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  • Bullish trend persists: PSX closes just under 90,000 points amid strong investor confidence

    Bullish trend persists: PSX closes just under 90,000 points amid strong investor confidence

    Traders on the floor of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) rode on a wave of joy today as they witnessed the market break yet another record.

    During day trading, the KSE-100 index crossed the 90,000 mark for the first time ever, and it stayed that way until the trading day was about to close.

    At the end of the trading day, however, KSE-100, the benchmark of the PSX that includes the top 100 companies, settled at a respectable 89,993.96 points. This is a huge leap of 1,047.98 points, which translates into a 1.16 per cent increase from when the market opened.

    The ALLSHR (All Share) Index, which tracks the performance of all companies listed on the PSX, did really well, too. ALLSHR gained 495.83 points throughout the day, which is 0.86 per cent from the time it opened, to close at an impressive 57,461.53 points.

    While all indexes were in the green, the KSE-30 index, which focuses on the top 30 companies listed on the exchange, performed the best by closing at a remarkable 28,395.15 points. KSE-30 had gone up by 352.45 points at closing time, which is a massive 1.24 per cent increase in the index value.

    The driving factor behind this bullish trend is a rise in investor confidence. Investors in the market are making large gains due to the hot streak PSX has been for a while now.

    This enthusiasm has attracted foreign investors, as the percentage of all shares held by foreign investors jumped from 14.49 per cent at the start of the month to 15.22 per cent currently.

    It’s a great time for the market and a great opportunity for those looking to invest in Pakistan’s financial future. Can the bullish trend continue? It certainly is possible, but only time will tell.

  • Salman Khan gave us blank check after blackbuck incident: Lawrence Bishnoi’s cousin

    Salman Khan gave us blank check after blackbuck incident: Lawrence Bishnoi’s cousin

    Ramesh Bishnoi, the cousin of notorious Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is imprisoned in Gujarat, has revealed that Salman Khan attempted to financially appease the Bishnoi community after allegations of hunting their sacred Blackbuck deers. Salman Khan has received numerous threats from Lawrence Bishnoi and his gang following the blackbuck hunting incident.

    In an interview with Indian media, Ramesh Bishnoi stated, “After the blackbuck hunting allegations, Salman Khan came to us with a blank checkbook and told us we could enter any amount we wanted in the check, but the community strictly rejected the offer.”

    Ramesh Bishnoi said, “If we needed money, we would have accepted Salman Khan’s offer.”
    He explained, “Emotional turmoil within the Lawrence Bishnoi community by saying that when the blackbuck incident occurred, the community was boiling with anger.”

    Salman Khan was accused of hunting two rare blackbucks in a village in Rajasthan during the shooting of Bollywood hit ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’ in 1998.

    Along with Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Tabu were also accused of hunting blackbucks during the shooting, after which Salman Khan has continuously faced threats from the Bishnoi gang. Bishnoi community considers blackbucks sacred. Primarily vegetarians, they are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect animals, which has resulted in deep-seated enmity.

  • Zara Noor Abbas hits back at trolls criticising her fashion choices

    Zara Noor Abbas hits back at trolls criticising her fashion choices

    Actress Zara Noor Abbas is confidently standing up to online critics and we are here for her.

    Recently, she attended an event dressed in a colorful, bohemian style. She posted pictures showing her no makeup look, looking relaxed and comfortable.

    Here are some images from her appearance:

    Despite her confident look, trolls criticized her appearance online.

    Here’s how she was trolled:

    Zara Noor Abbas didn’t hold back in responding to them. She said, “I will do what I love and won’t be trapped in the traditional roles set by society.”

    Here are Zara’s bold replies:

  • What Punjab’s 182 billion rupee missed IMF target means for local businesses

    What Punjab’s 182 billion rupee missed IMF target means for local businesses

    Business owners in Punjab are preparing for tough times ahead as the provincial government of Punjab missed the budget surplus goal set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for this quarter by a staggering 182 billion rupees. Not meeting the IMF stipulated objectives might foster bad will as international lenders will be weary of extending loans to Pakistan in the future.

    Suppose lawmakers in Islamabad direct Punjab’s provincial government to meet the budget surplus goal at any cost. In that case, it will likely spell bad news for the businesses and people that call it home. This is because a budget surplus can be increased via either reducing government expenditure or levying higher taxes: Neither of which are optimal.

    While customs duties and corporate taxes remain under Islamabad’s control, the provincial government in Punjab has the authority to raise service and property taxes. This is likely to happen as the surplus goal for this quarter was missed by a margin of an uneasy 53%.

    According to Punjab’s Housing, Urban Development, and Public Health Engineering Department (HUDPHED), there were 1,680 approved construction companies in 2022, with many more operating unofficially without approval. If property taxes rise, the construction companies are expected to suffer as their clients will be stuck paying the higher taxes leaving less money for the owners of the companies.

    Moreover, an increase in services tax will cause businesses to lose out on either profits or customers. This is because businesses will have to make the tough decision of either absorbing the higher sales tax while holding prices constant or passing on the tax to their customers in the form of higher prices – which might turn customers away.

    If the government of Punjab decides to raise the surplus by decreasing its expenditures on projects, this will be bad news, too.

    This is because businesses that rely on public contracts will suddenly not be able to secure new contracts. And with the provincial government tightening its metaphorical belt, the employees of these businesses will be pushed to do the same too.

    This is because the loss of contracts might cause businesses to lay their employees off. The result of this decision can only be negative as laid-off workers will think twice before spending money, which will translate into a loss of sales for local businesses.

    While experts believe that following the conditions of the IMF is necessary, this discipline might stir up some issues for businesses. For now, all eyes are on the government of Punjab, and only time will tell what is to happen next.

  • VIDEO: England postpones team meeting to facilitate Muslim players

    VIDEO: England postpones team meeting to facilitate Muslim players

    Young English spinners Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir have expressed their heartfelt thanks to the England cricket team.

    They also thanked the Pakistan cricket team for inviting them to a memorable cultural and spiritual experience by participating in Friday prayers during the current Test series.

    In a gesture of friendship and respect, the Pakistan squad welcomed the two England players of Pakistani descent to join their prayer gathering, creating a unique bond between the two teams beyond the cricket field.

    In an interview with BBC Sports, Rehan Ahmed thanked his team for allowing them to practice in Friday prayer. He mentioned, “We performed the Friday prayer with the Pakistan team. We went to their hotel, and Rizwan led the prayer. A week earlier, we went to the mosque. The England team rescheduled a meeting by two hours to ensure we could pray and then return.”

    “As young cricketers joining the team, this has never been questioned. It’s something we appreciate greatly. The players understand us; McCullum, Stokes, and the management have always prioritized our prayers and whatever needs to be done first, then cricket comes later. We couldn’t ask for more. We are forever grateful for this”, he added.

    Shoaib Bashir said, “This is an excellent gesture by the England team. We are allowed to practice individually, which is important. This is what brings out the best in us and gives us confidence going into games. People’s perspectives have changed now. After these events, there has been a positive development. Let’s hope it continues.”

    Currently, Rehan and Shoaib are representing England in the third Test match in Rawalpindi.

  • Taliban government welcomes Muhammad Ali’s ex-wife

    Taliban government welcomes Muhammad Ali’s ex-wife

    A former wife of legendary US boxer Muhammad Ali arrived in the Afghan capital, a Taliban government official said Friday, to reportedly open a stadium in a country where women are barred from sports.

    The head of the Taliban government’s sports directorate, Ahmadullah Wasiq, told AFP that Khalilah Camacho-Ali, who was married to the boxer for a decade from 1967, had arrived in Kabul.

    State media cited the directorate as saying she was in the city “to build a sports stadium to be named ‘Pirozi’ (victory in Dari) and a sports association named after Muhammad Ali”.

    Born Belinda Boyd in 1950 in the United States, Camacho-Ali, like her world champion boxer ex-husband, converted to Islam after they married.

    Muhammad Ali himself visited Kabul in 2002, a year after the US forces overthrew the first Taliban government, visiting a girls’ school in his role as a United Nations peace ambassador.

    Since the Taliban government came to power in Afghanistan in 2021, they have imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law, with women bearing the brunt of restrictions the United Nations have called “gender apartheid”, including blocking women from participating in sports.

    During the Taliban’s first rule from 1996 to 2001, public executions in sports stadiums were common.

    Public corporal punishment has continued since their return to power and at least two public executions have been held in a sports stadium.

    The authorities have recently set restrictions on combat sports as well, saying free fighting such as in Mixed Martial Arts was un-Islamic.

    Camacho-Ali is a martial artist, as well as an actress and author, according to her website.

    Ali was born Cassius Clay in the southeastern state of Kentucky and is known as both a sporting great and for his role in fighting for civil rights for African Americans. He died in 2016.

  • Alia Bhatt calls out influencers for criticising her ‘crooked smile’ and ‘weird’ speech

    Alia Bhatt calls out influencers for criticising her ‘crooked smile’ and ‘weird’ speech

    Alia Bhatt, one of Bollywood’s stars, posted an Instagram story addressing influencers, bloggers, news platforms and YouTubers who, lately, claimed she had botox that went wrong, resulting in a crooked smile and a weird way of speaking.

    In an Instagram story posted on October 25, Alia addressed the rumours and clickbait articles without naming publishers who claimed she has undergone ‘botched’ botox procedures, because of which half of her face is ‘paralysed’.

    One such article that went viral was published by a major news platform: Hindustan Times
    .
    “Absolutely no judgment towards anyone who chooses cosmetic corrections or surgery — your body, your choice. But wow, this is beyond ridiculous!” Alia Bhatt wrote.

    “To the random video floating around literally claiming I’ve had botox gone wrong (and to the numerous clickbait articles) — I have a ‘crooked smile’ and a ‘weird way of speaking,’ according to YOU,” she added.

    Calling out the platforms, the Highway actress also said, “This is your hypercritical, microscopic judgement of a human face. And now you’re confidently tossing around ‘scientific’ explanations, claiming I’m paralysed on one side? Are you kidding me?”

    Bhatt expressed her frustration over the damaging nature of disinformation concerning her and the scrutiny which women encounter.

    “These are serious claims being casually thrown out there with zero proof, no confirmation, and nothing to back it up. What’s worse, you’re influencing young, impressionable minds who might actually believe this garbage. Why are you saying this? For clickbait? Attention? Because none of it makes sense,” she voiced her concern.

    Bhatt also asked people to take a minute to address the “absurd lens through which women are judged and objectified on the internet” because of their looks.

    “Our faces, bodies, personal lives, even our bumps are up for critique”, she added, “We should be celebrating individuality, not tearing it apart under a microscope.”

    “These types of judgements perpetuate unrealistic standards, making people feel like they’re never ‘enough’. It’s damaging, and it’s exhausting and the saddest part? A lot of this judgment comes from other women. Whatever happened to ‘live and let live’?” she pleaded.

    Alia Bhatt, with her 85.6 Million followers on Instagram, has spoken about the issue at a time when a broader conversation on misinformation and disinformation on the internet is one of the major concerns, under which celebrities are also an easy target.

    A number of celebrities have spoken about how this affects their mental health and self-image in this age of social media. Recently, Alia herself spoke about having ADHD and the impact of her sister suffering from depression.

    Dawn Images shed light on the misconception regarding botox leading to paralysis. Botox treatments, which help reduce facial wrinkles, do not cause paralysis as the effects of this procedure generally wear off within three to four months as the treated facial muscles regain their function.

    High doses and improper use, however, can trigger temporary issues such as drooping eyelids, asymmetry, or even difficulty swallowing.

    In rare cases, the side effects may last several months, but they so reverse with time and care.

  • VIDEO: Qazi Faez Isa runs late for farewell because of ‘boy getting facial’ at barber

    VIDEO: Qazi Faez Isa runs late for farewell because of ‘boy getting facial’ at barber

    Chief Justice Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa apologised for reaching late at his farewell dinner ceremony on Thursday night, saying that he came late because “I went for a haircut.”

    “I usually have a habit of arriving early, but Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan suggested that I should get a haircut before attending the event. When I went to get the haircut, a young man was getting a facial, which resulted in a delay,” Qazi Faez Isa stated while addressing the farewell dinner.

    The farewell dinner was hosted by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on Thursday night.

    Qazi Faez Isa further remarked that he had been working since 1982 and used to take leaves for months, but it had been a while since he had taken off.

    Meanwhile, during the full court reference to honour CJP Qazi Faez Isa today, the court witnessed his last laugh as the head of the Apex Court when Justice Yahya Afridi humorously narrated the expenses of the farewell lunch.

    “Now to my commitment, sir, this is the formal announcement that the farewell lunch today is not at government expense; he is being cruel and imposed the entire expenses on me; however, I requested my brother judges to share the brunt,” Yahya Afridi claimed, and court attendees burst into laughter.

    “He was adamant and stubborn and was in no mood to accept farewell lunch on government expenses; he agreed only when we committed the expenses,” Justice Yahya announced.

    Qazi Faez Isa is retiring today, and Justice Yahya Afridi, third on the seniority list, will take the oath of Chief Justice of Pakistan on Saturday (tomorrow).

  • Saboor Aly, Ali Ansari enjoy Edinburgh in lovely photos

    Saboor Aly, Ali Ansari enjoy Edinburgh in lovely photos

    Celebrity couple Saboor Aly and Ali Ansari are enjoying their time in the UK.

    Saboor has shared lovely new Instagram reels from Edinburgh, Scotland.

    One of her latest reels features their train journey together, where she also showcased her quick makeup routine and posed with her husband. They both looked adorable together.

    Here are some beautiful pictures from their trip:

    Saboor is famous for dramas like Fitrat and Parizaad. Her husband, Ali Ansari, recently received praise for his role as Salar in the hit Geo TV serial Kaffara. Fans love the chemistry between Saboor Aly and Ali Ansari.

  • Imran restarted cycle of political victimization, now he is facing the music: Bilawal Bhutto

    Imran restarted cycle of political victimization, now he is facing the music: Bilawal Bhutto

    Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto appeared on BBC Urdu for an exclusive interview on October 24 in which he talked about the recent 26th Amendments and the controversies revolving around it.

    Journalist Farhat Javed asked the PPP Chairman about the government’s insistence on passing the amendments before October 25, to which he replied: “We did have a window because we’ve seen how other judges have moulded the constitution whether it’s Article 63A or the Reserved Seats’ case to serve their personal interests. And then, on the other hand, we had a Chief Justice [Qazi Faez Isa] who could withstand pressure from fellow judges that may try to instigate him… We had a window [before Oct 25] because this man wouldn’t try to undermine what we were doing. It wasn’t possible to do such a significant thing with the presence of any other Chief Justice.”

    The journalist asked Bilawal if Justice Mansoor had been the Chief Justice, then the amendments couldn’t have been passed. Bilawal replied: “This is our stated position that the Reserved Seats’ verdict was specifically orchestrated to undermine the strength of Parliament. The verdict on Article 63A was not based on the constitution but political motives.”

    Speaking about the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) claims about the illegitimacy of the current government, Bilawal remarked, “Which Assembly has had legitimacy in the past? When we came in 2008, did we not protest that our mandate and 2/3rd majority had been stolen from us? Even then we made constitutional amendments. When Zia ul Haq made constitutional amendments, they were legitimised by the superior courts. PTI calls us Form 47, and we call them Selected.”

    Speaking on the allegations of the establishment’s pressure on PPP to pass the amendments, Bilawal stated: “These claims are lies. I have worked for the Charter of Democracy. I have done these amendments because of my mother.”

    Farhat Javed then asked the PPP Chairman what has he done to end the violence and victimization cycle in Pakistan’s politics. Bilawal sternly replied: “What have I not done to end this cycle? When my father’s neck and tongue were slit, when he was imprisoned for more than 11 years, did we do the same things to the opposition when we came into power? No, we did not. PPP, not anyone else, ended this cycle. This cycle ended in 2008 in Pakistan’s history. Who broke the cycle? Imran Khan Niazi. He used to call it ‘muk mukaa’ or ‘Jail is for punishment, not vacations’, and he is bearing the consequences for what he did. If the [violence] cycle needs to end, then he [Imran Khan] has to do it. And he is in no mood to end the cycle, so it will keep on going.”

    “Do you expect someone who has been involved in the incarceration of your father, the torture of your mother and the torture of three generations of your family? I vould have taken revenge for blood. But I say that democracy is the best revenge for them,” concluded Bilawal.