Tag: Pakistan

  • World Bank surprised by Pakistan’s growth

    World Bank surprised by Pakistan’s growth

    The World Bank has released its Global Economic Prospects report 2022. In the report The World Bank analysed the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on economies around the world. The World Bank said it was surprised by Pakistan’s growth in the year 2021, citing record-high remittances and an accommodative monetary policy as the main reasons.

    “Growth in Pakistan surprised on the upside last year supported by improving domestic demand, record-high remittance inflows, a narrow targeting of lockdowns, and accommodative monetary policy — real interest rates dropped precipitously during 2020 and remained negative throughout most of 2021,” the report read.

    According to the report, Pakistan’s economy will grow by 3.4 per cent this fiscal year and by 4 per cent in 2022-23, owing to structural reforms that will improve export competitiveness and the financial viability of the power sector.

    However, the report stated that global economic growth will slow down to 4.1 per cent in 2022 from an estimated 5.5 per cent in 2021. The report also added a warning that “Omicron-related economic disruptions could substantially reduce growth” to as low as 3.4 per cent.

  • ‘We are in this together’: Australian cricket chief says if team tours Pak, ‘I will go with them’

    ‘We are in this together’: Australian cricket chief says if team tours Pak, ‘I will go with them’

    Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) Chief Todd Greenberg has told Australian cricketers that he will travel to Pakistan with them if the tour gets final approval but respects the wishes of “one or two” who might want to back out of the trip. If the team gets security clearance to travel, it will be Australia’s first tour to Pakistan since 1998.

    “I’ve made an assurance to the players that they won’t go alone. If they’re going to Pakistan, I’ll be going with them and I think that’s important. It’s an opportunity to show the players that we’re in this together,” Greenberg told Australian publication The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH).

    “The ACA accompanied Cricket Australia on a pre-tour of Pakistan late last year, and the reports were all very positive,” he further added.

    “But we’ll continue to take the advice of DFAT and other government organisations, as we need to be able to satisfy not just the players, but their families, that it’s safe to tour.” International teams have been reluctant to travel to Pakistan since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009.

    However, international players have competed in Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the West Indies also travelled to Pakistan in December 2021 for a Twenty20 series.

    Greenberg is aware that despite security assurances, a few cricketers might be unwilling to travel to Pakistan but he won’t force anyone.

    “There may be one or two players who won’t be comfortable despite the best advice we give, and that’s OK, we need to respect that.”

    CA chief executive Nick Hockley is also planning to travel to Pakistan for at least some part of the tour, while the interim chair Richard Freudenstein may visit for a period to meet with his counterpart Ramiz Raja, unless a new permanent chair is chosen by then, according to the report in the SMH.

    New Zealand and England had called off their tours to Pakistan ahead of the T20 World Cup last year, much to the disappointment of cricket fans in Pakistan.

    Chairman PCB Raja had earlier emphasised that cricketing nations need to back each other but said that “western bloc” was not helping the cause. He said he was expecting Australia to do the same what England and New Zealand did to them.

    It must be noted here that Pakistan will be hosting series with England twice in 2022. The Englishmen will visit Pakistan for seven-T20I series in September-October and they will return for a three-Test series starting in November, after the T20 World Cup in Australia.

    Pakistan and New Zealand Cricket Boards are also in constant talks to plan a series between the two nations.

    Meanwhile, the seventh edition of PSL is also set to kick start from January 27. International players from many cricketing nations will participate in the league.

  • Pakistan decides to make cryptocurrency illegal

    Pakistan decides to make cryptocurrency illegal

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the federal government have come together to make a decision to ban the usage of all types of cryptocurrencies.

    The 38-page report has been submitted by the SBP Deputy Governor Seema Kamil to the Sindh High Court to declare it illegal.

    On October 20, 2021, the provincial high court directed the government to form a committee presided by the federal secretary of finance to determine cryptocurrency’s legal status and submit a detailed report.

    The submitted report has stated that digital currency is based on virtual business that could be used for terrorism financing and money laundering.

    It also listed eleven countries that banned digital currency including Saudi Arabia and China and urged the court to impose high penalties over unauthorised usage as these countries have implemented.

    The court ordered that the report should be submitted to the finance and law ministries for a final decision on its legal status. They will decide if a ban would be within constitutional jurisdiction.

    The hearing was heard by the two-bench judge headed by Justice Karim Khan Agha. The next hearing will be held on April 12 this year.

    Meanwhile, a TV host and crypto entrepreneur, Waqar Zaka pleaded to make digital currency legal. In his view, it would benefit the economy of the country.

    It was reported previously that Pakistanis have lost almost 18 crores in a cryptocurrency-related scam. Almost 55,000 people have become victims of the scam. In total, 11 mobile applications have been identified as part of the fraud.

    As per FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Sindh chief Imran Riaz, the applications that are involved include, MCX, HFC, HTFOX, FXCOPY, OKIMINI, BB001, AVG86C, BX66, UG, TASKTOK, 91fp.

  • Two brothers reunite at Kartarpur Corridor after 74 years from Pakistan, India

    Two brothers reunite at Kartarpur Corridor after 74 years from Pakistan, India

    Two brothers who got separated during the partition of the sub-continent have finally reunited at the Kartarpur Corridor after 74 years, reports ARY News.

    Muhammad Siddiq aged 80, residing in Faisalabad, Pakistan who separated from his family during the partition, and his brother, Habib who lives in the Indian Punjab. The moment when they hugged each other brought tears to their eyes.

    https://twitter.com/thesinghsonia/status/1481167726827937793?s=20

    The Kartarpur Corridor, which links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district, reopened in November.

    The pilgrimage to the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara was suspended in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

  • Three year prison sentence, fine for false moon-sighting witnesses: bill

    Three year prison sentence, fine for false moon-sighting witnesses: bill

    The moon-sighting issue in Pakistan is a socio-religious challenge as many religious events(Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha) are directly related to it. In a bid to put an end to the moon sighting controversies around key festivals like Eid, the Pakistan government is imposing a three years imprisonment and a Rs 50,000 fine for anyone who announces the false moon sighting before the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.

    Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan introduced the Pakistan Ruet Hilal Bill 2021 on behalf of the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noorul Haq Qadri.

    The proposed bill mainly aims to tackle the formation of a Federal Ruet Hilal committee, led by recognised Ulema and scholars from all sects and schools of thought which has a history of announcing Eid and the start of Ramazan.

    The bill authorises only the chairperson of the federal committee or his nominee to make an announcement regarding the sighting of the moon. The bill proposes a fine of up to Rs50,000 for anyone violating the law.

    The federal committee, according to the bill, will comprise 16 members, including the chairperson. The federal committee will consist of two Ulema from each province and Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir; a grade-20 officer from Met Office, a science and technology expert and a representative of the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission and an officer of the level of director general from the Ruet Hilal Affairs division of the ministry, who will act as the secretary of the committee.

    The bill has suggested a complete ban on any other committee formed by individuals under any name for sighting of the moon for commencement of each Islamic Hijri calendar month.

  • Ramiz Raja to propose ICC four nation T20I ‘super series’ including Pakistan, India

    Ramiz Raja to propose ICC four nation T20I ‘super series’ including Pakistan, India

    Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ramiz Raja has said that he will be proposing to Internation theal Cricket Council (ICC) a four nation T20 International series which will include Pakistan with the ‘Big Three’ of cricket — India, Australia and England.

    Taking to Twitter, Ramiz wrote: “Hello fans. Will propose to the ICC a Four Nations T20i Super Series involving Pak Ind Aus Eng to be played every year, to be hosted on rotation basis by these four.”

    Chairman PCB said that this series can be played on a rotational basis by these four nations and profits can be shared on percentage basis.

    He further wrote: “A separate revenue model with profits to be shared on percentage basis with all ICC members, think we have a winner.”

    Pakistan and India faced each other in the group stage of the T20 World Cup in UAE, where the Babar Azam-led emerged victorious by 10 wickets. It was Pakistan’s first win against India in the ICC World Cups.

    Pakistan dominated the group stage and reached the semi-final without any hassle. However, the national side lost to the eventual champions Australia in the semi-final.

  • ‘Dil jeet liya, biggest star’: Ushna Shah opens up on special travel experience with Shahid Afridi

    ‘Dil jeet liya, biggest star’: Ushna Shah opens up on special travel experience with Shahid Afridi

    Actor Ushna Shah met the star cricketer Shahid Afridi on a flight as she had been on her way to Lahore where she will take part in the shooting of her forthcoming film.

    The Parizaad diva further said she will play a leg-spinner in the upcoming movie.

    “On a flight with Shahid Afridi bhai. Hands down the biggest star in Pakistan yet so humble,” said the Balaa star in a tweet.

    “Blessed me with encouragement & duas & SO gracious & kind to everyone who would come up to him, especially children.”

    She concluded her tweet by saying, “Lala ney dil jeet liya.”

    Ushna recently filmed an advertisement with Bollywood director Anurag Kashyap and veteran actor Saba Faisal in Belarus.

    'Gangs of Wasseypur' fame Anurag Kashyap ropes in Ushna Shah, Saba Faisal in his next biggie

    ALSO READ: ‘Bunch of bullies, abuse’: Ushna Shah hits out at trolls for accent shaming

    ALSO READ: ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ fame Anurag Kashyap ropes in Ushna Shah, Saba Faisal in his next biggie

  • Shehbaz involved in Nawaz leaving fraud, bring him back or face investigation says, Fawad Chaudhry

    Shehbaz involved in Nawaz leaving fraud, bring him back or face investigation says, Fawad Chaudhry

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, while addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting, said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif is not seeking medical treatment for the past 17 months.

    “Shehbaz Sharif was the guarantor of Nawaz Sharif,” said the minister.

    “The drama of Nawaz Sharif’s health was created here,” said Fawad, adding that Nawaz went out of Pakistan through fraud.

    Fawad further stated that the High Court ordered that Nawaz Sharif would remain in touch with the Pakistani embassy in London, adding, “the Pakistan embassy contacted Nawaz twice, but he did not respond.”

    “[PML-N President] Shehbaz Sharif is involved in this fraud. According to his statement, Shehbaz Sharif should take steps to bring Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan,” said Fawad.

    “The Federal Cabinet has decided to approach the High Court on the false affidavit of Shehbaz Sharif,” said the minister.

  • VIDEO: Younis Khan recalls time when crowd wanted him out so Afridi could bat

    VIDEO: Younis Khan recalls time when crowd wanted him out so Afridi could bat

    An old video of Former Pakistan Cricket Team Captain Younis Khan is doing the rounds on social media in which he can be seen talking about Pakistan’s most loved cricketer Shahid Afridi and his fan following. The cricketer recalled the time when he was on the crease at 150 score and the crowd wanted him dismissed to watch Afridi play.

    In the video of an old interview, Younis shared: “I was playing on 150 and Mohammad Yousuf was playing on 170 and we were playing against India. What we were hearing from the crowd was ‘dismiss Younis Khan, dismiss Mohammad Yousuf’. Why? Because Shahid bhai had worn his pads.”

    Shahid, who was also sitting in front of him started laughing.

    Younis further added that the crowd left as soon as Afridi got out and nobody waited for his double hundred.

    “Shahid Afridi came to the crease. Hit a few sixes here and there and got out. Amazingly, the crowd left with him. They got value for their money. But here I was nearing a double hundred in front of an empty stand,” he added.

    “What we see later was that the crowd was also leaving. I stood there and wondered: my 200 is almost done, watch me do that too. No, they were like ‘we have seen Shahid bhai hitting sixes, now we are going, Goodbye’.”

    Younis did not clarify which match he was talking about but there is only one Test in Pakistan in which both he and Yousuf got hundreds against India. It took place in Lahore in 2006.

    Younis had scored 199 while Yousuf slammed 173 as Pakistan pummelled the Indian bowling attack on a flat track. They ended up scoring 679/7 batting first.

    Afridi, however had smashed a hundred in that match. The attacking all-rounder hit 7 sixes in his 80-ball 103.

  • Pakistan’s most-wanted terrorist killed in Afghanistan

    Pakistan’s most-wanted terrorist killed in Afghanistan

    Pakistan’s most-wanted terrorist Muhammad Khorasani has been killed in Afghanistan.

    Khorasani, also known as Khalid Balti was planning attacks against Pakistan along with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Chief Noor Wali Mehsood, as per Geo News’ sources. He was a spokesperson for the banned outfit since 2014.

    Khorasani was involved in several attacks which killed innocent civilians security forces personnel.

    He was running a terrorist hub in Miranshah, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), however, after the Pakistan Army’s successful “Zarb-e-Azb” operation, he escaped to Afghanistan.

    Last week, Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Babar Iftikhar said that talks with the TTP ended after the banned group came up with certain conditions which were not acceptable.

    He said that operations are on-going against the militants.