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  • ‘Increase in dollar rate benefits us as we only pay in rupees,’ says PTI minister

    ‘Increase in dollar rate benefits us as we only pay in rupees,’ says PTI minister

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Information Minister Shaukat Yousafzai has said that the increase in dollar benefits Pakistan greatly as we only have to pay in rupees, not in dollars.

    While addressing the media on Wednesday, the KP minister said that the 3 billion rupees increase in Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project due to rupee devaluation has not affected the national treasury, as we have paid that amount from our savings.

    “The increase in dollar value has increased the cost of BRT by Rs3 billion and at the same time helped us save over Rs3 billion because we only have to pay that amount in rupees, not in dollars”, the minister said.

    Shaukat also said that all those saying that the rupee devaluation is going to increase the amout have no idea what they are talking about.

    Watch Video:

    Meanwhile, Peshawar metro bus project misses its 6th deadline

    The Pakistan Tehreeke Insaf (PTI) led KP government has missed its sixth deadline despite announcements by the KP information minister that the project would be completed in time.

    Shaukat Yousafzai had earlier claimed that the project would be completed in 2020 and people would start getting its benefits from next year.

    He also claimed that 87% work on the mega project has been completed, adding that 30 stations had been finalised, while work on the remaining 10 stations was underway.

    Earlier, the minister had said the project would be finished by December this year, but reports claimed that the flagship project of the PTI government was unlikely to be completed in December, citing completion of only 16 stations out of over 40.

    Moreover, three bus depots made for Peshawar BRT were reportedly also under construction.

    “Even 10 per cent work has not been done on the Haytabad bus depot. No work has been done on the route from Hayatabad to Karkhano Market,” claim reports.

  • Dairy farm in Russia makes cows wear VR glasses to increase milk production

    Dairy farm in Russia makes cows wear VR glasses to increase milk production

    Did you know that a dairy farm in Russia uses VR glasses to make cows give more milk? Yes, we were equally surprised when we got to know this. In RusMoloko dairy, farm cows wear specially designed VR headsets for improved milk productivity.

    In their glasses, the cows see sun-filled views of green grazing fields. This helps the cows relax which is directly linked to their milk-productivity.

    The summer field views were designed after studying cows’ response to different tones of colors – the cows showed signs of improvement in their mood and decreased anxiety.

    The VR headsets were specially adapted to fit cows’ heads.

    Experts in the field of technology and dairy farming have collaborated to find a solution to the problem of milk production. They had the solution of perfect-fit VR goggles as a solution to offer a restful atmosphere in addition to fulfilling the cows’ physical needs. However, more studies are underway to study the impact of VR goggles in terms of milk productivity.

  • Army chief belongs at border, but he was getting his summary fixed at PM House last night: CJP

    Army chief belongs at border, but he was getting his summary fixed at PM House last night: CJP

    Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, who is heading the Supreme Court (SC) bench hearing the case pertaining to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s extension, has said that “the army chief belongs at the border, but he was getting his summary fixed at the Prime Minister (PM) House last night”.

    On Wednesday night, the federal government, aided by the military’s counsel, drafted a new summary removing all legal lacunae pointed out by the apex court earlier in the day, as it heard the petition challenging Gen Bajwa’s extension.

    For the first time, the paperwork was completed with the assistance of Judge Advocate General (JAG) Branch of the GHQ, according to The News.

    According to the publication, input from the JAG Branch was sought by the ministry concerned after the SC highlighted serious errors in the drafts presented to it following the suspension of the army chief’s extension.

    The fresh summary was inked by midnight, and has replaced the words “re-appointment” with “extension in service”. Once finalised, the summary was sent to the federal cabinet through a circulation process late on Wednesday night and then submitted to the president, who issued the requisite notification.

    The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and the attendees included the COAS himself.

    “The army chief’s job is to protect the country’s borders, but last night he stayed at the PM House to get his summary fixed. It’s embarassing,” the top judge reportedly said Thursday as the three-member bench resumed hearing the case.

    He added that it was regrettable how the COAS’s time was wasted because of the incompetence of the government at such a crucial time for national security. “He [Gen Bajwa] had to be there to guide them,” CJP Khosa was quoted as saying.

  • Police arrest a man for blackmailing women with private photos

    Police arrest a man for blackmailing women with private photos

    Police have arrested a man accused of blackmailing women with private photos and videos in Dera Ghazi Khan.

    As per reports, the suspect, Syed Shehzad Shah, used to befriend women on social media and take their private pictures and record their private videos. He then used fake social media accounts to demand money in exchange for not leaking their private pictures.

    The police have been searching for Shehzad for almost two years. They managed to locate him through call records.

  • Musharraf treason case: Special court refuses to obey IHC’s order to halt verdict

    Musharraf treason case: Special court refuses to obey IHC’s order to halt verdict

    The special court overseeing former military ruler Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf’s high treason case has refused to accept Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order to halt the verdict due Thursday, a private media outlet reported Thursday.

    According to reports, the special court has said that they “are not bound to accept IHC’s order” that on Wednesday had stopped it from issuing a ruling in the case filed against Musharraf by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government for the imposition of an extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007.

    The special court was set to announce the ruling in the treason case Thursday, however, the IHC, which was hearing petitions filed by former president Musharraf and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government to postpone it, had told the court to not announce the verdict just yet.

    It had also directed the special court to admit the arguments of all parties in the case before announcing the ruling and ensure a fair trial.

    MUSHARRAF TREASON CASE:

    The PML-N government had in 2013 filed the treason case against Musharraf over the president’s imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007.

    Earlier this year, head of the prosecution, Mohammad Akram Sheikh, tendered his resignation. In his resignation letter sent to the interior secretary, Sheikh expressed his inability to proceed with the case after the imminent change of government at the centre.

    Akram was appointed as the head of the prosecution in the case in November 2013, by the then ruling PML-N.

    Musharraf was indicted in the case in March 2014 after he appeared before the court and rejected all charges.

    On March 18, 2016, the former president left the country for Dubai for medical treatment after his name was removed from the exit control list (ECL) on the orders of the Supreme Court (SC).

    A few months later, the special court had declared him a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his continuous inability to appear.

    Later, his passport and identity card were also cancelled on orders of the apex court.

  • ‘You want a three-year extension for Gen Bajwa, will it be 20 years for a better general?’ CJP reportedly asks govt

    With hearing of the case pertaining to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s extension resuming Thursday, the Supreme Court (SC) has once again put the government in a tight spot as it asked “if a better general would be given a 20-year extension”.

    “You’re seeking a three-year extension for now. If another general, who is exceptional, comes next, will you give him a 20-year extension?” journalist Omar Qureshi quoted the three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, as asking the government representatives.

    Earlier, the bench resumed hearing the petition challenging the extension of COAS Gen Bajwa. As proceedings continued, the CJP asked Attorney General (AG) Anwar Mansoor Khan to present the notifications regarding the extension in the tenure of former army chief Gen (r) Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and retirement of Gen Raheel Sharif.

    “We were told yesterday that generals never retire,” remarked CJP Khosa.

    The AG informed the court that Gen Bajwa had been reappointed under Article 243, to which the CJP remarked that the government had to convince the court that it was legal.

    The SC then reserved the verdict that will be announced later in the day by a 10-member full court.

    On Wednesday night, the federal government, aided by the military’s counsel, drafted a new summary removing all legal lacunas pointed out by the apex court earlier in the day.

    The paperwork was completed with the assistance, for the first time, of the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Branch of the General Headquarters (GHQ), according to The News.

    Those privy to the developments told the publication that input from the JAG Branch was sought by the ministry concerned, which had till then failed to produce the required documents and after the SC highlighted serious errors in the drafts presented in court.

    The fresh summary was inked by midnight and has replaced the words “re-appointment” with “extension in service”. Once finalised, the summary was sent to the federal cabinet through a circulation process late on Wednesday night and then submitted to the president, who issued the requisite notification.

  • “Allah is watching and He knows what’s in your heart,” says singer Akon

    “Allah is watching and He knows what’s in your heart,” says singer Akon

    Akon was in the UAE this week and and instead of singing his famous tunes, he delivered a keynote address at the Sharjah Entrepreneurial Festival.

    He spoke about his journey from being a car thief to becoming one of the biggest pop stars but said that his social entrepreneurship is what gives him the most satisfaction.

    Originally from Senegal, Akon is a Grammy award winning singer and has now launched a solar-powered energy project of his own. He says that his decisions are based on his faith and there is a spiritual side to business that entrepreneurs ignore.

    “It makes you ask the question: what is success? Is it fame or fortune? Does that measure what success means to you? Or is it faith?” he asked, “For me, real success is faith. If God is not smiling upon me I am not successful. I don’t care even if I have a billion dollars in the bank. And what good am I if have a billion dollars sitting in the bank in the first place?”

    One of Akon’s biggest hits: Right Now (Na Na Na)

    Akon had spoken to The National, a UAE based newspaper and said that he was born a Muslim and in some places of Senegal it was considered haram. But he said that the intention has to be good and even in daily prayers, “we pray in melody.”

    He also added that he would not judge anyone because, “at the end of the day, Allah is watching and he knows what is in your heart.”

    Akon was going to visit Pakistan in April of this year but was not able to. In January he had uploaded this message for PM Khan,

  • Are Ahad & Sajal getting married in March 2020?

    Are Ahad & Sajal getting married in March 2020?

    Rumours are strong that Pakistan’s ‘it’ celebrity couple, Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly are tying the knot in March 2020 and that too in Turkey.

    While there has been no official confirmation from the two, speculations are rife and fans are excited for the wedding.

    Ahad and Sajal announced their engagement in early June, though people say that the two made it official months before they revealed the news to their fans. Hence, it is quite likely that the two will secretly get married before making an official announcement.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/ByYROZ4Ba0f/?utm_source=ig_embed

    Meanwhile, the two are currently setting our screens on fire with their performances and chemistry in Ye Dil Mera which airs on Hum TV every Wednesday.

  • ‘Pakistan ready to boost tech-enabled financial inclusion,’ says Queen Maxima

    ‘Pakistan ready to boost tech-enabled financial inclusion,’ says Queen Maxima

    United Nations (UN) Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA) Queen Maxima has said that Pakistan is in a good position for a boost to the technology-enabled financial inclusion, Express Tribune reported.

    According to the details, Queen Maxima in a meeting with State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Reza Baqir said that in the last five years, the country’s start-up tech and fintech ecosystems had made some notable progress in relation to improving their supporting networks.

    She also appreciated the progress made by the SBP and Pakistan with respect to financial inclusion while focusing on gender mainstreaming and digital financial services.

    The queen said it could be helpful to establish a pro-poor gateway for the wider acceptance of micropayment methods and introduce consumers to micropayments on a large scale and supported the steps taken by the SBP for creating a micropayment gateway in 2020.

    She, however, added that while resolving the technical issues was important, it was more challenging to encourage people to engage in digital modes of payment.

    The UNSGSA emphasised that in this regard the inclusion of new players was important, whereby they should not only be competing but also participating in expanding the delivery of services as well.

  • New study reveals all-girls holidays key to happiness

    New study reveals all-girls holidays key to happiness

    An exotic holiday with your best girlfriends sounds like a fabulous idea and not that you needed any reason to go on one, but new research has revealed that girls’ holidays are actually key to keeping happy – AND they have a positive impact on our overall health.

    According to social-personality psychologist William Chopik, friendships “are a way to derive all the benefits of being in a relationship with someone without the enormity of it.”

    He explained that friendships enrich a person’s life and generally makes them happier, adding, “These are relationships of choice. You choose to hang out together because you enjoy each other’s company.”

    Speaking specifically about a girls trip, Dr Chopnik said that such holidays allow you to connect more with your pals.

    “You can sit down, look them in the eye, have a true back-and-forth and read each other’s body language. They can see you and your facial expressions. You’re emotionally responding to things and you can pick up on their emotions. You don’t always get that through a phone call.”

    Meanwhile, a recent study by Harvard University also found that going away with friends has noticeable health benefits because “social connections like these not only give pleasure, they also influence our long-term health in ways every bit as powerful as adequate sleep, a good diet and not smoking.”