Tag: Lahore

  • Petrol price may go down by Rs7.24 to Rs230.19 per liter

    According to industry projections, the ex-depot cost of petrol has declined by Rs7.24 per litre to Rs230.19 per litre for the upcoming fortnight from the current price of Rs237.43 per litre, as reported by The News.

    Considering recent reports, this might lead to a fall in the price of petrol by Rs7.24 per litre and diesel by Rs16.61 per litre in Pakistan at the upcoming fortnightly review if the government does not raise taxes to offset the effects of the declining worldwide market.

    Expected new prices

    In comparison to the present price of Rs247.43 per litre, the ex-depot price of diesel has fallen by Rs16.61 to Rs230.82 per litre for the upcoming two weeks.

    In comparison to the current fortnight, the ex-depot price of light diesel decreased by Rs10.87 to Rs186.41 per litre.

    Kerosene’s ex-depot price fell from Rs197.28 per litre to Rs187.82 per litre, a decrease of Rs14.20.

    The oil sector bases its prices on the current taxes levied by the government. Petroleum goods are exempt from general sales tax (GST), which is charged at a rate of Rs37.42 for petrol and Rs7.58 for diesel per litre.

    There has been a considerable decline in international oil prices, but it is unclear if the government would pass the impact through to the public or offset it by increasing taxes.

  • OMG we’re back again: IK to launch anti-govt movement from Saturday

    OMG we’re back again: IK to launch anti-govt movement from Saturday

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has announced the continuation of his Haqeeqi Azaadi Movement from Saturday (September 24).

    Addressing the All Pakistan Lawyers Convention in Lahore, Khan urged party workers and supporters to get ready for his call.

    The former prime minister’s announcement has come after the federal government tightened security around the Red Zone areas of Islamabad.

    Earlier in the day, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said a protest is a democratic right and it can be held at F-9 Park. However, he warned of dealing with protesters with an iron hand if they tried to move towards the D-Chowk.

    Earlier, the PTI chairman Imran Khan warned the government to stop the “persecution” of his party workers otherwise he would again march on Islamabad.

    He directed party leaders to start preparations for a long march to Islamabad. He also asked party workers to wait for the Islamabad call.

    In May, PTI leaders and thousands of supporters reached Islamabad where a six-day deadline was given to the government for announcing elections and dissolving assemblies. That long march ended a day after it started.

  • Traffic warden arrested for secretly making TikToks of women

    Traffic warden arrested for secretly making TikToks of women

    A traffic warden has been arrested in Lahore for filming TikTok videos of females on roads during his duty hours.

    The traffic warden used to make videos of female passengers without their consent. The arrested police officer also used to show his face in the videos.

    In view of the inquiry report, departmental action will be taken against the traffic warden.

  • Lahore-based frozen food facility to supply beef products to McDonald’s

    Lahore-based frozen food facility to supply beef products to McDonald’s

    Major meat exporter Al-Shaheer Corporation Limited (ASC) revealed on Tuesday that it had signed a business connection deal with McDonald’s Pakistan for the supply of beef products, making it the first-ever Pakistani company to do so.

    According to Brecorder, the company said that the beef products would be delivered through its Lahore-based plant for frozen foods in a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).

    “It is our great pleasure to announce that ASC is the first-ever Pakistani company to enter into a business relationship agreement with McDonald’s Pakistan for the supply of beef products,” it said in the PSX notice.

    McDonald’s Pakistan’s interest in the business, according to ASC, “is a testament to its commitment to upholding international standards and producing top-of-the-line products.”

    According to the material on ASC’s LinkedIn page, the business was founded as a partnership in 2008 with the establishment of an abattoir in Gadap Town, Karachi. The company initially solely shipped red meat to Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

    The first red meat brand in Pakistan, Meat One, was founded in 2010 when Al-Shaheer Foods entered the domestic fresh meat market. In 2014, the economy brand Khaas was introduced, aiming its marketing at local butcher shops.

    Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar are a few major export markets. Locally, Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad are where it is most prevalent.

    ASC announced the start of its frozen food facility’s commercial operations last year.

  • Sharp rise in Dengue cases in Karachi

    Sharp rise in Dengue cases in Karachi

    Karachi is witnessing a sharp increase in dengue fever cases with 113 new cases of the vector-borne disease reported in the city in the past 24 hours.

    According to officials at government-run hospitals, the number of dengue cases in Karachi has surpassed 3,000 this year. So far in September, 843 people in Karachi have contracted the virus. Approximately 3,428 dengue cases have been registered in the province of Sindh overall. Yesterday, no dengue cases were reported in the districts of Hyderabad and Larkana. It should be noted that a large number of dengue cases have been reported in Karachi’s East area.

    In the past 24 hours, 62 patients were diagnosed with dengue in Lahore, while 55 new cases were reported in Islamabad.

    Dengue fever is one of the world’s leading mosquito-borne illnesses and infects millions across the globe annually.

    Read more- Dengue cases on the rise in Punjab

    Dengue is transmitted by the Aedes Egypti mosquito, which thrives in densely-populated tropical climates and breeds in stagnant pools of water. The mosquitoes picks up the virus from infected humans and pass it along through bites.

    Dengue is potentially fatal, with a severe version of the disease called dengue hemorrhagic fever causing internal bleeding which could lead to death.

  • Two young sisters kidnapped, raped for four months

    Two young sisters kidnapped, raped for four months

    Two young sisters were kidnapped, kept in confinement and then raped for four months allegedly by a landlord and his employee.

    The horrifying incident took place in the Khaur police station area of Pindigheb town in Attock.

    According to the survivors’ father, who is a labourer, his 16-year-old and 18-year-old daughters were abducted by the local landlord and his personal employee four months ago.

    He said that the suspect kept his daughters in illegal confinement and raped them. Later, the girls escaped from confinement, reached their home and narrated the whole incident.

    After a medical examination by the police, it was confirmed that the teenagers were raped, which led to the registration of a case against the suspects.

    However, no arrest has been made so far.

    In Lahore, another incident took place where a 10-year-old girl was allegedly raped and then murdered. The murdered girl allegedly went swimming at a pool with her brother and five-year-old sister.

    The police are investigating the case.

  • Fuel Cost Adjustment: Consumers protest against inflated electricity bills

    Fuel Cost Adjustment: Consumers protest against inflated electricity bills

    Power consumers protested in major cities against the government and power supply companies due to excessive residential and commercial bills that were issued under the pretext of Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA).

    A number of Lahore residents were seen protesting outside LESCO offices, complaining about the skyrocketing electricity bills, chanting anti-LESCO slogans at Dharam Pura, Begum Kot and Ghazi Road.

    A number of farmers in Jhang also participated in a protest by burning their power bills while obstructing traffic on the Jhang Road. On the other hand, the shopkeepers and locals of Faisalabad organised a sizable protest against FESCO for billing residential and commercial customers for nearly twice the actual cost of electricity.

    PM Shehbaz demands urgent report on inflated electricity bills

    In response to complaints from the public about excessive electricity bills, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the relevant authorities to provide an immediate report to address the issue.

    The premier ordered the concerned officials to present a thorough report with recommendations for resolving consumer complaints against energy bills on an urgent basis.

    What is FCA?

    In addition to criticising the power supply companies, consumers are questioning the FCA charges that take up a significant portion of their monthly bills.

    Understanding the actual fuel cost (the cost of fuel in a month) and the reference fuel cost is crucial for comprehending the fuel price adjustment.

    Simply put, FCA is charged/adjusted in customers’ monthly bills to reflect the actual increase or decrease in fuel prices.

    Based on the price of fuel (such as coal, LNG, or furnace oil) used in the nation’s various energy sources, the total cost of fuel used in the production of electricity in a month (basket fuel cost) is calculated.

    The entire fuel cost for that month is therefore compared to the reference fuel cost at the end of each month, and as a result, the FCA is applied to the power bills after two months.

    The electricity bill will reflect a change in the FCA amount if the total fuel cost for that month exceeds the reference cost, while it will reflect a change in the FCA amount if the total fuel cost is less than the reference cost. We refer to this as a fuel price adjustment.

    How power suppliers calculate FCA?

    Whenever a power plant uses coal, it is possible to estimate how much coal was burnt and at what cost, as well as the total cost of the energy needed to generate the power.

    For instance, if hydel electricity generation has increased, the overall fuel price will reduce; likewise, if gas is consumed more frequently in a month due to its higher price, the fuel price would climb.

    It is also impacted by the rupee’s appreciation or depreciation. This is due to the fact that coal, LNG, and furnace oil are imported, therefore a weakening or strengthening rupee directly affects the cost as a whole.

  • Here’s why the internet was down in Pakistan last night

    Here’s why the internet was down in Pakistan last night

    The internet services in Pakistan suffered another disruption on Monday night. Services of almost all of the major Internet Service Providers (ISPs) were disrupted. Services were suspended in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Lahore around 11:10pm and remained suspended until 1:20am.

    “A nation-scale internet disruption has been registered in Pakistan; the incident affects multiple providers including PTCL, Nayatel and StormFiber with real-time network data showing connectivity at 38% of an ordinary level,” NetBlocks said in a tweet.

    Why was the internet down?

    Sources in PTCL said the internet fibre cables suffered damage due to heavy rains in Sukkur areas. “They said rainwater had entered the PTCL exchange causing electricity to short-circuit. The company expects the repair work to be completed by Tuesday morning,” reports Dawn.

    This was the second major disruption of internet services in less than a week. Last week, internet services were affected on Friday (August 19).

  • Girl proposes to a boy on digital streamer in Lahore

    Girl proposes to a boy on digital streamer in Lahore

    Pictures of an unusual marriage proposal in Lahore have gone viral on social media.

    “Will you be mine forever?” reads the text of a digital streamer screen.

    The girl, who did not mention her name, proposed to a boy named Faisal publicly by requesting him to marry her on a digital streamer.

    The streamer was displayed on a busy road in Lahore.

    However, the details of the proposal are not yet clear.

    The pictures were shared by Twitter user Rai Shahnawaz.

  • ‘He was stripped naked’: Imran Khan reveals Shahbaz Gill was tortured in custody

    ‘He was stripped naked’: Imran Khan reveals Shahbaz Gill was tortured in custody

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has revealed that his chief of staff Shahbaz Gill was stripped naked and beaten up in custody.

    Gill was arrested for inciting the public against the state institutions.

    ‘He should not have said that,’ Khan on Gill’s remarks

    “Yes, he should not have said what he did. It seems like he is inciting rebellion in the armed forces. It was wrong. We want to see a strong military,” said Khan when asked if he condemns Gill’s remarks.

    “Gill was beaten and asked how many times did General Faiz meet Imran Khan and what does Imran Khan eat,” revealed Khan.

    ‘I am a professor, not a criminal’: Shahbaz Gill

    On August 12, Gill told a court in Islamabad that he is being subjected to extreme torture in custody. He added that he is not permitted to sleep and not even allowed to meet his lawyers. He alleged that no medical examination was conducted as claimed by the authorities. The Islamabad Police had earlier claimed that Gill underwent medical examination at the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and the medical report revealed that he was not tortured.

    Shahbaz Gill was taken into custody on August 9 from Bani Gala Chowk for inciting the public against state institutions.

    Read more- ’Aqal hai tumhaaray mein,’ CM Punjab Pervaiz Elahi to Shahbaz Gill

    ‘PTI stands with Gill’: Fawad Chaudhry

    Fawad Chaudhry said recently the party is standing with Gill, adding that PTI chief Imran Khan had also raised the issue during Saturday’s rally in Lahore.

    He went on to say that the current government had also used indiscriminate force against children, women and unarmed citizens. “The same is happening with Shahbaz Gill.”

    “This is the policy of Rana Sanaullah which is being practiced in the country,” he added.

    He further claimed that the government wants to recover Gill’s mobile phone and wants custody of him so that they can torture him again. He went on to say that Gill made the controversial comments on Muharram 10 when mobile phone services were suspended.

    “The phone call was made via landline and you have that number. The statement was broadcast live on ARY News and you have that too,” he said.

    He went on to say that the current government had also used indiscriminate force against children, women and unarmed citizens. “The same is happening with Shahbaz Gill.”

    “This is the policy of Rana Sanaullah which is being practiced in the country,” he added.

    He further claimed that the government wants to recover Gill’s mobile phone and wants custody of him so that they can torture him again. He went on to say that Gill made the controversial comments on Muharram 10 when mobile phone services were suspended.

    “The phone call was made via landline and you have that number. The statement was broadcast live on ARY News and you have that too,” he said.

    High court adjourned hearing over his physical remand extension

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a notice to senior PTI leader Shahbaz Gill and adjourned the hearing on the matter of an extension in Gill’s physical remand today (August 15).

    The court adjourned the hearing after seeking a reply from Gill by tomorrow (Tuesday, August 16).

    On August 13, a judicial magistrate rejected the police’s request to extend Gill’s physical remand and sent him to jail on judicial remand. The same day, the prosecution filed an appeal in a sessions court, which was also dismissed. Subsequently, the government filed a petition in the IHC for Gill’s physical custody, arguing that the ongoing investigation against him and collection of evidence could not be completed without it.

    While hearing arguments from the prosecution today, Acting IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq questioned why authorities are seeking PTI leader Shahbaz Gill’s physical custody.

    “You are saying that an extension in the suspect’s physical remand is necessary? What will you do after getting the extension?” Justice Farooq questioned.

    The prosecution maintained that the ongoing investigation against Gill and the collection of evidence cannot be completed without an extension of his remand in police custody.

    Islamabad Advocate General Jadoon informed the judge of the lower courts’ decisions regarding the PTI leader’s physical remand. He added that the government had taken “serious notice” of Gill’s comments on television that “targeted the country’s institutions” and registered a case against him.

    Court seeks Shahbaz Gill’s bail plea matter

    Shahbaz Gill filed a petition before an Islamabad district and sessions judge seeking post-arrest bail on Sunday, August 14, in the sedition case against him.

    On Monday, the court sought arguments on the bail plea. Gill’s lawyer Faisal Chaudhry requested the court to issue a verdict on the plea, maintaining that his arguments are ready.

    At this, the judge responded that a similar case is under trial in the IHC as well. Faisal answered that the matter under trial in the IHC is related to the order of the judicial magistrate and, therefore, this court can hear the case regardless of the case in the high court.

    During the hearing, Gill’s lawyer stated, “It is a declared law that no one can be kept in jail for a single minute without reason.”

    At this, the court directed the investigation officer to appear in court with records at 11am. It also ordered the lawyer to submit a power of attorney on Gill’s behalf, and sought arguments from the parties upon resumption of the hearing at 11am.

    However, the hearing was further adjourned till 2pm. Meanwhile, the prosecution has requested the court to keep the case adjourned.