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  • UN lists Pakistan among 23 drought-hit countries

    UN lists Pakistan among 23 drought-hit countries

    According to the United Nations ‘Global Land Outlook’ report, Pakistan is one of 23 nations that have experienced drought in the last two years (2020-2022).

    The report, released by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) ahead of World Drought Day (June 17), lists the highest total number of people affected by drought over the last century.

    The 23 countries listed by the report include Afghanis­tan, Angola, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Mauritania, Madagascar, Malawi, Moza­m­bique, Niger, Somalia, Sou­th Sudan, Syria, Pakistan, the United States and Zambia.

    The report warns that humanity has never confronted such a diverse range of known and unknown risks and hazards while interacting in a hyper-connected and fast-changing environment.

    By 2050, an additional 4 million square kilometres of natural areas, equivalent to the size of India and Pakistan, would require drought restoration measures, the report said.

    The report warned that up to 40 per cent of the planet’s land is degraded, which affects half of humanity and threatens roughly 50 per cent of the global GDP worth USD 44 trillion.

  • Labourers demand increase in monthly wages, pensions

    Labourers demand increase in monthly wages, pensions

    On May 15, the provincial president of the Muttahida Labour Federation (MLF) in Peshawar, Muhammad Iqbal stated that the current price hikes had made life difficult for poor workers but the government had remained silent.

    He remarked that the provincial and federal governments should enhance monthly wages and the Employees’ Old-Age Benefit Institution pension in relation to the country’s current price hikes and inflation, speaking during a protest gathering staged in honour of May Day here at Shobra Chowk.

    The leader was of the view that workers had played a critical part in the country’s progress, but that each subsequent government had crushed them under one excuse or another. He claimed that the government and investors had teamed up to close down industrial units in the province as part of a well-planned plot.

    Read more: Pakistan’s textile exports surge by 30 per cent

    Iqbal said that the authorities should take measures to protect the rights of lower-paid strata and labourers in order to ease their lives.

  • ‘Don’t want to hand over government vehicles and houses to thieves’: Fawad Chaudhry

    ‘Don’t want to hand over government vehicles and houses to thieves’: Fawad Chaudhry

    Former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry was recently asked about the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members who resigned but have yet to hand over government vehicles and houses back to the administration.

    While talking to the media, Fawad responded, “[We] did not want to hand over government vehicles and houses to thieves.”

    Fawad was also asked about the possible arrest of the PTI chairperson Imran Khan, and Chaudhry said that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah would be mad if he arrested Imran Khan. “Whoever will arrest Imran Khan, it will be difficult for him to stay in Pakistan.”

    Former Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed on Sunday warned that if Imran Khan is arrested, Pakistan will turn into Sri Lanka.

    Rasheed said that if Khan is arrested, PTI has already devised a strategy to deal with the situation, adding that the country would plunge into a political crisis and would witness a situation like the one in Sri Lanka. 

  • Two boys arrested for listening to Pakistani song in India

    Two boys arrested for listening to Pakistani song in India

    Two people were arrested in India for allegedly attempting to disrupt national integrity by playing pro-Pakistani music on their mobile phones. An FIR was also registered against Naeem and Mustikm, Indian media has reported.

    A video of the incident, in which a shopkeeper can be seen listening to “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans, has gone viral on the internet. A fellow resident of the village complained to the police that the pro-Pakistan music was being played.

    The boys have been slapped with Section 153B (imputation, assertions, prejudicial to national integration), 504 (intentional insult), and 506 (criminal intimidation. The FIR states that when the complainant asked the two to stop listening to the songs, they allegedly started hurling abuses and said “bad things” about India.

    On other hand, the Pakistani song Pasoori has been trending in India since its release. Many Bollywood celebrities including Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Jasmin Bhasin were seen grooving to the song.

  • Gas supply only three times a day?

    A few days ago, the news was doing rounds on social media that gas will be supplied to consumers only at certain times in winter.

    According to news shared on the Internet, Sui Northern Gas and the Ministry of Petroleum have planned to provide gas to consumers in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa three times a day, during breakfast, lunch and dinner time.

    Ministry of energy took to Twitter to clarify that the news circulating is not true.

    “Misleading news is being shared on different TV channels that gas will be provided to domestic consumers only three times a day. No such decision has been taken by the Ministry of Energy. However, the ministry has directed Sui Northern officials to ensure supply of gas to domestic consumers during the meal timings,” the ministry tweeted.

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  • Hyundai Sonata 2.5 will now cost Rs7.85 million

    Hyundai Sonata 2.5 will now cost Rs7.85 million

    Like the majority of automakers in Pakistan, Hyundai Nishat has joined the price hike bandwagon by raising the price of its sedan offerings; the Elantra GLS, Sonata 2.0, and Sonata 2.5 variants, due to increased shipping costs and continuous depreciation of the local currency.

    The premium category sedan, Hyundai Sonata 2.0 witnessed an increase of Rs140,000 in its earlier rate of Rs6,859,000. After the price hike, the car costs Rs6,999,000. Hyundai Sonata’s top trim will now be sold at Rs7,849,000 after a price increase of Rs100,000 in its previous price of Rs7,749,000.

    Hyundai Elantra GLS after getting a price of Rs150,000 will be offered at Rs4,949,000, the exact model was previously sold at Rs4,799,000.

    Read more: Pakistani rupee crashes to historic low of Rs194 against US dollar

    Almost every local or imported sedan is now out of reach of the masses as the auto industry has been massively affected by the ongoing devaluation of the Pakistani currency against the US dollar, increased freight charges along with the premium culture (own trend) in the country.

  • ‘Establishment ne tumhara number block keeya hai’: Maryam Nawaz tells IK

    ‘Establishment ne tumhara number block keeya hai’: Maryam Nawaz tells IK

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Sunday took a jibe at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and said that the way Khan was “crying” shows that the “establishment has blocked [his] number”.

    “Let me tell you that the number you are trying to call has been changed. Whenever you try to call on that number, you get a message that you do not have access to this facility anymore”, said Maryam.

    Maryam’s comments come after Imran Khan’s claim that the establishment is messaging him but he is not ready to talk to them. Khan said that he has blocked their numbers. 

    “This liar [Imran Khan] has crossed all limits of dishonesty. Allah Almighty humiliated him and removed him from power.” 

    “This inflation-monger Khan is saying today that inflation has gone up. In fact, when he says that inflation has increased, he is presenting a charge sheet against himself. When he says that the dollar has gone up, he presents a charge sheet against himself as [this is his government’s fault],” she said.

    “If you have a video, don’t wait for any accident. You will see that Nawaz Sharif will provide you more security than even Shehbaz Sharif,” said Maryam to Khan.

  • Pakistani rupee crashes to historic low of Rs194 against US dollar

    Pakistani rupee crashes to historic low of Rs194 against US dollar

    During the trading session on Monday, the Pakistani rupee (PKR) maintained its declining trend, touching Rs194, its worst rate versus the US dollar. At the interbank, the greenback strengthened by Rs1.47 during the trading hours.

    The General Secretary of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan, Zafar Paracha said that the greenback climbed by Rs11.07 since the new government took government, while debt has increased by Rs1,400 billion due to the disparity.

    Pakistani currency lost 3.1 per cent of its value against the US dollar in the previous week in the interbank market, with Pakistan’s currency hitting new record lows to end the week at Rs192.53, its worst closing in history.

    Read more: Pakistani Rupee crashes to a record low against US dollar 

    The local currency fell in value across the board as concerns about the economy, declining foreign currency reserves, and worsening trade imbalance intensified. Concerns over the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme have also caused fear and speculation in the market.

  • PM Shehbaz directs Interior Ministry to provide tight security to Imran

    PM Shehbaz directs Interior Ministry to provide tight security to Imran

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Interior Ministry to provide water-tight security to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan at his home in Islamabad and during political rallies.

    A statement given by a spokesperson of the Interior Ministry said that the police and other law enforcement agencies have been directed to ensure the complete deployment of security personnel assigned to the former PM.

    94 security personnel of police and FC have been deployed for the security of Khan’s Bani Gala House. In addition, 36 personnel of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and six personnel of Gilgit-Baltistan Police have also been deployed by their governments for Khan’s security.

    35 personnel of two security companies are also deployed for the security of Bani Gala House.

    During the movement of Imran Khan outside Islamabad, four vehicles and 23 personnel of Islamabad Police while one vehicle and five personnel of FC always accompany him.

    Under the supervision of the Interior Ministry, the threat assessment company is constantly reviewing matters pertaining to the security of Imran Khan.

    ‘I will tell you about poison added to food that causes heart attack’: Khan

    Imran Khan on Sunday said that if anything happened to him, the Pakistani nation will seek justice on his behalf. 

    Addressing a jalsa in Faisalabad, Khan said that the Supreme Court (SC) must take suo motu on the heart attack of Dr Rizwan, former director of the Federal Investigating Agency (FIA), who died of a heart attack. Dr Rizwan was an investigating officer in PM Shehbaz’s money laundering case.

    “I want the SC to take suo motu on the heart attack of Dr Rizwan. I will also tell you about the poison that causes a heart attack when mixed with food.”

     Khan claimed that he had recorded a video of the characters behind the “conspiracy” against his government, and if something happens to him, it will be released. 

    “If anything happens to me, the Pakistani nation will seek justice on my behalf,” said Khan.

    Criticising Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Khan said that since he is now going to meet United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken, he will “beg him for money” so that “Imran Khan could not come back into power,” adding that the US never helps any country without seeing its own interest.

    “The US will tell Pakistan to stop talking about Palestine,” he said, adding that the US cannot dare to dictate India because it is a free country. 

    “The US has made Pakistan a slave without having to invade it,” Khan said. “The people of Pakistan will never accept this imported government.”

  • Exclusive video: ‘Dikhnay me to young lagti hai’ Yasir Nawaz praises Maryam Nawaz’s beauty

    Exclusive video: ‘Dikhnay me to young lagti hai’ Yasir Nawaz praises Maryam Nawaz’s beauty

    Director and actor Yasir Nawaz is currently riding high on the success of his Eid release, Chakkar. The veteran filmmaker indulged in an exclusive conversation with The Current.

    On being asked the first thing that comes to his mind when he hears Maryam Nawaz’s name, the Nadaaniyaan star mentioned that “Maryam looks very young, MashaAllah, she is a very intelligent politician.”

    Yasir also added that he finds her to be extremely graceful.

    Yasir recently addressed the Prime Minister and urged him to look into the matter of their distress. “I’ve a small request for the prime minister to help save the Pakistani film industry from drowning. Our content is very strong and the revenue will come in Pakistan only.”