote small, vote for what’s going on in your city,” she advised.

    Her decision to decline the White House Pride event invitation came during her performance at New York City’s Governors Ball music festival in June, where she told the crowd, “We want liberty, justice, and freedom for all. When you do that, that’s when I’ll come.”

    In a more recent Rolling Stone interview, Roan elaborated on her reasoning for rejecting the invite, pointing to the U.S. government’s support for Israel in the ongoing Gaza conflict. She even considered using her potential performance at the White House to protest by reciting poems from Palestinian women but ultimately decided against it after discussions with her publicist.

    “I was trying to do it as tastefully as I could because all I wanted to do was yell,” she explained. “I had to find something that’s tasteful and to the point, meaningful, and not make it about me and how I feel.”

    Despite her firm stance on U.S. government policies, Roan clarified that her decision not to attend the White House event should not be seen as support for former President Donald Trump. “It’s not so black and white that you hate one and you like the other,” she said, addressing misunderstandings among some fans.

    Roan added, “No matter how you say it, people are still going to be pissed for some reason. I’m not going to go to the White House because I am not going to be a monkey for Pride. And thank God I didn’t go because they just made a huge statement about trans kids a couple weeks ago.”

    Her refusal to stay silent on controversial issues has not hindered her rise to the top of the charts. Roan’s success reflects a growing trend of artists using their platforms to speak up for social justice and political issues, making her not only a musical force but also a voice for change.

  • Bangladesh’s India Tour Hits Controversy: Team could not visit mosque for Friday’s prayer

    Bangladesh’s India Tour Hits Controversy: Team could not visit mosque for Friday’s prayer

    The Bangladeshi team is currently in India for the T20 series, but the tour has ended in controversy after the team was unable to visit a mosque for Friday prayers.

    Indian media claims that the Bangladeshi players wanted to go to a mosque for Friday prayers, but due to security concerns from the administration, players could not get permission to go to the mosque.

    What was the reason?

    In response to reported atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, Indian Hindu organizations are up in arms. The Indian organization Hindu Mahasabha had called for a shutdown of Gwalior on the day it was scheduled to host a match, and other organizations have called for demonstrations.

    However, Inspector General of Gwalior Arvind Saxena told the Indian media that more than 2500 police officers were deployed in Gwalior during the first T20 match. The team did not come to the mosque because the mosque is three km away from the hotel where the visiting team is staying.

    In the first T20, India defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets. The second T20I between India and Bangladesh will be played in New Delhi on October 9, while the third match will be played in Hyderabad on October 12.

    Backend of the story:

    The situation for Hindus in Bangladesh has significantly deteriorated, particularly following the political turmoil that arose after Sheikh Hasina was removed from her position as Prime Minister in August 2024.

    She left for India after her removal, and this political shift led to increased communal tensions and violence against minority communities, particularly Hindus, who have faced a series of assaults and discriminatory practices, Indian publications have reported. On the other, in some videos and pictures, Bangladeshi students can be seen protecting Hindu temples.

    Indian media reported that many Hindus report feeling unsafe in their neighbourhoods, with incidents of destruction targeting temples and homes becoming alarmingly frequent. As a result, many Hindus are fleeing their homes in search of safety, while those who remain are often unable to celebrate religious festivals or perform daily rituals.

    This backdrop of unrest has created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, complicating international relations, particularly with neighbouring India. The ongoing crisis has also impacted sports, manifested by the recent controversies surrounding the Bangladeshi cricket team’s tour in India, where players have been denied access to local mosques for Friday prayers due to heightened security concerns deriving from protests against the treatment of Hindus in Bangladesh.

  • Hadiqa Kiani invited to attend concert of Palestinian singer Saint Levant

    Hadiqa Kiani invited to attend concert of Palestinian singer Saint Levant

    Hadiqa Kiani, known for her contributions to music industry and activism, continues to use her voice to support important causes.

    In a recent Instagram post, she wrote that she felt honored to be invited by Palestinian artist Saint Levant to attend his sold- out concert in Los Angeles.

    Hadiqa shared photos of her at the venue and with Saint Levant along with the caption: “This past weekend I had the privilege of being invited to and supporting Palestinian singer Saint Levant’s sold out show in LA. I was amazed by the energy of the crowd, it was like a protest, a rally for freedom and liberation – an absolutely beautiful experience.”

    Kiani emphasized the need to support Palestinian artist and stay informed about the ongoing crises in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and the broader region. “Art is a form of resistance”, she shared, encouraging everyone to support business and organizations that are striving to end the the occupation, to free Palestine and to bring back humanity.

    Saint Levant, whose real name is Marwan Abdelhamid, is a young Palestinian- French- Algerian singer. He’s making a name for himself with his unique music style that combines English, French and Arabic. His songs often touch on themes like identity, love, and the hardships faced by the Palestinian community. Using his music as a tool for activism, Saint Levant addresses the struggles of Palestinians and other communities in the Middle East, hoping to inspire positive change and empower the youth.

    Here is post of Hadiqa Kiani:

  • Dr Zakir Naik under fire for trying to belittle Pashtun woman in reply to question

    Dr Zakir Naik under fire for trying to belittle Pashtun woman in reply to question

    Religious scholar Dr Zakir Naik, who is on a tour of Pakistan, was slammed by social media after a video showing him rudely answering a Pashtun woman’s question in a public appearance held in the Governor House went viral.

    The event was hosted by Governor Sindh, Kamran Tessori.

    Dr Zakir Naik’s attitude was perceived as belittling and arrogant while responding to a question that seemed to have a contradiction, according to him.

    The girl introduced herself as Palwasha from Lakki Marwat, a conservative town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In her question, she asked about the society she comes from, saying that the people there are very religious; the women don’t go outside the house unless they are required to, while the men offer all five prayers inside the mosque. However, her area has a rampant problem of “drug addiction, paedophilia and adultery”. She asked Dr Naik about his assessment of the situation. “Why is the society collapsing there, and why do our scholars don’t call these people out, especially the paedophiles,” she asked.

    In response, Dr Zakir Naik first joked that just like women in her society, “he himself doesn’t get out of the house, if not needed,” adding, “Men should also not leave the house if there is no need for it.”

    He then went on to elaborate that the girl is wrong in asking the question as it is self contradictory given she is saying it is an Islamic society yet saying that these practices are common there. “You should seek forgiveness for that,” he told her.

    Palwasha tried interjecting that these so-called paedophiles are the same people who go to mosques, but Dr Naik kept insisting that her question was wrong. At one point, he became downright rude, asking her to let him speak.

    The clip of the interaction was shared by Dr Naik on his X (formerly Twitter) account with the caption, “Pathan Girl asks Dr Zakir Naik a contradictory question about pakistani society.” Netizens lambasted him for his attitude in the responses.

    Veteran journalist Abbas Nasir called out Zakir Naik for putting “pathan girl” in the caption and for his “self-righteous mullaism.”

    Another Twitter user by the name of Nazrana Yousufzai called it “deflection, insult and bullying a young student.”

    Faran Manj posted, “Dr. Sahab answered the question in such a way that it not only discouraged her from asking similar questions in the future but also insulted her.”

    A user by the name of Dr Maryam called it bullying by Dr Naik because he had no answer for her question.

    Hassan Saeed called the question a “brilliant” one and called out Dr Naik for belittling and insulting her.

  • Karachi attack leaves two Chinese nationals dead

    Karachi attack leaves two Chinese nationals dead

    Three people, including two Chinese nationals have died, while 11 people were injured in a massive explosion near Karachi International Airport last night.

    The Chinese embassy in Pakistan and Pakistan’s Foreign Office have confirmed the deaths, Dawn News has reported.

    The Chinese embassy in Pakistan stated, “Convoy carrying Chinese staff of the Port Qasim Electric Power Company (Private) Limited was attacked near the Jinnah International Airport.”

    It further said, “Making every effort to handle the aftermath together with the Pakistani side.”

    Rescue 1122 has stated that five vehicles were damaged by the blast, while seven other vehicles were destroyed.

    In an initial report, a police official disclosed that the explosion occurred in an oil tanker.

    The Khorasan Diary reported that the terrorist group Balochistan Liberation Army’s (BLA) Majeed Brigade, known to have deep ties with India, claimed the attack and published the picture of the suicide bomber named Shah Fahad alias Aftab.

    Yesterday, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar claimed the explosion was likely caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) strike.

    Condemning the incident, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said, “We express full solidarity with the families of the Chinese citizens in this moment of grief.”

  • Pak vs Eng 1st Test: Where to watch England’s tour of Pakistan

    Pak vs Eng 1st Test: Where to watch England’s tour of Pakistan

    Here are the details of Pakistan vs England live streaming for the 1st Test match in Multan starting from October 7, 2024.

    Pakistan is facing England in a three-match Test series, and they will need to bounce back after a whitewash against Bangladesh in the home Test series. On the other hand, England had a successful season after defeating West Indies 3-0 and Sri Lanka 2-1.

    Pakistan vs England Match details:

    Venue: Multan Cricket Stadium
    Date: October 7, 2024
    Time: 10:00 am (Pakistan Standard Time), 10:30 am (Indian Standard Time), 5:00 am (GMT)

    Live Streaming Details:

    Live Streaming in Pakistan: Tamasha app, Mycoo app, ARY ZAP Live
    Live telecast: Geo Super

    Live Streaming in India: Fancode app and website

    Playing XI:

    Pakistan:
    Shaan Masood, Saud Shakeel, Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafiq, Muhammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed

    England:
    Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (C), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse (Debut), Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir.