Tag: Pakistan

  • Hajj pilgrims will be eligible to receive refund of up to Rs185,000, NA body told

    On Wednesday, the Ministry of Religious Affairs informed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony that each pilgrim who attended the Hajj under the government programme would receive a reimbursement of up to Rs185,000.

    The committee applauded Hajj preparations at its meeting in Parliament House, presided over by Syed Imran Ahmad Shah.

    The committee was informed that each pilgrim who performed Hajj under the regular scheme paid Rs 1,175,000. However, before their departure for Saudi Arabia, Rs55,000 was returned to each pilgrim.

    The pilgrims who went for Hajj under the hardship quota were asked to pay a deposit of Rs 1,120,000.

    The meeting was attended by MNAs Chaudhry Faqir Ahmed, Shahnaz Saleem Malik, Pir Syed Fazal Ali Shah Jillani, Shagufta Jumani, Muhammad Anwar, and Shahida Akhtar Ali, as well as a special invitee (through a video link), Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani.

    Top officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, including the secretary and joint secretary (Hajj), were also in the meeting.

    The committee shared an optimistic outlook, hoping that good practises and ongoing efforts would keep giving advantages to the pilgrims in the days to come.

  • Ad-free entertainment: YouTube Premium launches in Pakistan at Rs479 per month

    Ad-free entertainment: YouTube Premium launches in Pakistan at Rs479 per month

    On Wednesday, YouTube announced the much-awaited launch of its premium and music services in Pakistan, bringing an array of exciting features to its users in the country. With these new offerings, viewers can now enjoy an uninterrupted and enhanced video-watching and music-listening experience.

    YouTube Premium, the flagship service, promises an ultimate viewing experience by allowing users to watch videos without being interrupted by pesky ads. Moreover, subscribers can continue watching their favorite content even while using other apps or with the screen locked.

    The service also facilitates the option to download videos for offline play, ensuring that entertainment is accessible even in areas with limited internet connectivity. Additionally, YouTube Premium subscribers gain access to YouTube Music Premium, a music service that offers ad-free music, background play, and the ability to download music for offline listening.

    In a statement, YouTube emphasised the significance of their premium service, which sets a new standard for video-watching convenience and ad-free enjoyment.

    The pricing for YouTube Premium is set at an affordable Rs479, which also includes a membership to YouTube Music Premium. For those looking to share the perks of Premium, YouTube offers the Premium Family Plan at just Rs899, allowing up to five members of a household to access the premium features.

    For the music enthusiasts, YouTube Music Premium is available at Rs299, offering an ad-free experience, background play, and downloads for music. Similarly, the Music Premium Family Plan comes in at Rs479, allowing families to share the enjoyment of ad-free music and music video streaming.

    As part of its commitment to the student community, YouTube offers a Premium Student Plan at a discounted price of Rs329. Eligible students can access the Premium service with all its features, making their entertainment experience even better. The Music Premium Student Plan is also available at a reduced rate of Rs149 for students who love uninterrupted music streaming on the web and Android devices.

    This launch comes at a time when YouTube’s presence in Pakistan has been growing exponentially. According to Google’s country head for Pakistan, the number of YouTube channels with over one million subscribers has increased by an impressive 35 per cent, reaching a total of 400. Additionally, there are now 6,000 channels with more than 100,000 subscribers, reflecting an annual growth of over 30 per cent.

    With the introduction of YouTube Premium and Music services in Pakistan, users can now enjoy a seamless and immersive experience while exploring their favourite videos and music. The new services are expected to garner significant popularity and add to YouTube’s already robust user base in the country.

  • NA continues hasty legislation despite outrage

    NA continues hasty legislation despite outrage

    According to the report filed by Amir Wasim in Dawn, the National Assembly (NA) approved 12 more bills on Wednesday.

    Along with debates over legislation, the NA saw a verbal altercation between Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf and South Waziristan MNA Ali Wazir when the legislator accused Pakistan’s intelligence agencies of “installing” the Taliban government in neighboring Afghanistan and demanded that those responsible for bringing the Taliban back to Pakistan be held accountable.

    The angry speaker warned the MNA not to talk about sensitive matters related to Pakistan’s security forces, and then switched off the mic for Ali Wazir, declaring his words “anti-Pakistan”.

    During the passage of the bills, members of different allied parties in the coalition government complained that the PML-N didn’t take them into confidence in the matter of the bills.

    Some members were also concerned about a bill passing amendments to the Secrets Act, granting powers to intelligence agencies to raid and detain common citizens without warrants.

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Agha Hassan Baloch has also said that BNP-M doesn’t want to be part of this hasty legislation. PPP lawmaker Shahida Rehmani and JUI-F’s Aliya Kamran were also against the passage of the bill.

  • PM Shehbaz says didn’t care about ‘taunts’ of being called establishment’s man

    PM Shehbaz says didn’t care about ‘taunts’ of being called establishment’s man

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that he did not care about taunts labelling him “establishment’s man”.

    At the inauguration ceremony of the Barha Kahu bypass project in Islamabad, the Prime Minister said, “I was called the establishment’s man, but I did not care about those taunts […] I never met army chiefs for personal reasons; the only motive behind those meetings was to ensure that the establishment and governments take the country forward together.”

    Acknowledging that in his 38 year long political career, he met many army chiefs but only to ensure that, “Islamabad’s government and Rawalpindi’s establishment remain on the same page.”

    Mentioning rumors that he was close to former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and military dictator, the late General Pervez Musharraf, Shehbaz asked what did he get.

    “Nawaz Sharif was thrown into jail and so was I. He went to Attock, so did I. He went to Landhi jail, so did I. Nawaz Sharif was exiled, so was I. Even my family was exiled,” he commented.

  • Sindh government initiates training women to drive pink buses

    Sindh government initiates training women to drive pink buses

    The Sindh government has decided to start a programme to train women to drive its pink buses, The News has reported.

    In the 10th board meeting of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA) on Wednesday, provincial minister for Information and Transport Sharjeel Inam Memon approved the decision to train women to drive the pink buses in Karachi.

    According to the provincial minister, this initiative would not only be good for gender equality but also perfect in terms of women’s safety and security during their commutes.

    He also said that empowering women is the vision of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

    The introduction of an environment-friendly electric taxi was also discussed as aninitiative, as it would create a positive environmental impact and provide people with employment opportunities.

    The Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project was also discussed during the SMTA board meeting.

  • Central leader Iftikhar Durrani ‘abducted’, PTI claims

    Central leader Iftikhar Durrani ‘abducted’, PTI claims

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has said that a central leader of the party, Iftikhar Durrani, went “missing” from Islamabad on Thursday.
    PTI said in a statement that the core member of the party was “kidnapped” from the capital city of the country.

    Iftikhar Durrani, a former special assistant on media to former Prime Minister Imran Khan, was considered a close aide of the PTI chairman.

    Despite the passage of multiple hours, as yet there is still no information about the PTI leader’s whereabouts.

    PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari strongly condemned the “abduction” of Iftikhar Durrani.

  • PTI may be considered ineligible for election symbol, warns ECP

    PTI may be considered ineligible for election symbol, warns ECP

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has cautioned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that it may be found ineligible to receive an election symbol due to its failure to hold intra-party elections.

    ECP summoned PTI Chairman Imran Khan to appear before it on August 4 (Friday) at 10 am, “failing which the Commission under Section 215 (5) of the Elections Act, 2017, may declare your political party ineligible to obtain election symbol for future election(s)”.

    According to previous notices, the PTI’s intra-party elections were scheduled for June 13, 2021, according to the party’s constitution. PTI was informed/reminded to hold intra-party elections within the timeframe specified in sections 208, 209, and 215 of the Elections Act of 2017, but the party failed to “provide the requisite certificate to this effect.”

    The ECP had instructed parties to include a list of symbols they prioritize with their applications, as well as the signature of the party head.

    “Every application must include the address of the head office of the political party,” the election commission said.

  • ‘Sirf Tum’ is a love story about obsession and the limits of madness

    ‘Sirf Tum’ is a love story about obsession and the limits of madness

    Geo TV’s new drama serial has quickly gathered a lot of eyeballs. The series is about two main leads who are poles apart in their personalities, family background and lifestyles.

    Starring Anmol Baloch and Hamza Sohail, written by Seema Munaf and directed by Mazhar Moin, ‘Sirf Tum’ is a production of 7th Sky Entertainment.

    Love and jealousy are the cornerstone of the story. Hanan (played by Hamza Sohail) and Abeer (played by Anmol Baloch) are the main characters. Abeer lives abroad with her mother and stepfather. At the beginning , we see that Abeer and Hanan are close friends while Hamza (played by Mohsin Abbass) falls in love with Abeer.

    The drama is a showcase for the acting skills of both the main leads and Mohsin. Supporting cast is also engaging.

    We can expect the drama to go further into exploring the jealousy and obsession angles as the story progresses.

  • Banks will now pay 10% super tax if their earnings exceed Rs30 crore

    Banks will now pay 10% super tax if their earnings exceed Rs30 crore

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced important amendments to the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 through Finance Act 2023, bringing significant changes to the Super Tax structure. According to the latest income tax circular (2 of 2023), banks will now be required to pay a 10 per cent Super Tax if their income exceeds Rs300 million.

    The Super Tax was initially introduced through the Finance Act of 2022, imposing graduated tax rates ranging from 1 per cent to 4 per cent on income slabs starting from Rs150 million to Rs300 million and above. Certain specified business sectors were subject to a higher Super Tax rate of 10 per cent if their income surpassed Rs300 million.

    New Super Tax slabs

    To enhance the scope of the Super Tax and ensure progressivity and uniformity in the tax rate structure, the Finance Act 2023 has introduced additional income slabs. These new slabs are as follows: Rs350 million to Rs400 million, Rs400 million to Rs500 million, and Rs500 million and above, with corresponding Super Tax rates of 6 per cent, 8 per cent, and 10 per cent, respectively. These new Super Tax rates will apply to all taxpayers across the board for the Tax Year 2023 and beyond.

    Addressing a significant concern, the Finance Act 2023 has also clarified the payment procedure for the Super Tax. The ambiguity surrounding whether the Super Tax under section 4C of the Ordinance should be paid as a lump sum at the time of filing income tax returns or in monthly/quarterly installments of advance tax under section 147 of the Ordinance has been resolved.

    The introduction of a new sub-section (5A) in section 4C now requires Super Tax liability to be paid in conjunction with monthly/quarterly advance tax installments, depending on the taxpayer’s circumstances. Corresponding amendments have been made in section 147 of the Ordinance to facilitate this process.

    This move is aimed at broadening the scope of the Super Tax and making it a more progressive and comprehensive tax measure. The FBR expects these changes to contribute significantly to the country’s revenue collection efforts while ensuring a fair and equitable tax system for all taxpayers.

  • 7 horses worth Rs10 lacs each die under mysterious circumstances

    7 valuable horses in a Gujrat camp have sadly died, leaving both the owner and officials perplexed, while the status of fifteen others remains critical, Samaa has reported.
    According to the authorities, preliminary investigation indicate that the horses died as a result of “consuming something poisonous.”

    The owner of the horses, well known in the are for competing in prestigious javelin events, took great care of the horses, each of which was worth an astounding Rs10 lacs.
    A thorough investigation is under way after local authorities opened a case in relation to the event.