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  • Shell Pakistan posts after-tax profit of Rs7.4 billion in first half of 2022

    Shell Pakistan posts after-tax profit of Rs7.4 billion in first half of 2022

    The results for the first half of the year are announced by Shell Pakistan Limited’s (SPL) Board of Directors. In comparison to the profit of Rs2,153 million recorded during the same period last year, the company reported an after-tax profit of Rs7,469 million in 2022.

    The significant rebound is a result of increased company performance with a strategic focus, a positive shift in the government’s pricing methodology for the S&P Global Platts indexes, and safe and effective fuel operations.

    According to Brecoder, the petroleum business added 13 new retail locations during this span, that will contribute to increased volume. In the market for premium fuels, Shell V-Power continues to be the market leader.

    In order to ensure that the business plays a significant part in the development of Pakistan’s energy future, the company will actively work to curtail the impact of present impediments and strive to grasp opportunities.

    Earlier, the business also confirmed its decision to cease its aviation operations in Pakistan. Currently, SPL operates its aviation-related business out of four locations.

    Including Nawabshah Airport, Begum Nusrat Bhutto Airport in Sukkur, Quetta International Airport, and Jinnah Airport in Karachi. SPL has concluded that it is no longer commercially viable to continue with its aviation operations in the country after careful consideration.

    In order to promote practices that will make Pakistani roads safer, the business also wrote the road safety book “Once Upon a Road.” The book will be covered in Pakistan’s sixth-grade curriculum developed by the Care Foundation.

  • ICC Super League: Pakistan advances to top 3

    ICC Super League: Pakistan advances to top 3

    After winning back-to-back matches against the Netherlands, Pakistan has moved up to the third place in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.

    According to the most recent ICC update, Pakistan has 110 points after 17 matches with a net run rate of +0.221. Pakistan has won 11 games and lost 6.

    In the second One-Day International, Pakistan beat the Netherlands by seven wickets.

    England and Bangladesh are on the top of the list with 125 and 120 points respectively. Each team receives 10 points for a victory, five points for a tie/no result/abandoned match and zero points for a defeat.

    The top seven teams and the host team India will automatically qualify for the World Cup 2023.

  • ‘I’m in trouble’: Gill requests journalists not to take revenge for his past statements

    ‘I’m in trouble’: Gill requests journalists not to take revenge for his past statements

    An Islamabad district and sessions court on Friday (August 19) directed the Islamabad Police to shift Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Dr Shahbaz Gill to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for another medical examination and submit a report on the condition of his health.

    “Shahbaz Gill’s condition is not fine,” the court remarked.

    The court issued the directives as it suspended a plea by police seeking the physical custody of Gill for another eight days.

    Gill was presented before the court early morning. He was escorted by the police to court in a wheelchair from PIMS hospital after being deemed “fit” by a medical board.

    ‘For God’s sake, give me my mask back’: Gill

    Shahbaz Gill accused the police of taking his oxygen mask off and said he was unable to breathe when he was shifted out of the ambulance.

    During the hearing, Gill appealed to the court for his mask to be given back.

    “For God’s sake, give me back my mask,” he said.

    At this, the judge asked him if he intends to stay, to which Gill said he will if his mask is provided to him.

    Later, an oxygen cylinder was also brought to court for Gill.

    ‘Don’t take revenge, I’m in trouble right now’: Gill requests journalists

    Siddique Jan shared Gill’s message on Twitter.

    “Shahbaz Gil sahib has told me to tell all journalists not to take revenge from him for the harsh language he had used against them in the past. He said he is in trouble right now.”

    Gill is pretending to be ill and using this as an excuse: Islamabad Police

    The Islamabad Police said Gill is pretending to be sick and using this as “an excuse”, adding that the medical board had declared him “completely fit”.

  • Young parents do not know how to control screen time of their children: Study

    Young parents do not know how to control screen time of their children: Study

    With advancements in technology, the problems faced by the new generation are also increasing. A recent study published in a journal, Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, showed that younger parents are having trouble handling screen time of their children.

    In a research conducted by a team at Edith Cowan University, most millennial parents admitted that their children use mobile phones a lot, which is leading to conflicts within family.

    The findings from the study suggest that smartphone usage has become one of the prominent causes of arguments within families. A total of 281 Australian parents took part in the survey, 75 per cent of them reported that extra use of smartphones is causing conflicts and family disagreements.

    Parents also reported that their children are more inclined towards gaming and are experiencing sleep problems because of extra screen time than usual.

    The study concluded that parents should be educated on how to control the influence of mobile media on their children.

    Additionally, researchers believe that a major cause was the lack of standard guidelines for parents. One in three never searched for any official guidelines on digital media use by children.

  • Changan is not reducing the price of Alsvin variants

    Changan is not reducing the price of Alsvin variants

    With the exception of Alsvin, Changan has announced price reductions for all locally assembled vehicles.

    While Changan and every other brand in Pakistan increased the price of automobiles to an all-time high, it appears that the Chinese manufacturer has noted that Alsvin variants were far less expensive and still seemed like a good option for local car buyers as compared to other sedans from top brands.

    Here are the new prices for Changan vehicles:

    Model Old invoice New price Reduction
    Oshan X7 Comfort Rs7,449,000 Rs7,049,000 Rs400,000
    Oshan X7 FutureSense Rs7,749,000 Rs7,549,000 Rs200,000
    Karvaan Standard Rs2,469,000 Rs2,419,000 Rs50,000
    Karvaan Plus Rs2,619,000 Rs2,569,000 Rs50,000
    Alsvin Comfort Rs3,394,000    
    Alsvin DCT  Rs3,649,000    
    Alsvin Lumiere DCT  Rs3,844,000    
    Changan New Car Prices in Pakistan – 19 August 2022

    Oshan X7 Comfort’s price has been significantly reduced by Changan and is currently available for Rs7,049,000 as opposed to its earlier invoice of Rs7,449,000. This indicates a price reduction of Rs400,000.

  • Govt appoints Jameel Ahmad as Governor SBP for 5 years

    Govt appoints Jameel Ahmad as Governor SBP for 5 years

    According to a Finance Division announcement on Friday, the government has appointed Jameel Ahmad as Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for a tenure of five years, effective immediately.

    “In exercise of powers conferred under Section 11A (1) read with Section 14(1) of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Act 1956 (Amended 2022), Jameel Ahmad is appointed as Governor State Bank of Pakistan for a term of five (5) years with the approval of the President of Pakistan, upon the recommendation of Federal Government, with immediate effect,” read the notification.

    Jameel Ahmad was the deputy governor of the central bank and was reappointed by the government on October 25, 2018, for a three-year term. From April 11, 2017, to October 15, 2018, he also held the position of Deputy Governor (Banking & FMRM).

    “Jameel Ahmad has an illustrious career as an accomplished central banker span over 30 years at various senior positions at the State Bank of Pakistan and the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA),” read information available on the SBP website.

    Mr Jameel Ahmad did his MBA from University of Punjab at Lahore and is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Cost & Management Accountants of Pakistan (FCMA), an Associate Member of the Institute of Bankers Pakistan and a Fellow Member of the Institute of Corporate Secretaries of Pakistan (FCIS).

  • 5 best laptops to buy in 2022 for everyday use

    5 best laptops to buy in 2022 for everyday use

    The local market and online retailers both presently stock hundreds of laptops. Still, it can be difficult to find a new laptop that satisfies all of your needs.

    Before making a purchase, you must determine your requirements for your next laptop as well as how long you intend to use it.

    If you’re having trouble deciding which laptop best suits you, here are a few options available on the market:

    Apple MacBook Air

    Starting price: Rs289,000

    Everyone admires the graphics and functionality of MacBooks. Apple uses a retina display with a high pixel density, which makes it impossible for our eyes to distinguish between individual coloured pixels and instead causes everything to appear super tidy. Most artists prefer MacBook machines for just this reason, and the speedier M2 chip in the 2022 versions only makes it the best deal.

    The suggestion for keeping the weight in your bag low is the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, which comes in a stylish dark hue of space grey. Heavy-duty editing software is easily handled by an 8GB RAM, 8-core graphics processing unit. Apple claims that the battery life on a typical day will last up to 18 hours. However, with only two Thunderbolt ports (that handle up to 6K screens) and a headphone jack, be prepared for constrained connectivity.

    HP Envy X360 Convertible

    Starting price: Rs220,000

    The HP Envy x360 is the ideal laptop for students since it is tiny, incredibly light (1.30kg), and features a sturdy aluminium chassis. With the addition of an HP Pen for note-taking, this two-in-one gadget may be converted into a tablet at any time by rotating 360 degrees on its hinges. The 13.3-inch FHD display with micro-edge bezels strikes the ideal portability balance between a large laptop and a notebook.

    Enjoy the 11th Generation Intel Core i5 processor’s speeds, no-lag multitasking with 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage space thanks to the system’s performance specifications. You can make your own study bubble in the library using additional cool features like the button-triggered privacy screen mode, mic mute, and camera shutter. Additionally, it has a wide range of connectivity choices, including a Thunderbolt 4 port and a microSD card reader, in addition to long battery life.

    Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

    Starting price: Rs300,000

    The best option for running heavy games and intensive CAD (computer-aided design) applications is a gaming laptop. The capable 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 are both supported by a potent NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card. Your rendering applications will therefore operate very quickly here.

    It can seem a little heavy to carry around since it is a gaming notebook, but that is to be expected from a machine with top-notch specifications. Using the integrated fingerprint reader, you can log in to your system instantly. You can also access independent HDMI and DisplayPort ports to view projects more clearly on a larger screen. The absence of a webcam is the sole negative aspect that some people might find unacceptable.

    Dell XPS 13 9305

    Starting price: Rs380,000

    The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook, which maximises its 13.3-inch screen with almost no bezels, is another thin laptop to think about. Just know that, owing to 11th Gen Intel Core i5 CPUs, your study partner can manage all the demands of a hectic college student life. With 512GB SSD storage and 8GB of RAM, you can boot up and resume work in a flash, not to mention the fingerprint-integrated power button that grants you immediate access.

    Additionally, this model includes a 720p HD webcam. Even better, it includes two Thunderbolt 4 connections, each of which can accommodate up to two 4K displays. This is excellent for computing regular Word jobs and presentations.

    Lenovo Ideapad 5

    Starting price: Rs125,000

    Students looking for inexpensive solutions might look into Lenovo’s IdeaPad line. We chose the newest model, the IdeaPad 5, which is reasonably priced and boasts a massive 14-inch display and 16GB RAM. It is extremely quick for majors that require a lot of research because it is powered by an eight-core AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, which is compared to the more expensive Intel Core i7.

    Unless it recognises your distinct biometric signature on the power button, which grants access to only you and no one else, the laptop keeps sleeping. Long lectures won’t be a problem thanks to the all-day battery life; simply press the privacy shutter to permanently switch off the webcam. You can connect HDMI or DisplayPort cables to the device, or you can use the USB-C port with power supply to charge your smartphone.

    Note: Given that there are numerous models/variations, the price mentioned may differ slightly from market prices depending on the laptop’s specifications and features. Any product with a higher price may have modern hardware or improved specs as compared to stock/base variation.

  • Mahira Khan, Nabeel Qureshi lash out at shopping app for illegally selling their film for PKR 20

    Mahira Khan, Nabeel Qureshi lash out at shopping app for illegally selling their film for PKR 20

    Feature films Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad and London Nahi Jaunga received commercial and critical success at the box office on Eid-ul-Azha. However now these successful films have become a victim of piracy, a widely and eternally decried practice affecting film and entertainment businesses worldwide.

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is LNJ-QAZ-daraz-cover-01-696x391.jpg

    The pirated version of these films is being sold on Pakistan’s biggest online shopping website, Daraz.

    Actor Mahira Khan and director Nabeel Qureshi took to their Twitter handles to express their shock and anger on the app’s stint. Nabeel even announced that he will pursue the legal route

    Theor film was being sold with a meager price tag in the name of “Azadi Sale”.

    Innumerable copies of both films have been sold on the website of the shopping giant, as is evident from the comments section of the website. And it is surprising that such a huge platform would commit a such blatant violation of Pakistan’s piracy laws.

    It is pertinent to mention that Daraz is owned by the multi-billion dollar international giant AliExpress, and that makes AliExpress equally involved in this case.

  • FACT CHECK: Is actress Sidra Niazi related to former PM Imran Khan?

    FACT CHECK: Is actress Sidra Niazi related to former PM Imran Khan?

    Actor Sidra Niazi, who is basking in the glory of her drama serial Badzaat opened up about her connection with former Prime Minister Imran Khan Niazi. The Qayamat star said, “Niazi is not a big tribe and members of the clan are connected with each other.” She said that they have family terms with Imran Khan but people of her generation are not familiar with him.

    “My father and uncle know him [Imran Khan],” she added.

    Recalling her memories, Sidra Niazi said that when she was a child and her grandmother was alive, Imran Khan used to visit her house.

    “My uncle was a columnist, hence, Imran Khan used to meet him,” the actress added.

    Earlier this year on Geo’s show Jashan e Cricket, host Shahzad Iqba t asked Sidra about voting for Imran Khan in the next elections as she belongs to the Niazi community herself to which she replied, “Niazi hun aqal se aari nahi,” (Just because I am Niazi does not mean I am nuts).

    She further added that she will decide who to vote on merit. While responding to a question, she said that the demand for a ban on Aurat March is wrong. In an answer to another question, she said that she feels unpleasant about Imran Khan’s comments regarding women.

    Sidra has received back-to-back critical acclaim and commercial success with hit projects like Zakham, Qayamat and Chupke Chupke. 

  • Spotify pays tribute to late Nazia Hassan at New York’s Times Square

    Late pop singer, Nazia Hassan graced New York with her ethereal presence at Times Square on the eve of her death anniversary thanks to Spotify.

    The aesthetic trendsetter in music, who blessed us with some of the greatest songs in Pakistan’s pop music history, tragically passed away on August 13, exactly 22 years ago, with Spotify deservingly paying tribute to her on August 13 at the iconic Times Square with an EQUAL playlist dedicated to her music.

    “Nazia Hassan is a name synonymous with finesse and soulful rhymes. Her influence on the subcontinent continues to be emulated and admired until this day, even after her passing. Making her debut with the song Aap Jaisa Koi in 1980, she and her brother Zoheb Hassan have sold more than 65 million records worldwide. Having won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer at 15 in 1981, she remains the first Pakistani and the youngest recipient of the accolade to date,” stated a press release issued by the music streaming platform.

    It further added,  “As the world celebrates the 22nd anniversary of her passing on Aug 13, EQUAL Pakistan acknowledges her profound impact on Pakistan’s music ecosystem. With her brother Zoheb Hassan, Nazia holds enormous respect and affection for her music and contributions to social causes.”