It has been revealed that there is a clear difference in grading of the first year (Inter) 2023 and 2022 examinations under Higher Secondary Education Board Karachi.
More A1, A, and B grades were awarded to candidates in 2022 than in 2023.
According to details reported by Geo, the percentage of success of A1 and A1 grade candidates in science pre-medical, pre-engineering, and general science last year was high, with 1539 in pre-medical results in the 2020 exams. Candidates succeeded in A-1, 3712 with an A grade, and 4573 with a B grade.
However, in the 2023 examinations, 654 candidates passed with an A1 grade, 2418 with an A grade, and 3753 secured a B grade.
In the 2020 pre-engineering results, 1125 candidates passed with A 1, 2468 with an A grade and 3304 with a B grade while in the 2023 exams, 461 candidates passed with A 1, 1566 with an A grade and 2479 with a B grade.
In the science general result of the 2020 examinations, 216 candidates succeeded with an A grade, while 918 candidates secured an A grade and 1573 candidates with a B grade.
In the 2023 examinations, 178 candidates passed with an A1 grade and 853 candidates passed with an A grade.
Background
The results for the first-year (Part-I) examination announced by the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) on January 24 raised concerns as more than 50 per cent of the students failed.
According to the Inter board spokesperson, 72 per cent of the candidates failed in arts first year (private) and 80 per cent in arts (regular).
In this context, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) also announced a sit-in outside the Board of Intermediate Education office in Karachi (BIEK) following the announcement of inter results which revealed that about 80 per cent Arts students had failed.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-supported independent candidates are currently leading in numbers after the recent general elections. However, the party’s leadership seems unsure about their stance on discussions with other political parties in the context of forming a government in Islamabad.
A day earlier, former Prime Minister Imran Khan said that his party will not talk to mainstream parties, including, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).
On the other hand, PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan said in an interview with Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ that PTI can talk with all political parties to solve the country’s problems, offering an olive branch as opposed to his party’s hard-line stance.
“We have no personal fight with these parties,” Ali said pointedly, adding that PTI is ready to sit with other political stakeholders, as soon as “tomorrow morning”.
In a significant market development, the price of 24-karat gold in the local bullion market took a sharp nosedive, plummeting by Rs3,500 to Rs210,800 per tola.
This dramatic downturn comes in the wake of hotter-than-expected US inflation data, which has sparked speculation that the Federal Reserve may delay anticipated rate cuts.
According to the Karachi Sarafa Association, the price of 10-gramme 24-karat gold saw a notable decline, settling at Rs180,727, marking a loss of Rs3,001 compared to the previous session. Similarly, the price of 10-gramme 22-karat gold fell to Rs165,666.
The downward trend extended to silver prices as well, with 24-karat silver being sold at Rs2,580 per tola, showing a decrease of Rs20 day-over-day. The 10-gramme silver price also experienced a dip, dropping by Rs17.15 to Rs2,211.93.
On the global stage, international spot gold slipped below $2,000 for the first time in two months, experiencing a 1.34 per cent decline or $27.
This shift follows the release of American Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, which disappointed investors after a recent downturn in price pressures had fostered expectations for rate cuts this year, as reported by Bloomberg.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s cautious stance, echoed by other Fed speakers, gained credence in light of the CPI figures.
Swap contracts referencing Fed policy meetings, which previously indicated a high likelihood of a rate cut in May and substantial easing by year-end, were significantly affected.
The odds of a May cut dropped to about 32 per cent from 64 per cent prior to the inflation data, with expectations for fewer than 90 basis points of easing this year.
Atif Aslam has sung many a hit song and does not regret any of them except for some prose. The superstar recently shared in an interview that he has apologized to Allah for singing inappropriate poetry by mistake. Clips from his interview have gone viral on social media, where people have praised him for the sincere and meaningful conversation.
Atif Aslam said, “If I have ever accidentally sung any inappropriate poetry which is considered as blasphemy in the glory of Allah, then I later realized that I have also apologized for it.” He also talked about his values and how he always stands up against wrong things and seeks forgiveness from God. Discussing his career, Atif Aslam mentioned, “It’s not that there was no auto-tuner technology in our time, auto-tuner was there then but now it has become a support for new singers because now everyone just wants to be famous quickly.” He added, “In today’s age, no one wants to work hard, everyone wants to get fame in a short period of time.”
He also said, “Sudden fame does not last long.” Although Atif Aslam didn’t mention any specific songs in the interview, he admitted to past mistakes. Both Atif Aslam and Qawwali singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan have faced criticism on social media for some of their songs and poetry in the past.
In the wake of the completion of its current loan programme, Pakistan is poised to sign a new loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), reports indicate.
The forthcoming Extended Fund Facility programme, anticipated to span three years, will see Islamabad share budget proposals for FY 2024–25 with the IMF.
Sources suggest that before finalising the agreement, Pakistan will provide assurances to the IMF regarding further increases in electricity and gas prices, as well as a commitment to reduce subsidies.
Finance ministry sources have disclosed that the conditions for the new loan programme are expected to be more stringent compared to the current Standby Agreement (SBA) programme.
Earlier discussions hinted at Pakistan securing another loan package from the IMF following the conclusion of the ongoing standby agreement.
The caretaker government has commenced consultations for the upcoming IMF programme, with talks expected to commence this month.
Officials from the finance ministry have indicated that the measures initiated by the caretaker government will be continued by the elected government in discussions with the IMF.
Young tennis player Zainab Ali Naqvi passed away on Monday, leaving the sports fraternity in shock.
17-year-old Zainab from Karachi was in Islamabad to compete at the ITF Junior Tennis Championship.
She had reportedly gone to take a shower after her match on Monday and was then found dead in the restroom.
After not returning for a long while and not answering her grandmother’s calls, the staff broke into her room where she was lying unconscious. She was taken to Kulsum International Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
“Zainab’s body was then shifted to the PolyClinic for autopsy before it was flown to Karachi. The real cause of death will be determined in the autopsy report but it apparently seems that it was a heart failure due to showering immediately after a hectic practice session.”, quotes Dawn.com
“Zainab Ali Naqvi, a young tennis player who had come to Islamabad from Karachi to participate in the ITF Juniors Tournaments, passed away last night on 12th February 2024 in Islamabad,” stated the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF).
Authorities in Cambodia have issued a stern rebuke to students to avoid “inappropriate activities” this Valentine’s Day, warning them of the perils of “losing dignity”.
Valentine’s Day has become popular among young people in many Southeast Asian countries in recent years, with bunches of red roses and heart-shaped chocolates popping up in stores and on street stalls in the days leading up to February 14.
While some might see the annual celebration of love as a bit of harmless fun, the Cambodian government — which has form for issuing dire warnings about the pitfalls of young love and premarital sex — is rattled.
The education ministry issued a directive to public and private schools late on Tuesday ordering them to “take measures to prevent inappropriate activities on Valentine’s Day”.
“It is not tradition of our Khmer nationality,” the statement said.
The ministry also noted that the event had made “a small number of youths… forget about studying and lose the dignity of themselves and their families”.
The Ministry of Culture called on authorities and parents “to remind children to use the day in line with the beautiful Khmer tradition for the sake of their honour and dignity”.
And the ministry of Women’s affairs weighed in, saying some people “misunderstand the meaning of February 14”.
Cambodia’s National AIDS Authority warned that AIDS was still spreading and that some people, particularly youth, used Valentine’s Day to “show love that leads to possible sexual intercourse”.
Last year, there were 7,600 people living with AIDS in Cambodia, including 1,400 new cases, it said.
About 42 percent of the new cases are youths aged between 15 and 24, the authority said.
Social conservatives see Valentine’s Day as a foreign import that represents a moral threat to traditional Buddhist beliefs.
Cambodian women in particular are under intense social pressure to retain their virginity until marriage.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is likely to join the federal cabinet despite publically stating on Tuesday that the party will only support Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate for prime minister, Geo has reported on Wednesday.
A day earlier, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto said that his party will only support PML-N in government formation and will not take ministries.
In a press conference following the two-day Central Executive Committee meeting of the PPP, Bilawal stated that the party is open to offering support on specific issues and crucial votes for the Prime Minister candidate of Pakistan, aiming to facilitate government formation and restore political stability.
“The PPP has decided that while we are not in a position to join the federal government ourselves, nor will we be interested in taking ministries in such a set-up, we also do not want to see political chaos in the country. We do not want to see perpetual crisis in the country,” he said.
Asif Ali Zardari, the co-chairman of PPP, announced in a press conference later the same night, the formation of a six-party alliance for the next coalition government. He stated that they had decided to form the government together.
Indonesians began voting for a new president Wednesday with Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto the frontrunner to lead Southeast Asia’s biggest economy despite concerns over his human rights record.
Polls project Subianto, a military chief during the Suharto dictatorship a generation ago, to secure a majority and replace popular outgoing president Joko Widodo, who observers claim indirectly supported his campaign.
The 72-year-old is the clear favourite after a campaign mixing populist rhetoric with pledges to continue the policies of Widodo, who has presided over steady economic growth but reached the constitutional two-term limit.
“The hope is to win,” Subianto told reporters before voting in Bogor on Wednesday.
“Come to the voting station… cast your votes according to your conscience.”
Nearly 205 million people are eligible to vote for Subianto or his rivals, former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo, in just the fifth presidential election since the end of Suharto’s dictatorship in 1998.
Polling stations opened at 7:00 am (2200 GMT) in the easternmost region of Papua and were due to close at 01:00 pm (0600 GMT) at the other end of the country in jungle-clad Sumatra.
A logistical feat involving more than 800,000 polling stations and 20,000 seats up for grabs saw planes, helicopters, speedboats and even cows used to cart ballots around the sprawling archipelago of nearly 280 million people.
In Papua’s Timika city, officials inspected makeshift polling stations built from logs, metal sheets and palm leaves as voters arrived to eye candidate lists.
In the capital Jakarta, a thunderstorm deluged 34 polling stations, according to the city’s disaster mitigation agency.
Workers wearing shirts that read “not voting is not an option” relocated some stations where ballot boxes had been wrapped in plastic, while others used pumps to drain floodwater.
Official results are not expected until March, but so-called quick counts from government-approved pollsters — shown to be reliable in the past — are expected to indicate the winner later Wednesday.
‘Decisive leader’
Consultant Debbie Sianturi was one of those determined to vote.
“I want to have a leader that will continue the democracy,” the 57-year-old said.
Another said Subianto’s experience made him a popular candidate.
“He has a military background, so I think he will be a decisive leader,” said Afhary Firnanda, a 28-year-old office worker in Jakarta.
Election commissioner Idham Kholik told AFP all voters should be allowed to cast their ballots if large queues remained when polls closed.
Subianto needs to claim more than 50 percent of the overall vote and at least a fifth of ballots cast in over half the country’s 38 provinces to secure the presidency.
If he falls short, a second-round vote will be held in June.
Baswedan, seen as the favourite to challenge Subianto in that event, told supporters to help ensure a fair vote in the graft-riddled country where voters dip their fingers in halal ink to prevent double voting.
“Come back to the voting station, monitor the vote count,” he told reporters.
Pranowo, who entered election day last in polls after once being the front-runner, said he hoped for a clean election.
“Today is the best time for all to return to the good path of democracy,” he told reporters.
Commitment to democracy
Another key factor in Subianto’s popularity is having Widodo’s eldest son, 36-year-old Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as his vice presidential running mate, a move that has raised eyebrows.
In October, Indonesia’s then-chief justice, who is Widodo’s brother-in-law, changed the rules that had barred candidates below the age of 40 from running for high office.
Widodo enjoys near-record approval ratings after two terms of solid economic growth and relatively stable politics in the nation’s young democracy.
However, some legal experts and rights groups have accused Widodo of improperly using government funds to support Subianto.
Subianto and his aides have rejected accusations of impropriety.
Subianto was dismissed from the military in 1998 over accusations he ordered the abduction of democracy activists at the end of Suharto’s rule, but he denied the accusations and was never charged.
He has since rehabilitated his image, thanks in part to a savvy social media campaign targeting Indonesia’s youth that portrayed him as a “cuddly grandpa”.
But rights groups have expressed alarm that he could roll back hard-won democratic freedoms, pointing to the alleged disappearances.
“We’ve been always worried about his commitment towards democracy,” said Yoes Kenawas, a researcher at Jakarta-based Atma Jaya Catholic University.
The ninth season of Pakistan Super League is starting from February 17, and here are the finall squads for all six PSL franchises.
Multan Sultans
Mohammad Rizwan (C), Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi , Ihsanullah, Faisal Akram, Dawid Malan, Reeze Hendricks, Reece Topley, Tayyab Tahir, Shahnawaz Dahani, Mohammad Ali, Usman Khan, Yasir Khan, Chris Jordan, Aftab Ibrahim, David Willey, Johnson Charles, Muhammad Shahzad
Lahore Qalandars
Shaheen Shah Afridi (C), Haris Rauf, David Wiese, Sikandar Raza, Abdullah Shafique, Zaman Khan, Mirza Baig, Rashid Khan (Unavailable), Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Imran, Ahsan Bhatti, Dan Lawrence (partially unavailable), Jahandad Khan, Syed Faridoun, Shai Hope, Kamran Ghulam, Rassie van der Dussen, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Tayyab Abbas
Peshawar Zalmi
Babar Azam (C), Rovman Powell, Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore (all Diamond), Mohammad Haris, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Haseebullah Khan (Emerging), Asif Ali, Naveen-ul-Haq (partially unavailable), Umair Afridi, Dan Mousley, Gus Atkinson, Mohammad Zeeshan, Lungi Ngidi (replaced by Waqar Salamkheil), Mehran Mumtaz, Noor Ahmad (replaced by Gus Atkinson), Salman Irshad, Arif Yaqoob, Shamar Joseph (partial replacement for Gus Atkinson), Arshad Iqbal (partial replacement for Khurram Shahzad), Luke Wood
Karachi Kings
James Vince, Hassan Ali, Shan Masood (C), Shoaib Malik (Mentor), Tabraiz Shamsi, Mir Hamza, Muhammad Akhlaq, Irfan Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Kieron Pollard, Daniel Sams, Tim Seifert, Mohammad Amir Khan, Anwar Ali, Arafat Minhas, Sirajuddin, Saad Baig, Jamie Overton, Zahid Mehmood (partial replacement for Zahid Mehmood), Leus du Plooy, Mohammad Rohid
Islamabad United
Shadab Khan (C), Naseem Shah (both Platinum), Imad Wasim, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Rumman Raees, Tymal Mills, Matthew Forde, Salman Agha, Qasim Akram, Shahab Khan, Hunain Shah, Ubaid Shah, Shamyl Hussain, Tom Curran (injured), Jordan Cox, Haider Ali, Obed McCoy
Quetta Gladiators
Rilee Rossouw (C), Mohammad Wasim, Jason Roy, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Hasnain (all Gold), Mohammad Amir, Will Smeed, Saud Shakeel, Sajjad Ali, Usman Qadir, Adil Naz, Khawaja Nafay, Akeal Hosein, Sohail Khan, Omair Yousuf, Sherfane Rutherford, Bismillah Khan (partial replacement for Wanindu Hasaranga), Sufiyan Muqeem
