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  • Sugar prices soar to record highs, adding to woes of inflation-hit masses in Pakistan

    Sugar prices soar to record highs, adding to woes of inflation-hit masses in Pakistan

    Sugar prices across Pakistan have hit an all-time high, casting a cloud of concern and inconvenience among its populace. In a dramatic turn of events, the sugar market landscape underwent significant fluctuations, causing consumers to feel the pinch while traders and policymakers raced to decipher the root cause. 

    Reports from various regions of the country reveal staggering price disparities. In the southwestern province of Balochistan, the town of Chaman witnessed the highest sugar prices, with the sweet commodity soaring to an astonishing PKR 230 per kilogramme. Meanwhile, in the central Punjab town of Arifwala, the price of sugar reached PKR 185 per kilogramme, perplexing both buyers and sellers alike. 

    However, amidst this tumultuous surge in sugar prices, Karachi experienced a minor respite as wholesale prices dropped by PKR 2 to settle at PKR 176 per kilogram. Yet, the relief was not fully passed on to consumers, with the retail price stubbornly clinging to PKR 190 per kilogramme, as reported by the PPI news agency via Dawn. 

    The question on everyone’s mind: What led to this unprecedented rise in sugar prices? 

    The shocking escalation in sugar prices came on the heels of growing concerns expressed by Pakistan’s caretaker government regarding depleting sugar stocks. Dawn’s report identifies rising sugarcane prices and court orders as the primary contributors to the spiralling sugar prices. 

    Furthermore, dealers have attributed the surge to a logistical nightmare, where the supply of sugar was severely disrupted due to vehicles getting stranded on national highways following the suspension of permits.

    Senator Taj Haider added another layer of complexity to the issue, alleging that former minister Rana Sanaullah allowed a massive 1.4 million tonnes of sugar to be smuggled, thus exacerbating the crisis.

    In this blame game, Haider emphasised that Naveed Qamar, Pakistan’s former Commerce Minister, had officially authorised the export of approximately 250,000 metric tonnes of sugar to bolster foreign exchange reserves. He vehemently defended his party colleague, rejecting any implication that Qamar was responsible for the ongoing sugar shortage. 

    Read more: Saudi Arabia to invest $25 billion in Pakistan over five years

    The repercussions of the sudden sugar price surge have further deepened the financial woes of the Pakistani people, who are already grappling with the burdensome weight of inflation. The situation has prompted policymakers, traders, and citizens alike to closely monitor the ever-changing dynamics of the sugar market. 

    As Pakistan grapples with the sugar crisis, the nation remains hopeful for a sweet resolution that can alleviate the hardships faced by its people in these challenging times. 

  • World Cup 2023: Trophy reaches Lahore for three days

    World Cup 2023: Trophy reaches Lahore for three days

    ICC World Cup trophy has reached Pakistan before the start of the mega event. Earlier the trophy tour was scheduled for a five-day visit from July 31 to August 4. However, the visit got delayed due to the unconfirmed status of Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup.

    The trophy started its tour from India, the host of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. It has travelled to Australia, New Zealand, USA, Papua New Guinea, West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy, Kuwait, France, Bahrain, and England.

    During this short yet important Pakistan leg of the tour, the trophy will make stops at cricket academies, educational institutes, and historical landmarks to provide fans a chance to witness the Trophy.

    The Trophy will be displayed on September 6 at the outdoor National Cricket Academy. Media personnel are allowed to capture thw historical moment, with display timings set as 40 minutes, starting at 10 am.

    The mega event will run from October 5 to November 19. A total of 10 teams will fight for the title at 10 different venues. All teams will play 45 matches against each other.

    The top 4 teams from the league stage will compete in the Semifinals where both winning teams will play Finals. The opening and final match of the ICC World Cup will be played at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

  • Fact Check: Did the Army Chief say ‘No political party is sincere with Pakistan?’

    Fact Check: Did the Army Chief say ‘No political party is sincere with Pakistan?’

    On Sept 4, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir pledged unwavering efforts to attract foreign investment and rejuvenate the economy during an extensive meeting with members of the business community. In the meeting, he engaged openly and candidly with them.

    The controversy started when a renowned businessman Zubair Motiwala appeared in Nadeem Malik’s program on Samaa TV and said during the live show that the Army Chief said that no political party is sincere with Pakistan. Motiwala was unable to complete his statement as his line was disconnected. A clip of his statement went viral online soon after.

    Today, senior journalist and anchorperson Saleem Safi took to X (formerly Twitter) and said that his sources have revealed that the Army Chief did not said anything like this. He stated that the Chief’s actual words were, “Every political party has good and bad people.”

    The Current reached out to Safi to get a confirmation about his tweet. He said that he confirmed with three people who were present at the meeting that the statement was not said. He said that ISPR also confirmed that the statement was not said by the Army Chief. He also predicted that Motiwala would clarify his statement himself in a few hours.

  • VIDEO: Which Indian batsman showed the middle finger to cricket fans?

    A video has gone viral on social media in which former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir makes an obscene gesture to fans during a match between India and Nepal.

    Gambhir, surrounded by security, walks by an area where cricket fans were yelling “Kohli, Kohli” at him. Gautam, who is talking on the phone, shows the middle finger to these fans.

    When backlash followed, Gautam Ghambir said while talking to the media that some fans were yelling anti-Indian slogans at him. He said that he has good relations with Kohli and Mahendra Dhoni.

    Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli were involved in a heated spat during a match in IPL. They were also involved in a fight during IPL edition 2013.

  • School principal arrested after blackmailing, raping women

    School principal arrested after blackmailing, raping women

    The principal of a private school in Gulshan-i-Hadeed, Karachi has been taken into custody after allegations of raping and blackmailing women, DAWN has reported.

    The news outlet spoke with Steel Town police Station House Officer (SHO) Nand Lal on Monday. The school principal was detained as videos of the alleged rape incidents made rounds on social media.

    The principal has admitted to the allegations that he raped women after promising them job opportunities, then recording their videos to blackmail them.

    The principal himself has been blackmailed by an extortionist who demanded Rs 10 lacs after acquiring the videos. Details of the alleged blackmailer, however, have not been revealed.

    The school principal had filed an application against the alleged extortionist at Malir City Police Station. But before the two parties could possibly reach an agreement, the police became involved in the case and arrested the principal.

    The SHO further said that a First Information Report (FIR) is to be registered against him on behalf of the state through a police officer. None of the man’s victims have resorted to the police as of yet.

    Meanwhile, according to Malir Senior Superintendent of Police Hassan Sardar, 25 videos have been recovered from the suspect. Through these video, five of the women allegedly raped have been identified.

    Further action taken:

    Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori and Sindh Inspector General of Police Riffat Mukhtar Raja have taken notice of the case and have called for action against the culprits.

    Additionally, the Sindh Education and Literacy Department has sealed the school “immediately” and held a probe into the matter.
    Dawn quoted from a letter from the Education and Literacy Department acting Director General, Muhammad Afzal addressed to Malir deputy commissioner (DC):

    “As per the record of this directorate, the school is not registered with the relevant authority and it is functioning without any legal status,”

    The DC has also been asked to probe into the case “with full length and immediately seal the school premises”.

  • Pakistani rupee sets new record, falls to Rs307.10 per US dollar 

    Pakistani rupee sets new record, falls to Rs307.10 per US dollar 

    In the interbank market on Tuesday, the Pakistani rupee (PKR) continued to weaken against the US dollar, losing PKR 1.4569 (0.48 per cent) on a day-over-day basis and ending the session at PKR 307.0996 per US dollar.

    On Monday, the Pakistani rupee experienced a slight decline against the US dollar, settling at Rs305.64 in the interbank market.

    The government has not yet finalised relief measures for the surging electricity bills of consumers, primarily due to disagreement between the federal government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the provided data.

    On the international front, the US dollar remained strong on Tuesday, while the Australian dollar faced some pressure. Traders were closely monitoring the Reserve Bank of Australia’s upcoming interest rate decision, speculating that interest rates may have reached their peak.

  • India to be renamed soon?

    A proposal to officially change India’s name to Bharat may be tabled by the Narendra Modi-led government during the upcoming special session of the Parliament from September 18-22.

    Speculation about the name change was fuelled amid reports that Rashtrapati Bhawan has sent an invite for a G20 dinner on September 9 in the name of “President of Bharat” instead of the usual “President of India”.

    The Constitution of India currently refers to the country as “India, that is Bharat…”, but there is a growing call among the ruling party’s right-wing support base to amend this to simply “Bharat”.

    Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Parvesh Verma has also prepared a private member’s bill seeking to amend the Constitution’s preamble to remove the word India even as lawmakers have been informed that there will be no private members’ day or zero question hours during the special session.

    Verma’s bill says the name Bharat has been widely recognised internationally as an alternate name for India as reported by Hindustan Times.

    “By officially adopting ‘Bharat’ as the formal name of our nation, we will establish a unified identity in global forums, promoting India’s cultural and historical heritage on the international stage. Renaming India as ‘Bharat’ will reinforce our cultural identity, foster national unity, and project a more authentic representation of our country’s rich heritage on the global stage.” It adds this move will align with the aspirations of the citizens seeking to embrace and “celebrate our cultural roots.”

    There was no official confirmation of the introduction of the renaming bill even as the Opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc constituents linked the reference to the Bharat in the G20 invite to the BJP’s nervousness over the formidable challenge they pose to the ruling party.

    On the previous Thursday, the government announced a special session, triggering speculation that it has been convened for a Uniform Civil Code legislation, the celebration of India’s G20 presidency, and the new Parliament building, etc.

    BJP’s ideological fount, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has been pushing for the change in name from India, using Bharat in its communication.

    Congress leader Jairam Ramesh hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rashtrapati Bhawan’s invite for the G20 dinner on September 9 in the name of “President of Bharat” instead of the usual “President of India”. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he cited the Constitution’s Article 1 that “Bharat, that is India, shall be a Union of States” and added now even this “Union of States” is under assault.

    Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal asked the BJP whether it would change the name of Bharat if the opposition alliance INDIA renamed itself Bharat.
    “There is no official information about it but I have heard rumours. Why is this happening? Some parties have come together to form the INDIA bloc. If the INDIA alliance changes its name to Bharat, will they rename Bharat?” Kejriwal said. “This is treason.”

    People took to X to question the alleged decision by the BJP. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K.Stalin, said, “After Non-BJP forces united to dethrone the fascist BJP regime and aptly named their alliance #INDIA, now the BJP wants to change ‘India’ for ‘Bharat.’”

    Member of Parliament for Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, since 2009 and writer Shashi Tharoor and said, “I hope the government will not be so foolish as to completely dispense with “India”

    Investigative Journalist Saurav Das took a rather humorous take and questioned why ‘Prime Minister of India’ isn’t being called ‘Emperor of Bharat’.

    Journalist Nidhi Razdan questioned whether every stakeholder was contacted in this regard or not stating that India belongs to all instead of one political party.

  • Saudi Arabia to invest $25 billion in Pakistan over five years: PM Kakar

    Saudi Arabia to invest $25 billion in Pakistan over five years: PM Kakar

    On Monday, Interim Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar announced that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) intends to invest a substantial sum of up to $25 billion in Pakistan over the next two to five years.

    During a media briefing, PM Kakar explained that Saudi Arabia’s investment focus will primarily encompass the mining, agriculture, and information technology sectors. This initiative aims to boost foreign direct investment in Pakistan, which is currently facing financial challenges. 

    If this investment materialises, it will mark the largest-ever commitment by Saudi Arabia to Pakistan. The country is grappling with a pressing need for funds to address its trade deficit and repay international loans in the ongoing fiscal year. 

    While specific projects earmarked for Saudi investment were not disclosed during the meeting, Barrick Gold Corp. expressed interest last month in partnering with Saudi Arabia’s wealth fund for the Reko Diq mine in Pakistan. 

    Kakar emphasised that Pakistan holds substantial untapped mineral resources valued conservatively at $6 trillion. Additionally, the government intends to expedite two privatisation transactions, likely involving state-owned power sector entities, within the next six months. There is also a plan to privatise another government-owned company, preferably outside the energy sector. 

    Read more: Business community finds hope as COAS Munir vows to tackle corruption and boost investment  

    It’s worth noting that privatisation efforts in Pakistan have faced challenges in the past, as the sale of state assets is a politically sensitive issue that previous elected governments have largely avoided. 

    Currently, Pakistan is navigating a challenging path to economic recovery under a caretaker administration, following the approval of a $3 billion loan plan by the International Monetary Fund in July, which prevented a sovereign debt default. Islamabad is confronted with a balance of payments crisis and requires substantial funds to rectify its trade deficit and settle outstanding debts. 

  • Sindh’s caretaker Interior Minister has unique solution for mobile snatching

    Sindh’s caretaker Interior Minister has unique solution for mobile snatching

    With an increase in street crimes, the caretaker Interior Minister Sindh, Brigadier (R) Haris Nawaz, has suggestions for locals as to how they should protect their valuables.

    Thefts and robberies are a major problem for the people of Karachi. The most common of the street crimes is mobile snatching.

    While talking to the media, Haris Nawaz said that people should keep the mobile phone in a place where it cannot be stolen, or keep the mobile phone in an inner pocket.

    He stated that citizens should look out for themselves by staying safe as well as help the government and the police.

    His statement led to social media asking what would the government do, if citizens are supposed to do its job.

    People react

    https://twitter.com/HishamKhan1998/status/1698970013867049247?s=20

  • Shehbaz, Dar should return to Pakistan immediately, says Khawaja Asif

    Shehbaz, Dar should return to Pakistan immediately, says Khawaja Asif

    Khawaja Asif, senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), has said that despite the fact that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s return is not possible until October, party president Shehbaz Sharif and senior leader Ishaq Dar should come back to Pakistan immediately as the public is angry about the economic crisis and inflation in the country.

    “There is no doubt there are countless [causes of unrest] for the people, and there is only one solution to this. We must constantly… constantly stay in touch with the people, so they can see us,” Asif stressed, adding that keeping distance from the public is not a solution.

    The former defence minister said this while talking on Geo News’ programme, ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’.

    Khawja Asif said that Shehbaz Sharif and the former finance minister should come back and tackle the criticism the party has been facing.

    He also mentioned that the PML-N Vice President is constantly in touch with the public.

    “All of us MNAs are sitting in our constituencies,” he added.

    The former defence minister stated that the PML-N was part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), so one party could not be held responsible for the economic crisis in the country.