Tag: Pakistan

  • Multinational companies plan to leave Pakistan as internet disruptions continue, says PBC

    Multinational companies plan to leave Pakistan as internet disruptions continue, says PBC

    The Pakistan Business Council (PBC) warned on Friday that numerous multinational companies are planning to relocate their offices from Pakistan, with many having already left the country, due to severe internet disruptions.

    “Many multinational companies (MNCs) are either planning to relocate their back offices from Pakistan or have already done so, as the reported imposition of a firewall causes widespread internet disruptions across the country,” the PBC stated.

    Alarm bells went off when the Dubai Chamber of Commerce released a report highlighting that 3,968 Pakistani companies were registered in Dubai between January and June 2024.

    Pakistan ranked second among the top countries whose companies registered in Dubai, signalling an exodus of businesses from Pakistan.

    Hundreds of thousands of skilled and unskilled workers already exist in the country in search of better opportunities abroad.

    “While we struggle with the costs of idle capacity in power generation leading to unemployment and loss of exports and tax revenue, we now have to contend with the threat of idle capacity in the emerging software sector due to poor firewall execution,” lamented the body.

    The tech industry has expressed serious concerns about the internet slowdown, warning that it could cost the debt-ridden nation up to $300 million.

  • No resumption of trade with India: Pakistan Foreign Office

    No resumption of trade with India: Pakistan Foreign Office

    The Foreign Office (FO) in Islamabad confirmed on Friday that no talks about the resumption of trade between India and Pakistan are taking place, citing India’s illegal steps taken in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in 2019.

    FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, addressing a weekly press briefing, recalled that the decision to suspend trade with India was taken after 2019, saying, “This situation remains intact.”

    She also condemned the killing of four Kashmiri youths by Indian occupation forces in the Doda district, emphasising that the brutal act was yet another example of India’s oppression of the Kashmiri people.

    The FO spokesperson also spoke on Afghan border issues, condemned the recent clash of both forces on August 12 and called on Afghanistan to avoid unprovoked acts.

  • Ali Amin Gandapur, Shakil Khan accused each other of corruption on WhatsApp

    Ali Amin Gandapur, Shakil Khan accused each other of corruption on WhatsApp

    Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Ali Amin Gandapur and former KPK Minister of Communication and Works Shakil Khan exchange bitter words in the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) parliamentarian Whatsapp group.

    Both exchanged harsh words for an hour and accused each other of corruption at midnight around 1 PM, sources have told Geo News.

    Shakil Khan derided the CM for his perceived lack of authority and promptly resigned from the ministry in the WhatsApp group. Gandapur responded equally swiftly, stating, ”I had already dismissed you.”

    Both deleted their messages after advise from assembly members and ministers.

    Shakil Khan resigned from the ministry while Gandapur termed his performance unsatisfactory.

  • Yo Yo Honey Singh has collaborated with Pakistani singers

    Yo Yo Honey Singh has collaborated with Pakistani singers

    In a cross border collaboration of music, Indian rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh is set to release his upcoming album, ‘Glory,’ featuring artists from around the world, including Pakistan’s singers Wahab Bugti and Sahiban.

    The album also includes contributions from Italian artist Laioung and American rapper Handles, making Glory a truly global musical experience. The album ‘Glory’ has 18 songs and will be released on August 26.

    Musician, composer and producer of Coke Studio Xulfi Khan also praised the collaboration and posted a picture on his Instagram with the caption, “Cheers to the new timelines art can create. Infinite love to the bridges being made. Our artists from Sibi, Balochistan and Thar, Sindh being represented here is extraordinarily beautiful. My best wishes for Honey Singh and his music.”

    Wahab Bugti is well-known for his famous Coke Studio song ‘Kana Yaari,’ while Sahiban’s recent song Aayi Aayi was released on Coke Studio season 15.

  • Justice still pending as Jaranwala incident marks one year

    Justice still pending as Jaranwala incident marks one year

    The Christian community in Jaranwala is still awaiting justice one year after the mob attack on their community. The government of Pakistan had promised to provide justice to the victims of the vandalized Christian community and to punish those involved in the violence, but their efforts appear to have been ineffective.

    On August 16, 2023, two Christian residents were allegedly accused of blasphemy, a charge that was later disproved. Despite this, a large mob went on to vandalize 20 churches and around 80 Christian homes.

    Amnesty International has reported that more than 40 percent of the affected Christian families are still awaiting government compensation.

    Out of the 5,213 suspects, 380 were arrested, but 305 individuals were released on court orders.

    Only 85 out of 146 families have received compensation so far, while 61 are still waiting for their due.

    ‘’We saw our houses in complete shambles as the building would soon collapse. To date, we have received no support. My husband is unemployed for a year because no one hires him (due to stigma). Many people received the promised compensation of 2 million rupees (US$7,200), but we did not receive it’’ said Jaranwala resident Christian Khalida Bano.

    The apex court disapproved the police report on the Jaranwala incident in February 2024, stating that it lacked the required information.

    One year later, trials against the culprits have yet to commence.

  • Indian actress Dolly Singh’s bold Independence Day video gets support from Hania Aamir

    Indian actress Dolly Singh’s bold Independence Day video gets support from Hania Aamir

    Famous actress Hania Aamir is receiving high praise from Indian social media users.

    Hania recently uploaded a video by renowned Indian content creator and actress Dolly Singh on her instagram account.

    In the caption, the Pakistani star praised the Indian actor for her powerful message.

    Dolly Singh, known for humorous content on social media, addressed women’s protection in her video.

    Singh expressed anger on the gang rape of a 31-year-old female doctor in the Indian state of Kolkata.

    “Women are given a lot of advice to take care of themselves,” began Dolly before emphasizing that when a woman or girl is mistreated, the blame often falls on the victim.

    At the end of the video, a visibly emotional Dolly remarked that no matter how much a woman takes care of herself, something still happens to her in the end.

    On India’s 78th Independence Day, Singh deliberately congratulated only men for their freedom, saying, “Only men are free in our country; women have not been freed yet.”

    After Hania Aamir shared the video on her account, Indian online users have praised her and questioned the silence of their own actresses.
    Viewers have remarked that, in this case, Hania Aamir has spoken up for women’s rights and praised Dolly Singh’s message, while their own actresses keep silent.

  • PTI MNA’s sexist outburst targets female K-Electric employee in National Assembly

    PTI MNA’s sexist outburst targets female K-Electric employee in National Assembly

    In a shocking development, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA, Iqbal Afridi, went on a sexist rant against a female employee of K-Electric during a meeting of the Standing Committee on Energy meeting of the National Assembly on Friday.

    “Mr Chairman, the K-Electric’s female employee’s dress code isn’t appropriate. There should be proper SOPs for dress code in National Assembly,” said the PTI MNA to Chairman Muhammad Idrees.

    Geo News reported that the agenda of the meeting revolved around K-Electric’s performance.

    As the meeting concluded and the team left, the PTI MNA considered it essential to discuss a woman’s attire in the meeting.

    The Chairman of the committee, Muhammad Idrees, apologised in front of journalists, remarking that a woman’s dress code shouldn’t have been discussed in the first place.

    Afridi, however, was undeterred and spoke with journalists, saying, “If this kind of people come into a civilized society, then what will our kids say? You saw the woman who was here; her clothes weren’t appropriate.”

  • ‘My BP did go from 80-200 but it wasn’t a heart attack’, Aima Baig reveals details about her scary run in with exhaustion

    ‘My BP did go from 80-200 but it wasn’t a heart attack’, Aima Baig reveals details about her scary run in with exhaustion

    Renowned singer Aima Baig, who recently said that she had a heart attack, has clarified to her fans that she did not actually have a cardiac problem.

    In her Instagram stories, she updated her followers about her health and thanked her fans and fellow artists for their prayers.

    She wrote, “I had no idea that I have so many fans, so many people praying for me. My respect for all of you has increased.”

    She added, “It was my own fault. For 2-3 weeks, I was continuously traveling, which made it difficult to take care of my health, and as a result, I fell ill. Due to neglecting my health, I became so ill that I had to be admitted to the hospital.”

    She emphasized the importance of taking care of oneself, saying, “We are all human beings and should prioritize our well-being because health is paramount.”

    She further clarified, “I did not suffer from a mini heart attack but was dehydrated due to not drinking enough water and neglecting my diet.”

    She stated, “My blood pressure had risen from 88 to 200, which necessitated emergency hospitalization.”

    Finally, she thanked all of her followers for their prayers and well wishes, and encouraged everyone to take excellent care of their health.

  • Salman Shahid thinks life is like a hotel stay  

    Salman Shahid thinks life is like a hotel stay  

     

    Veteran actor Salman Shahid, with over 50 years of experience in theatre, cinema, and television, recently appeared as a guest on ‘Zabardast.’

    During the interview, host Wasi Shah asked the thespian, “How did you balance your private life when you started your career? What did you learn from it?” 

    The Barzakh actor replied, “When you check into a new hotel, you spend time learning how the windows, door and shower work. But by the time we get the hang of it, it’s time to leave. It’s the same with life, our opportunities come and go before we can even understand what to do with them.”

    Shahid played the central role, Jafar, in Barzakh, a man who wants to marry his true love although she is deceased.

  • Amitabh Bachchan shares advice for married couples amid Abhishek-Aishwarya divorce rumors

    Amitabh Bachchan shares advice for married couples amid Abhishek-Aishwarya divorce rumors

    Amitabh Bachchan, the king of Bollywood, has shared some interesting advice for married couples on how to keep the romance alive.

    For the past year, rumors of a divorce between his son, Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya have been circulating online, as the two have been seen attending events separately. Their silence on the matter also raised concerns.

    However, a few days ago, a Times of India report claimed that Abhishek Bachchan gave an interview to Bollywood UK media, where he was asked about the persistent divorce rumors.

    Abhishek responded, “I don’t have much to say in this regard. You guys just give a different spin to the news, which I understand.”

    He then showed off his wedding ring and added, “See, I’m still married.”

    On his show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati,’ Amitabh offered advice to husbands and wives around the world for a happy married life.

    A couple on the show mentioned that they had been married for 25 years and still loved each other deeply. They shared that they make short videos (reels) wherever they go.

    Bachchan responded, “You’ve given a very good idea. I also suggest that to keep the romance alive, husbands and wives should make videos wherever they go. Whether it’s a walk or a trip, make it a point to create a video together.”