Blog

  • ‘Marriage is a risk, I prefer love over arranged’: Sajal Aly opens up about tying the knot

    ‘Marriage is a risk, I prefer love over arranged’: Sajal Aly opens up about tying the knot

    Actor Sajal Aly recently discussed her viewpoint and choice on marriage in an interview at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia. The talented artist was accompanied by Jemima Goldsmith and legendary performer Shabana Azmi.

    When asked about her thoughts on love and arranged marriage, the Alif actress stated, “It is too early for me to say anything about love or arranged. But I just feel like, I just believe in love marriages, I just believe in love. And anyway, a wedding is just a risk be it arranged or love. That’s all I can say.”

    Earlier this year, Sajal shared her take on the meaning of true love while chatting with Hello Pakistan while shooting for its cover with her Sinf-e-Aahan costar Sheheryar Munawar.

    Sajal Aly And Sheheryar Munawar's Bold Photoshoot Goes Viral
    THE ART OF LOVE SAJAL ALI & SHEHERYAR MUNAWAR CONFESSIONS OF TWO OF THE BEST PAKISTANI ACTORS

    On being asked what love means to her, she responded by saying that “I am still searching for the meaning of love. I don’t have an answer yet.”

    In March 2022, Sajal officially parted ways with her ex-husband Ahad Raza Mir.

    This happened just days after Ahad’s Hollywood debut, Resident Evil.

    Ahad Raza Mir Under Fire For Bold Kissing Scene in Netflix's Resident Evil - INCPak

    Earlier when the news broke, actor Azfar Rehman asked netizens and fans of the former celebrity couple of to show compassion and grant privacy to the couple amidst the difficult time.

    Actor Azfar Rehman on Sajal Ali and Ahad Raza Mir's Divorce, Urges People to Show Compassion and Grant Privacy

    He took to his Instagram stories and said, “Divorce is a very difficult decision to take especially when the world knows about you & your spouse. We must show compassion and grant privacy to such couples… Kindly be understanding. And don’t bombard their inboxes with hurtful questions. Act responsibly. Thanks”

  • Indonesia bans sex outside marriage

    Indonesia’s parliament has approved a new criminal code that bans sex outside marriage—an act for which people can be jailed.

    Under the law, unmarried couples caught having sex can be jailed for up to a year. They are also banned from live-in relationships, with perpetrators facing jail time of up to six months. Adultery will also be an offense for which people can be jailed.

    The new code will apply to locals as well as foreigners with critics calling the law a “disaster” for human rights.

    However, the code will not come into effect for three years to allow for implementing regulations to be drafted. Currently, Indonesia bans adultery but not premarital sex.

    A 28-year-old Muslim woman said that she is now at risk for living with her partner for the past five years, reports BBC.

    According to international media, researcher Andreas Harsano, said there were millions of couples in Indonesia without marriage certificates, “especially among Indigenous peoples or Muslims in rural areas” who had married in specific religious ceremonies.

    It is pertinent to mention that these changes have come after a rise in religious conservatism in the Muslim-majority country.

    Several protests have also been carried out after the passing of this law. However, it’s expected that the new law will be challenged in court.

  • Auto financing in Pakistan declines for fourth straight month due to high interest rates

    Auto financing in Pakistan declines for fourth straight month due to high interest rates

    The number of outstanding auto loans declined for the fourth consecutive month at the end of October, according to data issued by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

    At the end of November, the total amount of outstanding vehicle loan was Rs345 billion, which is Rs0.1 billion less than the Rs346 billion number for October 2021. The most recent amount owed on auto loans is 1.4 percentage points less than it was in September 2022.

    Buyers have been compelled to put off making purchases due to a sharp rise in car prices, skyrocketing interest rates, different SBP efforts to slow down auto financing, factory closures of several assemblers in recent months due to import restrictions, and delays in the delivery of vehicles.

    However, a few new automakers have recently begun to provide immediate delivery of cars in exchange for full payment following the port clearance of their imported auto kits. However, their sales may still be hampered by high pricing and a sharp rise in the benchmark interest rate last month.

    The SBP is forecasting another 100 basis point increase in the key interest rate to 16 per cent, which will cause auto demand to remain subpar for at least the coming year.

    Consumers must now make larger monthly payments on auto loans because the benchmark interest rate has increased from 7.25 per cent to 16 per cent since September 2021.

    The average 40 per cent increase in car costs since September 2021 is one of the key causes of buyer concerns.

    For instance, the price of a Honda City manual is now Rs3.77 million as opposed to Rs2.59 million in September 2021.

    In order to prevent the sale of expensive vehicles, auto loans were limited to a maximum of Rs3 million, and the length of time it took to repay them was also shortened.

  • Balochistan High Court orders no more cases to be registered against Azam Swati

    Balochistan High Court orders no more cases to be registered against Azam Swati

    Balochistan High Court (BHC) has ordered that no more cases should be registered against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Swati.

    The senator is currently the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for tweeting against senior army officials.

    BHC has also sought a written report of the cases filed against Swati from the police chief.

    A two-member BHC bench consisting of Justice Kamran Khan Mulakhail and Justice Aamir Rana passed the order on a petition seeking the termination of cases against Swati. The petition was filed by Swati’s son Osman Swati.

    Last week, a Quetta court handed over Swati to police for a five-day physical remand in the case. At the time, PTI chief Imran Khan said that Swati has been “taken away by the Quetta police” from Islamabad despite health concerns.

    According to media reports, the arrest was made over different cases registered against the senator across Balochistan.

    Earlier, Swati approached the Supreme Court (SC) to request the transfer of all cases registered against him in Sindh and Balochistan to Islamabad.

  • Norwegian company plans to generate electricity from waste in Lahore

    Norwegian company plans to generate electricity from waste in Lahore

    A Norwegian company is planning to generate electricity from waste in Lahore. The company plans to invest $300 million for the project, reports ARY.

    According to the details, Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) held an important meeting on the Waste to Energy Project led by Chairman, Atif Chaudhry.

    Ali Anan Qamar, the CEO of LWMC and Shahid Latif, the Deputy Secretary Development, also attended the meeting.

    According to Atif Chaudhry, a team from a Norwegian business firm has arrived in Pakistan with the purpose of conducting an initial investigation. The company plans to invest $300 million in the waste-to-energy project.
    The project will create 2000 new jobs, added Atif.

  • Majority of fatal accidents in Karachi involved motorcycles: report

    Majority of fatal accidents in Karachi involved motorcycles: report

    More than 180 people were killed and over 150 were injured in 215 traffic accidents in Karachi during the current year.

    The majority of the 91 traffic incidents, which resulted in 69 fatalities and 77 injuries, occurred in district west. In a similar manner, truck collisions resulted in the deaths of 41 individuals and 10 injuries.

    According to Express Tribune, there were a total of 141 motorcycle accidents, 110 of which were fatal, resulting in 130 fatalities and 84 injuries.

    A total of 215 traffic incidents in various parts of the city from January 1 to November 27, 2022, resulted in 184 fatalities and 152 injuries, according to information provided by the Traffic Police.

    In Traffic Zone West, where there were 91 traffic incidents overall, 69 people died and 77 were hurt. A total of 36 traffic incidents occurred in the district of Malir, 34 of which were fatal, resulting in the deaths of 41 people and the injuries of 29 others.

    The data show that the Traffic Zone of District East reported 26 accidents, 21 of which resulted in fatalities, and 13 of which resulted in injuries. Similar to this, there were 19 traffic incidents in district central, resulting in 18 fatalities and 9 injuries. In Korangi, there were a total of 17 traffic incidents, which resulted in 14 fatalities and 9 injuries.

    In district south, there were about 20 traffic accidents that resulted in 16 fatalities and 12 injuries, while only three people were hurt in six accidents in the city district.

    Data from the traffic police show that 35 traffic accidents—the maximum number—involved collisions with trucks, resulting in 41 fatalities and 10 injuries. Similar to the previous example, 23 traffic accidents involving trailer collisions resulted in 20 fatalities and 15 injuries.

    Due to collisions with water tankers, a total of 21 accidents occurred, resulting in 14 fatalities and 16 injuries. The same is true for 17 accidents involving dumpers, which resulted in 15 fatalities and 8 injuries, and 17 accidents involving oil tankers, which resulted in 15 fatalities and 19 injuries.

    The collision with the buses resulted in a total of 14 traffic accidents, 12 of which resulted in fatalities and four in injuries. In addition, 12 people lost their lives and 31 were hurt in 16 accidents caused by collisions with minibuses, and 5 people lost their lives in 8 accidents caused by collisions with coaches.

    The data indicates that 23 traffic accidents involving car and jeep collisions resulted in 19 fatalities and 16 injuries. As a result of the collision with unknown vehicles, 20 people were killed and 5 were injured in a total of 20 traffic accidents.

    Up to 10 accidents involving motorcycle collisions resulted in four fatalities and five injuries. Similar to this, ten traffic accidents using Suzuki trucks resulted in six fatalities and nine other injuries. The majority of traffic accident reports involve victims on motorcycles.

    According to the data, 110 out of 141 motorcycle-related traffic accidents that occurred during the current year were fatal, resulting in 130 people losing their lives and 84 others being injured.

  • British High Commissioner, Christian Turner, to leave Pakistan

    British High Commissioner, Christian Turner, to leave Pakistan

    British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Christian Turner, has been appointed as the Director General Geopolitical (Political Director) at the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

    He was appointed to the position of British High Commissioner in December 2019. He will take up a senior diplomatic position in mid January next year. This follows the end of a standard three year diplomatic posting tenure.

    During his three year tenure, Turner has enjoyed widespread popularity on social media for adopting Pakistani culture. A recent video in which Turner spoke in Urdu and Pothwari language ahead of the first Test between Pakistan and England went viral, with social media users appreciating his efforts to learn local languages.

    No announcement has been made regarding the appointment of a new High Commissioner to Pakistan. The Deputy High Commissioner, Andrew Dalgleish, will take on the role of chargé d’affaires to cover an expected interim gap until a new High Commissioner arrives.

  • CJ takes notice of ‘brutal killing’ of Arshad Sharif

    Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, has taken Suo Moto notice of the ‘brutal killing’ of journalist Arshad Sharif.

    The Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan has issued notices to Secretary Interior, Secretary Foreign Affairs, Secretary Information and Broadcasting, DG (FIA), DG (IB) and President PFUJ and has fixed the matter today, on 6th December, 2022 at 12:30pm before a five member larger bench to be headed by Justice Bandial.

    Arshad Sharif was assassinated in the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, on October 23 in what their local police claimed was a case of ‘mistaken identity’.

    PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry welcomed the move by the Chief Justice.

  • Apple is reportedly considering transferring some of its iPad production to India

    Apple is reportedly considering transferring some of its iPad production to India

    According to two sources close to the Indian government, India is looking into ways to transfer some of Apple’s iPad production from China. The tech behemoth is reportedly in constant communication with authorities. Although no specific plans have been established, if the initiative is successful, Apple’s presence in the country would expand.

    Apple said earlier this year that it has started producing the premium iPhone 14 in southern India. For a number of years, the tech giant has produced the country’s older iPhone models.

    Following nationwide protests that have taken place over the past two weeks in response to Beijing’s tough zero-Covid policy, the tech giant has announced plans to diversify more of its supply chain away from China. Apple issued a warning in early November that iPhone shipments will be delayed as a result of the Chinese government’s lockdowns, and experts have been lowering their expectations for the important holiday shopping period.

    Over the weekend, The Wall Street Journal claimed that Apple is aggressively exploring to move production out of China to other Asian nations, including Vietnam and India.

    Even so, sources warn that similar ambitions in India could be slowed down by a shortage of highly skilled workers and people with experience in creating complicated products like the iPad. The backdrop of foreign policy, with rising hostilities between China and India, is particularly unhelpful. Due to recent territorial disputes between the two nations, the military presence near the China-India border has increased.

    10 per cent of Apple iPhones, according to Gene Munster of Loop Ventures, are produced in India, but he anticipates a gradual increase in output.

    “I think in five years, 35 per cent will be manufactured in India,” added Munster. “I think Apple will add iPhone production to other countries outside of India and China in the next five years. Perhaps Vietnam, Malaysia and the USA.” In a note to clients, Piper Jaffray’s Harsh Kumar wrote: “While Apple has made efforts to move production out of China, in our opinion, India still accounts for less than 5.”

  • Gold price hits new all-time high of Rs164,200 per tola

    Gold price hits new all-time high of Rs164,200 per tola

    Despite a $4 decline in the international market price to $1,794 per ounce, domestic gold prices rose to an all-time high of Rs164,200 per tola and Rs140,604 per 10 grammes on Monday. This is an increase of Rs700 and Rs601 from Saturday.

    The president of the All Sindh Saraf and Jewellers Association (ASSJA), Haji Haroon Rasheed Chand, claimed that the pressure on bullion rates has been caused by exchange rate changes.

    He claimed that despite the ongoing peak wedding season, jewellery sales remained low due to high gold prices.

    On January 1, the price of a tola and ten grammes of gold was Rs126,200 and Rs108,196, respectively, while the price of the precious metal was $1,830 per ounce on the world market. In the interbank market, the dollar was worth Rs177, while the current exchange rate was Rs223.99.