Prime Minister (PM) Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif has acknowledged the efforts of friendly countries for facilitating Pakistan in securing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programme.
Speaking to young parliamentarians of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), he lauded the efforts of China, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, the Army Chief and the incumbent government’s economic plan team.
PM Sharif said that he hoped the upcoming IMF programme would be the last.
He clarified that there will be no tolerance for tax evasion and stressed extending tax collection.
Journalist Fakhar Durrani revealed in Talk SHOCK, a YouTube channel, that the IMF demanded two things from the Pakistan government before approving a seven-billion-dollar loan.
He claimed that the first demand was a two billion dollars guarantee, which the government fulfilled by securing it from Standard Chartered Bank; the second demand was also fulfilled by securing a guarantee from Saudi Arabia on the deferred oil payment.
Bollywood actor Ishaan Khatter is gaining attention with his latest Netflix series, ‘The Perfect Couple,’ a murder mystery led by Nicole Kidman.
Known for choosing diverse roles to break away from the “nepo baby” label, Khatter shared how this experience was groundbreaking for him as a brown actor in Western media.
In an interview with BBC Asia’s Haroon Rashid, he spoke about being objectified as a South Asian man in the series.
In The Perfect Couple, Khatter plays Shooter, the richest Indian man who is portrayed as attractive — a rare representation of South Asian men in global cinema.
Rashid pointed out that while Indian women, like Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone, have been cast in glamorous roles, men from the region are not often shown as desirable.
Khatter agreed, saying, “Yes, I was objectified. It was one of the things that made the character unique and appealing to me.”
“It was a stepping stone and a moment in history in that sense. I just thought it was a cool character. It was fun to play into that, and I haven’t played a role like this even back home,” he added.
While Khatter’s role is admired for his looks, the actor also brought depth to the role. He explained that even though objectification was part of it, Shooter is a complex role, something often missing in Western portrayals of South Asian men.
“I never felt like I was playing a token diversity role,” Khatter said. “They were casting widely, and I saw the chance to dive into a three-dimensional character. And what a role it was.”
Khatter’s performance in The Perfect Couple marks a shift in how Hollywood portrays South Asian men.
A local court in Muzaffargarh has acquitted a brother charged with killing three juvenile sisters by slitting their throats on the parents’ insistence.
Geo News reported that the parents paved the way for the acquittal of the accused by submitting a consent letter in the court.
The incident took place in Muzaffargarh’s Thermal Colony, where Basit mutilated his three sisters, seven-year-old Abiha, eight-year-old Zahra and 11-year-old Arisha. The girls’ bodies were found in a residential quarter adjacent to their house.
Notably, the accused confessed to the murders after his arrest.
Additional Sessions Judge Chaudhry Muhammad Asif issued an order of acquittal almost two and a half years after the incident.
DPO Muzaffargarh Syed Hasnain Haider told Geo that a review appeal will be decided after reviewing the written decision of he court which is yet to be issued.
Famous actress Hania Aamir is celebrating eight years in the entertainment industry.
Sharing an old clip from her early acting days on Instagram, Hania wrote, “This girl had no idea she would come this far. It makes me so happy to know that I’ve met amazing people, made great memories, discovered more about myself, and found the best online community.”
With 15 million Instagram followers — the most for any Pakistani celebrity on the platform — Hania often shares short vlogs, reels, and relatable everyday photos.
She thanked her fans for supporting her, even during tough times when she felt like giving up.
“We’ve been through so much together. And here we are, enjoying life. I love you all,” she said, thanking her audience again for always standing by her. Hania also wished for “many more years of happiness, joy, authenticity, and peace.”
Earlier this year, Hania wrote about mental health struggles, saying there’s “absolutely no shame in talking about mental health or asking for help.”
Her social media presence, along with her acting talent, has made her even more popular with fans around the world. Her Instagram posts are filled with love and admiration from fans in Pakistan, India, and beyond.
Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday said that his party is not in favour of imposing Governor Raj in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), but the option could be considered following the deteriorating security situation in KP.
Talking to journalists after attending a National Assembly (NA) session, former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto stated, “PPP is generally not in favour of Governor Rule. There are very limited circumstances for it.”
He remarked that the 18th Amendment to the Constitution made sure that if a governor rule is imposed anywhere, the provincial assembly has the authority to ensure it is not imposed for a longer period. Responding to the security situation in Balochistan and KP, he remarked that CM KP is struggling in his own village.
He said, “The Centre and provincial government must deal with this situation together. For the first time, it is visible that it’s not just a question of national security but also there is a threat to the establishment of peace.”
Responding to questions about nineteenth constitutional amendment, Bhutto said that it would be made with the representative’s consensus of all parties in the committee.
Bollywood perfectionist Aamir Khan is all set to direct a new romantic comedy for Netflix, bringing his nephew, actor Imran Khan, back to the screen after a nine year break from films.
In a recent interview with India Today Digital, Imran was asked what he was working on. “I don’t have a clear answer to that,” the actor replied. “Its not for lack of trying. I’m having these conversations with writers, directors, and producers. I’m trying to find something that really sparks.”
“At this time, I’m working with filmmakers on two tales that have kind of struck a chord with me, but they’re not quite ready to be developed into a whole project yet. So, I don’t have a proper film that I have signed or a show that I have signed that I’m committed to yet”, the Delhi Belly actor added.
Imran Khan last starred in films such as Katti Batti and Gobi Tere Pyaar Mein.
India has defeated Pakistan 2-1 in the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy group match.
Nadeem Ahmed scored the first goal for Pakistan in the first ten minutes of the first quarter. But Jarmanpreet Singh scored two goals for India and led his team to victory.
Previous Updates:
Pakistan and India will face off today in the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy.
The Indian team is at the top of the points table with 12 points after winning four undefeated matches in the tournament.
In the event, the Indian team scored 19 goals in 4 matches and the opposing teams scored only three goals in 4 games.
Pakistan’s team has not lost any matches so far. It has played two draws in four matches, won two, scored 11 goals in four games, and opponents scored 5 goals against Pakistan. In the world ranking of hockey, the Indian team is ranked fifth, while Pakistan is ranked 16th. India has won the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy four times and Pakistan three times.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is considering slapping heavy fines on major retailers who are dodging the tax system by issuing “non-certified receipts” to customers.
The tax authority is reportedly planning to fine Tier-1 retailers who are not reporting sales tax correctly to the FBR.
According to details, the FBR will impose a heavy fine of Rs500,000 per incorrect receipt on the retailer. On the other hand, the FBR will reward consumers who report a non-certified electronic receipt, which does not meet FBR standards, to the tax authority.
Earlier, the FBR had advised electronic integration of points of sales (POSs) of all Tier-1 retailers of textile and leather sectors to ensure correct reporting of sales by retailers and realisation of overall due tax.
Retailers must install software provided by the FBR, which reports sales tax to the tax authorities instantly.
The installation of this software is crucial, as this is how the FBR gets to know about the number of sales made by a retailer, the tax paid, and what they charge the consumer.
Interestingly, a POS invoicing prize scheme was first introduced in 2022 to promote tax compliance and documentation of the economy. The scheme involved conducting monthly ballots and distributing cash prizes among winners.
Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan revealed that he almost fainted when he first saw world-famous American pop singer Michael Jackson in the flesh.
According to Indian media, Amitabh Bachchan told the story of his meeting with singer Michael Jackson during a recent episode of his show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’.
He said, “Many years ago, I was staying in a hotel in New York and one day there was a knock on the door of my room. When I opened the door, Michael Jackson was standing outside.”
He added, “I was stunned to see Michael Jackson in front of me for the first time and I almost fainted because I couldn’t believe that Michael Jackson was standing before me, but then I calmed down.”
Bachchan continued, “Michael Jackson asked me if this was my (Michael Jackson’s) room. When I told them that it was not his but mine, he realized that he had mistakenly entered the wrong room.”
Bachchan said, “Later, Michael Jackson went to his room and sent me a message for a meeting, then we sat down and talked a lot.” Bachchan praised Michael Jackson, adding that despite his immense fame, he had an incredibly humble and kind personality.
Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, but his songs still captivate fans.
District Police Officer (DPO) Dr Zahid has made a statement that terrorists used PUBG mobile to share information during attacks on a police post in the Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
DPO Swat said, “The three arrested terrorists involved in the police outpost attack have admitted to using PUBG for communication. They had created a chat group in the game to share information that the arrested accused were related to each other.”
On August 28, terrorists attacked the police post with explosives, in which one policeman, Rehmanullah, was killed while two policemen, Shafiullah and Mohammad Ayaz, were injured.
Earlier terrorists used Telegram to communicate, but this is the first time a game’s name has been revealed.
However, we have checked whether creating a chat group in the game and sharing such information is possible.
What’s the reality?
PUBG Mobile is a Chinese game launched in 2018. The Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) banned it in June 2020, but the ban was lifted later after meeting with company representatives.
This game has very strict rules and regulations on the use of language. Here are a few of them.
-Use of profanity or offensive slang, etc. -Expressions or behaviours that are sexually harassing, such as obscene words or sexual descriptions -Belittling, mocking or criticizing specific regions, religions, races, or individuals with disabilities, etc. -Expressions or behaviours that are threatening or intend to cause fear -Causing discomfort or aversion to users by using expressions or communicating in a manner prohibited by other terms and conditions of use
You can voice chat with eight people (in an 8v8 arena match) but cannot use offensive language.
You cannot write any offensive words. You will face a ban of one or more days if you try multiple times. You cannot even type any offensive word. The game system is organized so that it converts offensive words into *****.
Here is an example:
You can’t create groups in the game but can chat in voice or text while playing. You have to make sure you’re in the game to chat.
The game also requires more than 20 GB of memory and high-speed internet, and the internet speed in those areas is unsuitable for playing it properly.
