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  • Moonis bought benami Spanish properties on same day father Pervaiz Elahi became CM

    Chaudhry Moonis Elahi purchased several properties in Spain on the day his father, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, took oath as Chief Minister (CM) Punjab on July 27 last year.

    Writing for The News, Umer Cheema has revealed that this information has been obtained by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from Spanish authorities.

    Moonis confirmed holding benami properties in Spain, which includes an apartment, a Range Rover and a company among the newly made assets apart from a bank account and previously incorporated companies.

    Moonis admitted to their ownership and said he would declare them in his next year’s tax return. He said it was nothing more than a coincidence that the purchase of properties occurred on the day his father took the oath.

    National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore had written a letter to the authorities in Spain for an ongoing investigation of alleged corruption, looting and ill-gotten properties against the family.

    It has been found that Barcelo hotel in Barcelona is also owned by Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi family, while another multi-story plaza is also said to be owned by Elahi family—with a person named Saqib Tahir appointed as caretaker, reports Samaa News.

    The Canary Islands in Spain are also said to be home to various historic buildings, plazas and orchards, owned by Eahi family.

    Moonis Elahi has recently started a taxi service in Barcelona by obtaining 250 taxi vehicles on bank lease.

    In Spain, Chaudhary Pervez is known as the frontman of the Elahi Family.

  • IMF loan delay continues to impact Pakistani rupee

    IMF loan delay continues to impact Pakistani rupee

    During trading on Wednesday, the Pakistani rupee experienced a slight decrease against the US dollar, with a depreciation of almost 0.06 per cent in the inter-bank market. At around 12:45 pm, the currency was being traded at Rs284.06, which is a decline of Re0.16.

    This comes after the rupee had previously regained some ground against the US dollar on Tuesday, settling at Rs283.9 in the inter-bank market. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF) has been stalled since last year, and market participants are waiting for its resumption.

    Experts have suggested that the reduced demand for US dollars can be attributed to the increase in inflows from workers’ remittances and a decline in import payments. Globally, the dollar saw some stability on Wednesday after being influenced by bond market volatility. Investors closely monitored US economic indicators, Federal Reserve commentary, and corporate earnings for indications about the path for interest rates.

    The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major peers, rose by 0.11 per cent to 101.83 in Asian trading, following a 0.36 per cent decline on Tuesday that reversed the 0.54 per cent increase from the previous session.

    Oil prices, which serve as a significant indicator of currency parity, declined on Wednesday as the market considered potential interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve. Such hikes could slow growth and dampen oil consumption, offsetting the impact of falling US inventories and strong Chinese economic data.

  • ‘See you soon’: We’re loving this heartfelt cross-border exchange between Sonam Kapoor, Fawad Khan

    ‘See you soon’: We’re loving this heartfelt cross-border exchange between Sonam Kapoor, Fawad Khan

    Anyone who has ever been a fan of Bollywood remembers how the earth’s axis shifted when Fawad Khan starred as Prince Vikram in the Bollywood film ‘Khoobsurat’ with Sonam Kapoor. Hearts swooned across the subcontinent en masse. No man has had the kind of impact that Fawad did, and we’re still reeling from it.

    It looks like the other side of the border still can’t get over Fawad’s smoldering looks either, and this recent exchange between Kapoor and Khan proves it.

    Khan shared a clip from an upcoming action film on his Instagram page, and Kapoor commented on it, saying that she missed him, and couldn’t wait to see him soon.

    “FK always magic on screen,” wrote Kapoor. “See you and Sadaf soon.”

    Is another collaboration in the works? A chance that Fawad Khan might star in another Bollywood film?? We’re shaking just thinking about it.

    Twitter users also loved how regardless of the political tensions between India and Pakistan, Bollywood and Lollywood actors still care for eachother.

    Kapoor once said in an interview that it was Fawad Khan with whom she had the best chemistry, but was unhappy with how Karan Johar sent him back to Pakistan.

  • IPL 2023; Virat Kohli fined for violating IPL rules in match against CSK

    IPL 2023; Virat Kohli fined for violating IPL rules in match against CSK

    Indian cricket star Virat Kohli was fined on Tuesday for breaching the Indian Premier League (IPL) code of conduct, after his team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RBC) went down to Chennai in a nail-biting match.

    Kohli’s wild celebration of Chennai batsman Shivam Dube’s wicket at a crucial point of the high-scoring game on Monday resulted in the sanction, according to media reports.

    Kohli must pay 10 percent of his match fees for the ‘Level 1 offence’ that he committed. A statement issued by IPL says that the batter admitted to the offence.
    MS Dhoni led CSK won by eight runs after the nail biting finish in which record-equaling 33 sixes were hit.
    Kohli was once fined when he hit a plastic chair with his bat after getting dismissed in an IPL match. King Kohli, many speculate, can’t control his emotions on the field.

    According to media reports, Kohli has fallen out with India’s former cricket chief Saurav Ganguly with the two men reportedly “unfollowing” each other on Instagram.

    Kohli quit as Indian T20 skipper in late 2021 and in January 2022 was sacked from the 50-over format captaincy, later giving up leading the Test side too after a reported fall-out with Ganguly.

  • Top five TV ads that Twitter users love the most

    Do you guys remember which TV ads you loved? Some of the most popular commercials have been made by companies like Ufone, Cocomo and even Shan, entertaining audiences as much as the dramas they interrupted.

    A few days ago, a Twitter user asked followers about their favorite ads while growing up.

    And Pakistani Twitter users took us down memory lane with some of the best responses.

    1 Yes, we all remember when Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan cemented their status as the number one television couple, solely with this commercial.

    2 Nobody, and I repeat nobody, did ads like Ufone did. We’re sharing two because it’s incredibly hard to pick one.

    3 No body can forget the dances that were inspired by this Coca Cola commercial alone.

    4 Or this very moving ad by Shan which reversed gender norms and showed a man cooking in the kitchen to impress his in-laws.

    5 Another ad that was a popular response among Twitter users was the Pepsi commercial in which both Wasim Akram and Imran Khan had starred.

    Just because Eid anay wali hai, we’re not signing off without sharing this masterpiece of a commercial by Ufone.

  • Dubai airport smashes pre-pandemic records with 16,713 flights in March

    Dubai airport smashes pre-pandemic records with 16,713 flights in March

    The Dubai International Airport has achieved a remarkable milestone by exceeding pre-pandemic levels in March, recording an impressive 16,713 flights. This marks a 23.7 per cent growth compared to March 2022, with an additional 248 flights added as compared to March 2019. The airport has seen a steady increase in flight movements, with a total of 48,418 flights in the first quarter of 2023.

    In a broader context, the main local airports in the UAE, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, have recorded an overall increase of 29.36 per cent in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year.

    The country’s national carriers, such as Emirates, Etihad Airways, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, have accounted for approximately 74 per cent of the total number of flights through the airports in the region.

    This remarkable increase in flights can be attributed to the expansion of national carriers and the growing attraction of international airlines to operate from the UAE’s airports. The impressive surge in air traffic is a testament to the UAE’s status as a global aviation hub, continuing to attract a diverse range of airlines and passengers from around the world.

  • SC to hear defence ministry’s request to hold simultaneous elections across Pakistan

    SC to hear defence ministry’s request to hold simultaneous elections across Pakistan

    The Supreme Court (SC) will shortly hear a plea by the defence ministry to hold elections across Pakistan simultaneously.

    A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, comprising of Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar, will take up the plea shortly.

    A day earlier, the ministry requested the apex court to withdraw the order for upcoming elections due to the fear of terrorist attacks on political campaigns.

    The ministry has submitted a sealed petition in the SC, requesting that the elections be held simultaneously across the country after the completion of the term of the National, Balochistan, and Sindh assemblies.

    It may be noted that this is the same bench that announced the April 4 verdict directing the government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold snap polls in Punjab on May 14.

  • First ever child care facility at Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mosque

    First ever child care facility at Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mosque

    As a large number of faithful Muslims due to the ongoing month of Ramzan, a new center has been established near the Grand Mosque to provide childcare services for pilgrims in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, This is the first time such a facility has been set up in the vicinity of Islam’s holiest site.

    The newly established center for taking care of worshippers’ children is located within the Third Saudi Extension of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. It began operating in the middle of Ramadan and is being run with the assistance and oversight of competent government organizations. The facility is specifically designed to look after children who are six years old or younger while their parents engage in Umrah or other religious practices within the mosque, which is the site of the Holy Kaaba.

    According to Razan Al Dahlawi, the manager of the center located in the courtyards of the Grand Mosque, it is the first of its kind and is well-equipped to provide a safe environment for children. The center offers a free service for the first three hours, but details about the fees for a longer service were not provided.

  • Former cricketer Rashid Latif points out Babar Azam’s weaknesses

    Former cricketer Rashid Latif points out Babar Azam’s weaknesses

    Former Test cricketer Rashid Latif has picked out what he thinks is a weakness in current captain Babar Azam’s batting.

    The former wicketkeeper said that the margins are the area where Azam can improve significantly, pointing out that the chances of dismissal are higher in the area where the ball swings the most.

    Babar Azam was dismissed for one run by Adam Milne in the third T20I against New Zealand on Monday at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

    “Babar and Virat Kohli face almost the same problem. Both of them do not take the entire foot forward and strike the ball with the body, rather than holding it upwards. Chances of dismissal are higher in the area where the ball swings the most.

    Even when he [Babar] hit the last stroke to complete his century, the ball crossed over the gully point – so he needs to stay a little cautious in that area,” Latif said.

    “Woakes, when he came here for the T20I series, worked on his bowling as well and quickly figured out that if the swing isn’t working, then transitioning it into a slower ball might help you in claiming Babar’s wicket,” he further added.

    In Monday’s match, New Zealand, after winning the toss, decided to bat first and scored 163 runs after losing five wickets. In reply, Pakistan kept losing wickets at regular intervals but Iftikhar Ahmed’s fast-paced knock brought the men in green close to the target, eventually falling short by just four runs.

    Pakistan are currently ahead in the series with a margin of 2-1.

  • Malala working on her ‘most personal book yet’

    Malala working on her ‘most personal book yet’

    Nobel laureate and education activist Malala Yousafzai has revealed that she is in the process of writing her next book, emphasizing that it will be her most intimate and personal work to date.

    In a social media post on Monday, she expressed her excitement about the book.

    “I am overjoyed to announce that I am working on my next book! The last few years of my life have been marked by extraordinary transformation — finding independence, partnership and, ultimately, myself. This will be my most personal book yet and I can’t wait for you to read it,” wrote Malala in the caption of the post.

    “This October will be a decade since ‘I Am Malala’ was published, shortly after my 16th birthday. I am excited to share what has happened since and take the next step in my journey with the incredible teams at @atriabooks in the U.S., @wnbooks in the U.K. and more countries coming soon,” she added.