Tag: August

  • July remittances post significant hike

    July remittances post significant hike

    The Pakistani diaspora has sent $3 billion back home in July, 48 percent higher than the previous year, The News has reported.
    State Bank Pakistan (SBP) data shows that remittances from Saudi Arabia increased by 56 percent to $761 million in July, while those from the United Arab Emirates increased by $611 million.
    The percentage reflected a 94 percent surge from the UAE compared to July 2023.

    Remittances from the United Kingdom totaled $443 million, a 45 percent increase from the previous year. Workers also sent $300 million from the United States, a 24 percent hike from last July.
    The research director at AKD Securities Limited, Awais Ashraf said, ‘’This increase is mainly due to the movement of worker remittance into the formal channel, spurred by the reduced rate difference between exchange companies and the interbank market’’.

    Throughout FY24, Pakistan posted a current account deficit of $681 million, equivalent to 0.2 percent of the gross domestic product.

  • Arijit Singh beats Taylor Swift to become third most followed artist on Spotify

    Arijit Singh beats Taylor Swift to become third most followed artist on Spotify

    Indian singer Arijit Singh has surpassed global superstars like Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish to become the third most followed artist on Spotify. The musical prodigy, who rose to fame with songs like ‘Agar Tum Saath Ho’ and ‘Channa Meraya’, has a total of 86 million followers on his Spotify page.

    Taylor currently has 83 million followers, making her the fourth most followed artist on the music streaming platform.

    According to chart masters, the most popular artists among the top five on Spotify include Ed Sheeran, pop singer Ariana Grande, Arijit Singh, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish.

  • A couple got married during Taylor Swift’s concert

    Taylor Swift being the icon and queen she is, has curated a safe space in her concerts for everyone to dance and cry to her music, and now it is even permissible to get married during her shows.

    A clip of one of her concerts held in Glendale on March 18 went viral on social media. A couple were seen getting married during the ‘Seven’ spoken version.

    Speaking to Rolling Stone, the bride René Hurtado revealed the reason why she and her husband, Max Bochman, had chosen to get married during Swift’s concert:

    “It was really thrilling and exciting. I’m so glad that we did it. It was really special, and the timing during the concert was so beautiful.”

    On the reason why they chose to recite their wedding vows during “Seven”, Hurtado revealed that it was quite a significant song for them:

    “We pretty much had the best seat in the house, she added. “It was a really wonderful experience. Our section was so supportive and sweet to us when they saw what we were doing.”

    Since the past two days, Taylor’s concerts have featured all kinds of spectacular moments which only prove that she is breaking global records of the most highly rated tour anyone has ever witnessed.

    At the first concert, which was held in Glendale on 17th March, during the performance of Love Story, a couple went viral for getting engaged during the iconic bridge of the song.

    Another moment showed a guest service employee dancing to ‘Blank Space’ along with the rest of the audience.

    Us international Swifties can just sob into our pillows while watching livestreams, witnessing a powerful singer inspire other people to live their best moments in these wholesome ways.

  • FIA books Imran Khan and others in ‘prohibited funding’ case

    FIA books Imran Khan and others in ‘prohibited funding’ case

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has booked Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and other party leaders in a case pertaining to their party allegedly receiving prohibited funding.

    The case was filed by the state through FIA’s Corporate Banking Circle in Islamabad.

    In the First Information Report (FIR), the federal agency alleged that Abraaj Group transferred $2,100,000 to PTI account. In addition, the FIR states that the party received more financing from two bank accounts of Wotan Cricket Club.

    The complaint named Imran Khan, Sardar Azhar Tariq Khan, Saifullah Khan Nyazee, Syed Yunus Ali Raza, Aamer Mehmood Kiani, Tariq Rahim Sheikh, Tariq Shafi, Faisal Maqbool Shaikh, Hamid Zaman and Manzoor Ahmad Chaudhary as signatories/beneficiaries of the PTI account in question.

    The FIR alleged the branch’s operations manager had also failed to report these illegal transactions to the concerned authorities.

    In August, the ECP issued its verdict in the prohibited funding case — previously referred to as the foreign funding case — against the PTI, which stated that the party did indeed receive prohibited funding.

    The ECP said that the party, in violation of the Constitution, had received funds from 34 foreign entities. The party received funds from the United States, Australia, and the UAE. The ECP added that 13 unidentified accounts also surfaced during the probe in the PTI funding case.

  • Pakistan and India to reportedly play against each other on August 28

    Pakistan and India to reportedly play against each other on August 28

    India and Pakistan will likely play against each other in the Asia Cup 2022 on August 28, as per a Sri Lankan journalist.

    According to the journalist, India and Pakistan will be paired in one group in the Asia Cup while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will play in another group.

    Asia Cup is scheduled to be played in the T20 format between August 27 and September 11.

    Both teams last played against each other in 2021 T20 World Cup where Pakistan had beaten India by ten wickets.

  • Govt to stay in power till August next year: report

    Govt to stay in power till August next year: report

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif-led government has decided to complete its constitutional tenure till August 2023.

    The decision was reached during a meeting of the coalition partners, where the country’s overall political situation was discussed with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

    As per media reports, the meeting expressed its readiness to take the unprecedented economic crisis head-on and not give up till the country saw economic stability.

    The participants of the meeting decided that the government would complete its constitutional tenure in a bid to take the country out of the current economic turmoil.

    On Tuesday, Shehbaz Sharif approved the formation of a committee headed by the Law Minister to amend the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law.

    During the cabinet meeting, it was pointed out that “NAB’s black law” was used only for political revenge, and harassment of government officials and the business community.

  • UNSC adopts resolution to facilitate Afghanistan

    The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members unanimously adopted a resolution to provide vital support to Afghanistan.

    The resolution states that “payment of funds, other financial assets or economic resources, and the provision of goods and services necessary to ensure the timely delivery of such assistance or to support such activities are permitted.”

    Such assistance supports “basic human needs in Afghanistan” and is “not a violation” of sanctions imposed on entities linked to the Taliban, added the resolution.

    The move came as Afghanistan faces an economic meltdown since the Taliban seized control of the country in August. The crisis has left nearly 23 million people facing acute food insecurity, according to the World Food Programme.

    “Humanitarian aid and life-saving assistance must be able to reach the Afghan people without any hindrance,” China’s UN (United Nation) Ambassador, Zhang Jun, said in a tweet on Monday.

    The decision has been made to limit the scope of the resolution to one year, which only suggests that this aims to satisfy Washington’s European allies.

  • Over 50,000 street crime incidents reported in Karachi in 2021

    More than 50,000 incidents of street crime have been reported in Karachi during the first eight months of 2021, ARY news reported.

    According to the police, most of the street crime incidents involved motorcycle snatching, followed by mobile snatching and vehicle snatching incidents.

    During the first eight months of 2021, muggers snatched 34,181 motorcycles, 14,578 mobile phones, and 1,268 four-wheeler vehicles in the city during the ongoing year.

    The officials said that 54 people lost their lives while 458 people got injured due to street crimes in the city.

    Earlier, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah was informed during a law and order meeting that street crimes have seen a 30 per cent decline in August.

    Responding to the decline, the chief minister said he wanted complete abolition of street crimes in the city.

  • Google marks Pakistan’s Independence Day with Derawar Fort doodle

    Google marks Pakistan’s Independence Day with Derawar Fort doodle

    Google has released a doodle artwork of medieval Derawar Fort located in the Cholistan Desert of Punjab to mark Pakistan’s 75th Independence Day.

    “Seventy-four years ago today, Pakistan achieved independence. Today’s doodle celebrates Pakistan Independence Day, a public holiday commemorating the day on which the nation became a sovereign republic.

    “Pakistanis across the subcontinent join to celebrate their freedom and honour the centuries of history that comprise its cultural foundation,” read a statement by Google accompanying the doodle.

    The doodle’s reach is limited to Pakistan.

  • Azadi Sales to avail this season

    Azadi Sales to avail this season

    Independence day is around the corner and Pakistanis are ready to celebrate it with full zest. While people are looking forward to Azadi celebrations, various brands are also offering discounts for their customers.

    BEECH TREE

    Beech Tree is offering Up to 50% off Independence Day Sale online and in stores as well.

    Website: https://beechtree.pk/

    Nishat Linen

    Nishat is offering upto 50 per cent off on selected of items in stores and online.

    Website: https://nishatlinen.com/collections/home-linen

    ONE PK

    One is offering enf of Season Sale – Up to 70% in stores and online.

    Website: https://beoneshopone.com/

    Outfitters

    Outfitters is offering flat 30 per cent sale on all of your summertime essentials.

    Website: https://outfitters.com.pk/

    Cougar

    Cougar is offering Flat 30% – 50% OFF on the entire Stock.

    Website: https://www.cougar.com.pk/?fbclid=IwAR1K3AnXeHBO342Y9MYgIE_66KWAbw9ybV-cU_injkBD4Mla5pjaPHIbrHw

    MTJ – Tariq Jamil

    MTJ – Tariq Jamil is offering FLAT 25% off on entire stock.

    Website: https://mtjonline.com/?fbclid=IwAR2wNDxcDE4PVBmJ0rN19raNNU93cc-KAsB-4O-PROK-1kXGztf11B7510Qhttps://mtjonline.com/

    Cross Stitch

    Cross Stitch is offering Azaadi Sale upto 50% OFF.

    Website: https://crossstitch.pk/?fbclid=IwAR0P_pfOLgw5xX4XShTGNmhV7JGM5fXjUJyv5uNkvYDtlcKtDRmeZcS3wVw

    Logo Shoes

    Logo is offering flat 30% off on entire stock on stores & online.

    Website: https://www.logoofficial.com/?fbclid=IwAR0DSBEPkb7iSy00GakMFfW9EKeA6AGBDufCKmDv3xw76bSXBLqhoUSKC_c