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  • Gold price hits all-time high of Rs195,500 per tola after removal of an unofficial dollar cap

    Gold price hits all-time high of Rs195,500 per tola after removal of an unofficial dollar cap

    Gold prices in Pakistan continued their record-breaking spree as the price of 24-carat gold reached an all-time high of Rs195,500 after gaining Rs4,900.

    In addition, the price of 10 grammes also witnessed an increase of Rs4,201 to settle at Rs167,610, according to the All-Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APSGJA).

    Moreover, the bullion rate in the international market reached $1,936 after a surge of $11.

    The Pakistani rupee (PKR) on Thursday dropped drastically to approach an all-time low, days after exchange companies abolished the cap on the rupee-dollar exchange rate.

    The sudden hike in yellow metal prices comes as the weakening rupee pushed investors to the safety of bullion to hedge against intensifying economic turmoil in the country.

    On Thursday, the local currency crashed to approach another historic low, as it dropped to Rs255.43 versus the US dollar in the interbank market, sliding Rs24.54 or 9.61 per cent from Wednesday’s close, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.

  • Gerard Piqué makes relationship with Clara Chia Marti Instagram official, Shakira fans troll

    Gerard Piqué makes relationship with Clara Chia Marti Instagram official, Shakira fans troll

    Athlete Gerard Piqué has been making the headlines ever since he allegedly cheated on his long-time girlfriend and singer Shakira. The ex-couple shares two kids together and their separation has come as a shock to all the fans.

    While the Colombian singer released a diss track recently taking digs at their ex-boyfriend, Gerard has now made his relationship with girlfriend Clara Chia Marti Instagram official and the singer’s fans are now going berserk on social media.

    The 45-year-old singer happens to be really popular worldwide and especially on social media with over 81 million followers on Instagram. Her latest track titled ‘Out Of Your League’ has already shattered some major records on YouTube and marks her first collaboration with Argentinean producer and DJ Bizarrap.

    Piqué took to his Instagram account and shared a picture with his girlfriend Clara Chia Marti where the two can be twinning in black. They’re seen sitting close to each other on a patio restaurant and smiling for the picture.

    According to Page Six, a user on Instagram commented below his picture that read, “I would have been ashamed”. Another user commented, “She doesn’t compare to the mother of your children.” A third user commented, “Clearly, it’s official and the jam-eating position is free.”

  • No plan to arrest Imran Khan, says Khawaja Asif

    No plan to arrest Imran Khan, says Khawaja Asif

    Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif has denied that there is any plan to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, rejecting allegations that the government wants to arrest him.

    Speaking on the Geo News programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath” on Wednesday, Asif said that Imran Khan is attempting to exert pressure on the judiciary and other institutions.

    He also said that PTI uses abusive language towards the country’s institutions.

    Talking about PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry’s arrest, Asif said that if the judiciary grants bail to Chaudhry, the government would have no problem with that.

    The defence minister also stressed that the government will not abuse the law as Khan did during his time in power.

    On Thursday, President Dr Arif Alvi said that if Imran Khan will be arrested, it would lead to a severe public reaction.

    It is reported on Thursday that PTI workers and supporters spent the second consecutive night outside Khan’s Zaman Park residence to stop the police from arresting the PTI chief.

  • Khan gave his Zaman Park home to Bushra Bibi in Haq meher, claims Javed Chaudhry

    Journalist Javed Chaudhry has published another column containing sensational claims about Imran Khan. In the article published on Thursday, Chaudhry gave details of a discussion he had with Khan’s former close aide, Awn Chaudhry. Over breakfast, the two discussed a host of issues including how the former Prime Minister came to marry his third wife, Bushra Bibi.

    The journalist wrote that Khan met Bushra Bibi after his divorce from Reham Khan in November 2015 at Bibi’s ex-husband Khawar Farid Maneka’s residence. Later, she rented a three-kanal house in Bani Gala, Islamabad. After that, Khan started to meet Bushra daily.

    Awn Chaudhry told the journalist that Bibi first offered her daughter’s hand in marriage to Imran Khan. However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman turned down the proposal as she was quite young.

    Javed wrote that Awn was told by Khan in December 2016 that they would be going to Lahore for his and Bushra Bibi’s nikkah.

    Awn revealed that Bibi asked for Imran Khan’s Bani Gala house in her Haq Meher. Javed claimed that Awn said that he didn’t agree to this demand, however, Khan immediately agreed. Later, Imran Khan’s primary residence in Zaman Park Lahore house and a seven-kanal plot in Bani Gala were written in Haq Meher for Bibi.

    About Reham and Khan’s marriage, Awn said that Khan gave Reham a divorce the moment she landed in London in 2015, Javed claimed. He went on to say that Awn recalled that Imran Khan was depressed about the divorce and he had never seen him as worried as he was.

    Javed wrote that Awn told him that the divorce took place after Khan consulted Bushra Bibi on the matter.

  • ‘Fawad Chaudhry’s face shouldn’t have been covered’: PML-N’s Malik Ahmad Khan

    ‘Fawad Chaudhry’s face shouldn’t have been covered’: PML-N’s Malik Ahmad Khan

    Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Malik Ahmad Khan has said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry should not have been presented in court with a white cloth covering his face.

    “If any kind of brutality happens with Fawad, I will condemn it. If due process is not followed, or in case of mistreatment, I will be the first one to [protest]. His face shouldn’t have been covered yesterday. They should have presented him in court openly,” said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader while addressing a press conference on Thursday.

    However, Malik believed that Fawad should not have threatened the Election Commission and their families. He said that his relationship with Chaudhry spans 30 years. “The one who threatened the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) isn’t the Fawad I know,” said Malik Khan.

    Former Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar tweeted that such actions by the ECP will damage the remaining reputation of the institution.

    Former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail also spoke up, tweeting, “Fawad should not have been arrested and handcuffed.”

    Stating that Chaudary was wrong to threaten ECP officials and families, Miftah said he should have instead been served a notice. “IK was wrong to jail us for months without charge only—-because we opposed him.”

    Former Chairman Senate, Mian Raza Rabbani, said that the Chaudhary’s arrest under section 124A, PPC, 1860, for sedition is unwarranted.

    The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), deploring the continuous use of archaic, colonial laws against sedition by successive governments against their political opponents, said that Fawad Chaudhry was the latest in the series.

    “The charges must be dropped immediately, and the government of the day must act more responsibly,” the human rights watchdog has stated.

    Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) also strongly condemned Fawad Chaudhry’s arrest and demanded his immediate release.

    SCBA termed his arrest a classic example of abuse of power and political victimisation.

  • Indian border officials bars own baseball team from entering Pakistan

    Indian border officials bars own baseball team from entering Pakistan

    The Indian baseball team, who had arrived at Wagha Border to enter Pakistan to play West Asia Cup, was barred from crossing over by Indian border officials, Dawn has reported. Nepal’s baseball team, which had travelled with their Indian counterparts, entered Pakistan.

    The West Asia Cup will start on January 27 in Islamabad.

    Indian security officials reportedly asked their team to show a NOC issued by the government.

    The Indian team had all the traveling documents and visas in their hands except the NOC. According to Dawn Pakistan Baseball Federation chairman Fakhar Ali Shah has said that they are still waiting for the Indian team’s arrival.

    “Even if they get the NOC on Jan 27, we will adjust the schedule of their matches accordingly,” Fakhar said, stating that Sri Lanka’s arrival had also been delayed and they would fly in on Thursday while Nepal joined Palestine and Bangladesh in reaching Islamabad.

    Earlier, Indian Baseball Federation general secretary Harish Kumar, who is accompanying the 20-member squad, had sent a video message to the PFB, saying it was “thankful to the government of Pakistan, especially for their all efforts for the issuance of the visas to the Indian squad”.

  • Donald Trump to return to Facebook, Instagram after two-year ban

    Donald Trump to return to Facebook, Instagram after two-year ban

    Donald Trump will be allowed back on to Facebook and Instagram after Meta announced it would be ending its two-year suspension of his social media accounts.

    The ban will end “in the coming weeks,” Meta said. In a statement, Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs, said the public “should be able to hear what their politicians are saying.”

    The former US president was indefinitely suspended from Facebook and Instagram after the Capitol riots in 2021.

    The social media giant had acted following Trump’s “praise for people engaged in violence at the Capitol,” Clegg said. “The suspension was an extraordinary decision taken in extraordinary circumstances,” he added.

    Clegg said a review had now found that Trump’s accounts no longer represented a serious risk to public safety. However, owing to Trump’s past, he would now face intensified penalties for any offences in the future.

    Meta’s Oversight Board, a body it set up to review moderation rulings, said that the decision to reinstate Trump on its platforms “sat with Meta alone; the board did not have a role in the decision.”

    The board had already informed Meta that a review of Trump’s suspension was necessary.

    It encouraged Meta to be open and to offer more details about new laws protecting public figures so that it could assess how they were being applied.

  • Sarfaraz Ahmed shows singing skills at Shaan Masood’s Qawali Night

    Sarfaraz Ahmed shows singing skills at Shaan Masood’s Qawali Night

    Sarfaraz Ahmed’s singing skills were on full display at the Qawali Night of the cricketer Shaan Masood’s wedding ceremony. A viral video shows Sarfarz singing the song “Mubarak Ho Tumko Yeh Shaadi Tumhari.”

    People on social media have been blown away by Sarfaraz’s singing skills.

    Shan Masood had an intimate nikah ceremony on January 22 with former all-rounder Shahid Afridi and Shadab Khan among the cricket players who were attended the exchange of vows.

    Tomorrow, January 27, the batter will throw a valima reception for his friends and family in Karachi.

  • Color me pink; Sindh launches bus service for women

    Color me pink; Sindh launches bus service for women

    The Sindh government has launched a bus service solely for women in Karachi. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Sharjeel Inam Memon took to Twitter on Thursday to announce that the Sindh Transport Department has launched the bus service in the metropolis.

    He also shared pictures of the buses, which are painted in a distinct shade of pink.

    “Transport department government of Sindh is going to start Pakistan’s First bus service only for the women and girls exclusively. Inshallah Pink buses will start their operation from 1st February in #Karachi. Peoples Bus Service, At Your Service.”

    Twitter users lauded the launch of the bus service as a step towards improving access to public transport for women in Sindh.

    “Another good initiative of the transport department, the women-only bus service will be launched very soon on the roads of Karachi from February 1 Thanks to Chairman @BBhuttoZardari, Transport Minister @sharjeelinam is changing Karachi for all of us in the journey of development.”

    https://twitter.com/SyedGhazan25/status/1618541200549769217?s=20&t=5uUZLsQazK–8yMRHq-Kyw

    Mental health blogger and therapist Maheen Ghani said that the decision would help ‘bringing safety for women.’

  • Pakistani rupee witnesses biggest single-day decline against dollar in more than two decades

    Pakistani rupee witnesses biggest single-day decline against dollar in more than two decades

    Pakistani rupee dropped significantly against the US dollar in the interbank market on Thursday, as it fell more than 9 per cent during the intraday trade. Around 1:30 PM, the dollar’s intraday quote was Rs254.75, which represents a depreciation of Rs23.86.

    According to Ismail Iqbal Securities, “This is the largest single-day decline in both absolute and percentage terms, at least since 2000.”

    Earlier in the day the local unit was trading under Rs231.

    Experts predicted that as Pakistan attempted to meet the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) requirements to renew its bailout programme, the local currency would depreciate significantly in the coming days.

    While speaking to Brecorder, the Head of Research at Ismail Iqbal Securities Limited, Fahad Rauf, said it seems like the rupee has been let go today.

    “This is a market-driven rate,” Rauf said. “This is a sign that we are moving closer to reviving the stalled IMF programme.”

    The market expert said the development was much-needed, as capping the interbank rate only led to the creation of the grey market. He said that the development will improve the greenback supply to a significant extent.

    On Wednesday, the rupee registered a loss for the 26th successive session against the dollar to settle at Rs230.89, a decrease of Re0.49 or 0.21 per cent.

    Pakistani rupee on Thursday fell 9.61 per cent or Rs24.54 to a shocking all-time low of Rs255.43, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).