Blog

  • Fact Check: Viral image of broken ATM is from Chicago

    Fact Check: Viral image of broken ATM is from Chicago

    Claim: Image shows an ATM machine broken and destroyed by PTI supporters, with money stolen by them from a Transact ATM in Islamabad

    Fact: The image is from Chicago and was taken in 2020

    On May 26, several Twitter users began sharing an image of a broken ATM with a Transact board, destroyed and money removed from the inside, claiming that this was done by PTI supporters who got violent while protesting in Islamabad.

    Coupled with recent images of Islamabad burning and large unmanageable crowds of people attacking the police, this becomes a very believable image. Several PMLN senior leaders have been sharing this image as well.

    However, with a Reverse Image search we discovered that this image has been posted online before. On the website of WTTW News, an article titled “Crain’s Headlines: Mag Mile Tax Proposal Fails”, the picture also clearly shows the name of labels, “Transact” and “7 Eleven”, which is a chain of Japanese convenience stores which has 11,800 stores in the US and none in Pakistan. Trans@ct is a mobile prepaid service offered by 7 Eleven.

    This image couldn’t have possibly been from Pakistan and has been used out of context to imply that PTI supporters in Islamabad violently broke into an ATM and stole money, which even if they did, is definitely not proven by this image.

    Verdict: FALSE

  • ‘First female Muslim PM, first to give birth in office’: NZ PM Jacinda Ardern praises Benazir Bhutto in Harvard Speech

    ‘First female Muslim PM, first to give birth in office’: NZ PM Jacinda Ardern praises Benazir Bhutto in Harvard Speech

    New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern paid homage to former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in an address at Harvard University.

    “In June 1989, the Prime Minister of Pakistan stood on this spot and delivered the commencement address titled ‘Democratic nations must unite‘. She spoke about her journey, the importance of citizenry, representative government, human rights, and democracy,” said Jacinda while talking about Benazir.

    “I met Benazir Bhutto in Geneva in June of 2007. We both attended a conference that drew together progressive parties from around the world. Just seven months, later she was assassinated.”

    “There will be opinions and differing perspectives written about all of us as political leaders. Two things that history will not contest about Benazir Bhutto: she was the first Muslim female Prime Minister elected in an Islamic country, when a woman in power was a rare thing. She was also the first to give birth in office.”

    “The second and only other leader to have given birth in office almost 30 years later was me,” added the New Zealand prime minister.

    During the address she also revealed that her daughter, Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford, was born on Benazir’s birthday, i.e. June 21.

    Ardern borrowed words from Benazir Bhutto’s1989 Harvard Commencement address, “We must realise that democracy… can be fragile.”

    “I read those words as I sat in my office in Wellington, New Zealand. A world away from Pakistan. And while the reasons that gave rise for her words then were vastly different, they still ring true.”

    “Democracy can be fragile,” said Ardern.

    “This imperfect but precious way that we organise ourselves, that has been created to give equal voice to the weak and to the strong, that is designed to help drive consensus — it is fragile.”

    “For years it feels as though we have assumed that the fragility of democracy was determined by duration. That somehow the strength of your democracy was like a marriage – the longer you’d been in it, the more likely it was to stick.”

    Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman shared the video and wrote, “Thank u Prime Minister Ardern.”

  • IMF urges FBR to collect Rs7.2 trillion in the upcoming budget

    IMF urges FBR to collect Rs7.2 trillion in the upcoming budget

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to collect Rs7.2 trillion in taxes in the upcoming budget, with personal income tax (PIT) and GST harmonisation being prioritised.

    “Discussions are ongoing as the FBR pitched up its tax collection target in the range of Rs6.9 trillion, but the IMF insists on stretching the FBR’s tax collection target in the range of Rs7.2 trillion in the coming budget for 2022-23,” top official sources confirmed on May 26.

    When contacted for comment, FBR Chairman Asim Ahmed stated that work in this area was still ongoing.

    Total tax collection would be expanded to Rs7.2 trillion in the upcoming budget, up from Rs5.9 to Rs6 trillion in the previous fiscal year, according to revised estimates. The government was also having difficulty meeting its non-tax revenue target for the current fiscal year because the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) did not provide its estimated Rs200 billion quarterly profit to the Ministry of Finance following the passage of the new SBP Amendment Act 2022. This sum may be provided in the next fiscal year, but the SBP found it difficult to provide it before June 30, 2022.

    Personal income tax (PIT) would be markedly restructured, with the taxable cap likely to be raised from the present level of 0.6 million to Rs1-1.2 million, and the amount of slabs lowered from 13 to six. The IMF also suggested significantly raising tax rates.

    Former Finance Minister Dr. Hafiz A Pasha stated that the maximum tax rate was imposed on an annual income ceiling of Rs 5 million, which was 300 per cent higher than Pakistan’s per capita income. He proposed that those earning Rs20 million or more per year be subject to the full tax rate.

    He furthermore recommended that the duration and rate of capital gains on stock shares be assessed and modified in order to collect more taxes.

    Via: Islamabad Post

  • PM to address the nation, likely to announce relief package

    PM to address the nation, likely to announce relief package

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif will announce a relief package for the poor in an address to the nation today (Friday).

    According to media reports, PM will explain the government’s decision to remove subsidies on petroleum products and also take the nation into confidence over the prevailing economic situation in Pakistan.

    Last night, the government announced a massive hike of up to Rs30 in the prices of petroleum products for the revival of the $6 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programme.

    Lambasting the Shehbaz Sharif-led government for the hike in petrol prices, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said that the nation would “suffer another massive dose of inflation at the hands of this cabal of crooks”.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan Business Council has supported the government’s decision.

  • How much did the PTI’s Azadi March cost the government?

    How much did the PTI’s Azadi March cost the government?

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s ‘Haqiqi Azadi March’ cost the government Rs149 million to maintain law and order in the capital, reports Dawn.

    The amount of Rs149 million was demanded to bear expenses for five days. Rs47,500,000 was sought for hiring 380 containers (each costing Rs125,000 for five days use), Rs1,300,000 for four cranes (each costing Rs65,000 for five days) and Rs1,000,000 for four fork lifters (each for Rs50,000 for five days).

    Likewise, Rs2,798,500 for 100 buses for transportation of the force from outside to the capital (each costing Rs27,985), Rs9794,750 for 350 buses for transportation of the force within capital (Rs27985 each), Rs2,798,500 for 100 buses for transportation of the force back to their respective districts (Rs27,985 each), Rs1,685,000 for 100 trucks for logistics teams, food, water (for five days and each costing Rs16,850), Rs260,000 for 10 water tankers for five days (each costing Rs26,000).

    Moreover, an amount of Rs41,250,000 was also demanded for food charges for 15,000 officials of the capital and other district police for five days, the officers said. To purchase complete anti-riot kits, another amount of Rs35,300,000 was demanded.

    Similarly, Rs4,500,000 were sought for the purchase of miscellaneous items – water, coolers, torches, electricity, etc.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif while speaking in the National Assembly praised the capital police, Rangers, Frontier Constabulary, and the traffic police along with the capital administration and other departments for their efforts to maintain law and order and for the protection of public and private property.

    He also announced a package for a martyr and injured officials of the Punjab Police.

  • Kevin Spacey charged with four different cases of sexual assault

    Kevin Spacey charged with four different cases of sexual assault

    American actor Kevin Spacey has been charged with four counts of sexual assault against three men, Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Thursday.

    House Of Cards star was also charged with one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent, the CPS said.

    The charges relate to two alleged incidents in London in 2005, another two in 2008, and a further incident in Gloucestershire, western England, in 2013.

    Hollywood star Kevin Spacey charged with sexual assault against three men | Evening Standard

    The alleged victim of the 2005 incidents is now in his 40s, while the two men allegedly involved in the 2008 and 2013 incidents are now in their 30s, London’s Metropolitan Police said.

    The decision to charge Spacey “follows a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police Service in its investigation,” the force said.

    While the charges were authorized on Thursday, Spacey is not currently in England or Wales and the charges cannot formally be applied until he enters one of those countries, a CPS spokesperson told CNN.

    The agency did not comment on whether it would be seeking Spacey’s extradition if he does not do so.

  • Pak vs WI ODI: Series moves from Pindi to Multan due to political situation

    The three-match Pakistan-West Indies One Day International (ODI) series has been moved from Rawalpindi to Multan due to the political situation in Islamabad.

    The first ODI between Pakistan and West Indies will take place on June 8. The West Indies team is likely to arrive in Multan next week on June 5.

    Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had sought guidelines from the federal government to decide on the future of the West Indies series, which was set to start in Rawalpindi.

    It is pertinent to mention here that the ODI series is part of the World Cup 2023 qualifying round.

    Former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan warned Pakistan’s government to set new elections in the next six days or he will again march on the capital along with millions of people.

  • Ali Zafar lands in hot waters for sharing seminude pictures

    Ali Zafar lands in hot waters for sharing seminude pictures

    Actor-singer  Ali Zafar recently shared some bold seminude pictures on his official Instagram handle, which is generating polarising response from netizens.

    Now, the Teefa in Trouble star has created an uproar on the internet by posting scandalous clicks of himself on his social media handle.

    Zafar decided to set the internet on fire once again when he accepted a dare from his friend a posted a rather controversial picture. “A friend dared me to post this picture. Sorry.”, captioned the Kill Dill hero.

    https://twitter.com/itsfayyazkhann/status/1528767648225447936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1528767648225447936%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.dailypakistan.com.pk%2F24-May-2022%2Fali-zafar-in-trouble-for-sharing-shirtless-photo

    Earlier he created a stir by doing bold scenes in his Bollywood film, London Paris New York.

    Hot Body Shirtless Indian Bollywood Model & Actor: Ali Zafar
    Ali Zafar and Aditi Rao in steamy lovemaking scene from the Bollywood venture 'London, Paris, New York'
    Ali Zafar shows off his toned bod! | Hindi Movie News - Times of India
  • No ban on diapers, sanitary pads, their raw material, clarifies Miftah Ismail

    No ban on diapers, sanitary pads, their raw material, clarifies Miftah Ismail

    Finance Minister Miftah Islamail has clarified there is no import ban on sanitary pads or their raw materials.

    “There is no ban on any industrial raw material. The ban is only on some luxury or non-essential goods. And there is certainly no ban on sanitary pads or diapers (or their raw materials), which are obviously essential goods. We will issue further official clarification on Monday.”

    Head of the Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms, Salman Sufi, tweeted that the news circulating regarding ban on saintry pads is “absolutely incorrect”.

    “Women’s health is of paramount importance and shall never be compromised,” said Sufi.

    It was reported earlier that government has added raw materials for sanitary napkins to the list of non-essential luxury items in its recent import ban, which will affect the production of pads in Pakistan.

    A major chunk of sanitary napkins is produced by two companies in Pakistan — P&G and Santex, which make Always and Butterfly respectively. The production of sanitary napkins of one of these brands has been majorly affected, reports Dawn.

    “Though all of our products are produced in Pakistan, two of the core raw materials that form the base of the napkin are imported. The ban would mean the factory would have to shut down eventually because we can’t manufacture them anymore after the current supply runs out,” said Muhammad Kamran, Chief Operating Officer of Santex while talking to Dawn.

    The main components in question, he explained, are sap paper and wadding cellulose fibre. These items are classified as HS Code 4803.000, which is prohibited under the new import ban according to the Ministry of Commerce.

    “[These] are basic raw materials utilised in the manufacturing of female sanitary napkins. These items are neither tissues nor luxury but are included in S.No 63 of the SRO,” he added.

     “We’ve sent an application to the Ministry of Commerce that will take 15 to 20 days to review. We’re hoping for a positive response.”

    Read more- Govt bans import of ‘luxury items’ to fight economic crisis

    On May 19, 2022, the federal cabinet issued a list of 41 items, which will be banned from being imported for two months. This is in an attempt to address the current account deficit.

  • Samsung shows off its 200-megapixel camera sensor capabilities

    Samsung shows off its 200-megapixel camera sensor capabilities

    Samsung revealed its 200MP ISOCELL HP1 camera sensor in September of last year, however the tremendous sensor has yet to be utilised in a gadget. That could change in July with the release of a forthcoming Motorola handset, and Samsung has released a video highlighting the sensor’s prowess.

    The video’s intention is to demonstrate the level of clarity that the HP1 sensor can sustain. Whereas no mobile was utilised to indicate the new sensor, it was connected to a Frankenstein rig complete with a device, external display, and an additional lens, allowing a group of Samsung engineers to catch some detailed cat photographs.

    After that, the final 200 MP image was still reproduced on a commercial printer. A massive canvas composed of twelve separate 2.3-meter-long pieces stitched together and hung from a building. Of course, the photographers behind the scenes optimised and adjusted the actual photo. The main point to remember is that you can zoom and crop images without compromising details captured.

    Samsung’s HP1 sensor features an all-new pixel clustering technology identified as ChamelonCell, which can group up to sixteen pixels in a wide range of resolutions ranging from 12.5MP stills with a 2.56m pixel pitch to 50MP stills (1.28m pixels) or natively at 200MP (0.64m pixels) based on ones requirements.