Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has talked to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice President Shah Mahmood Qureshi via telephone, discussing last night’s raid at former Chief Minister (CM) Pervaiz Elahi’s residence in Lahore.
Dar distanced the federal government from the incident and blamed the Punjab government for it, while expressing grief over the raid that has been criticised for using excessive force.
The minister said that he would forward PTI’s reservations to the ruling alliance and would get back to them.
Meanwhile, Dar’s party fellow and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal criticised the PTI leaders for “using women and children” as a shield to evade arrest.
Apparently justifying the raid, the minister said both PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Elahi were not arrested when police conducted a raid at their residence.
The raid has put talks between PTI and the government, to reach a consensus on a date for election, in jeopardy. The final and third round of negotiations will be held on May 2 (Tuesday).
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian announced on Friday that Saudi Arabia and his country will soon reopen their embassies in each other’s capitals, Reuters has reported. The minister didn’t provide exact dates for the reopening of the embassies, which have been closed since 2016, during a news conference held in Beirut, Lebanon.
“During the last phone call between the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia on Eid al-Fitr, we agreed to work in the coming days on the reopening of the Iranian and Saudi embassies in Tehran and Riyadh,” Amirabdollahian said, according to an official Arabic translation.
China mediated a deal last month that led to the restoration of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which had deteriorated since 2015.
The conflict in Yemen began when the Houthi movement, aligned with Iran, overthrew the Saudi-backed government and took control of Sanaa, causing tension between the two countries. This tension has contributed to conflicts in other areas of the region, such as the Syrian civil war.
As the economic crisis in Pakistan persists and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme remains in limbo, the price of gold has surged to new heights. The All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APSGJA) reports that the rate of gold (24 carats) has increased by Rs800 per tola and Rs686 per 10 grams, reaching a settlement of Rs219,500 and Rs188,186, respectively. Similarly, the international market witnessed a $6 increase in the price of gold, bringing it to $1,990 per ounce.
This steady uptrend in gold prices can be attributed to the weakening of economic fundamentals, the depreciation of the rupee, and the record-high inflation rates. During times of economic uncertainty, individuals often turn to precious metals like gold to protect themselves against inflation and currency depreciation.
The delay in the IMF agreement has further exacerbated the economic crisis, leading to a negative impact on the currency market and increased demand for gold. Without a much-needed economic bailout, the country risks defaulting, adding to the already tense economic situation.
While the price of silver remains stable at Rs2,600 per tola and Rs2,229.08 per 10 grams, the rise in gold prices highlights the growing economic concerns in Pakistan.
A United Kingdom (UK) High Court Judge has ruled that the words used by three Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders against London-based journalist Murtaza Ali Shah are “defamatory” at common law and that he was defamed through a campaign.
Murtaza had himself moved the court against PTI leaders Mohammad Imran, Shanaz Hussain (typically known as Shanaz Saddique) and Riaz Hussain after they launched a defamatory social media campaign against him in 2020. Shah’s reporting on Justice Qazi Faez Isa of the Supreme Court after the Assets Recovery Unit paid a spy agency to investigate Justice Isa’s children led to the defamatory campaign against the journalist.
The former ruling party has distanced itself from the matter. A spokesman of PTI UK said the three were clearly told by PTI leadership that their campaign against the reporter is personal.
It is pertinent to mention here that one of the PTI leaders—Shanaz Hussain— was found guilty of forging her husband’s signature in 2012.
In March 2023, at a preliminary trial on the meaning of the defamatory words used by these leaders, a judge said that “these are serious allegations to make against a professional journalist”.
In the late hours of Friday night, a heavy contingent of officials from anti-corruption department and police reached the Gulberg residence of former Chief Minister (CM) Pervaiz Elahi in Lahore to arrest him in a corruption case.
According to Elahi’s lawyer, pre-arrest bail had already been taken from a court until May 6 in the particular case. However, the team insisted that they need Elahi in a new case and they would not leave without arresting him.
Sometime later, the raiding team used an armoured vehicle to break down the main gate of Elahi’s house, arresting multiple staff members. Female police officers also took women into custody.
The plan was to arrest Elahi too, however, after a thorough search they couldn’t find him.
They also tried to force their way into the adjoining residence of PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, but they were resisted by Shujaat’s sons.
After the episode, Elahi’s son moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) to stop the police. Many politicians, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, strongly condemned the raid.
laundering Sharif & Zardari families in this manner? Enough is enough. Tomorrow I will give roadmap to our nation on how to stand up against this destruction of our Constitution & democracy.
فاشسٹ حکومت طاقت کے نشے میں اندھی ہوگئی پرویز الہی صاحب کے گھر پر حملہ کردیا گیا ہے۔ گھر کے دروازے توڑے جارہے ہے چادر اور چار دیواری کا تقدس پامال کیا جارہا ہے۔ پرویز الہی نے پنجاب اسمبلی تحلیل کردی تھی اس کی سزا انکو دی جارہی ہے۔ @MoonisElahi6pic.twitter.com/lKAvF4MwQb
ایک طرف مذاکرات دوسری طرف گرفتاریاں؟ چوہدری پرویز الہی کے گھر چھاپہ سے ثابت ہوتا ہے کہ اسحق ڈار، سعد رفیق اور اعظم تارڑ کی اپنی حکومت میں کوئ حیثیت نہیں ، اس چھاپے کی شدید مذمت کرتے ہیں
The citizens of Pakistan, a poor country with a population of 220 million, have been struggling with record-high inflation due to the government’s inability to control prices. According to the weekly bulletin released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the weekly inflation increased by 46.82 per cent year-on-year and 0.15 per cent week-on-week, ending on April 27.
The rise in the sensitive price indicator (SPI) was attributed to the increase in the prices of potatoes, chicken, wheat flour, gur, bread, and rice irri-6/9. On the other hand, there was a decrease in the prices of tomatoes, bananas, onions, sugar, LPG, pulse masoor, and mustard oil during the same period. The SPI for the week under review was recorded at 252.20 points, up from 251.83 points the previous week and 171.78 points recorded during the week ended on April 28, 2022.
Fahad Rauf, head of research at Ismail Iqbal Securities, attributed the moderate increase in SPI mainly to the rise in the prices of potatoes and mutton. The price trend of perishable food items during the Eid week has been mixed, with the prices of some items going up and some going down. Ismail Iqbal Securities predicted that the CPI for April 2023 would come around 38 per cent, up from 35.4 per cent in March 2023, due to house rent revisions and higher wheat prices.
The absence of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme and persistent inflationary pressures may result in another rate hike, as per Ismail Iqbal Securities. An interest rate hike could further discourage businesses, which have already postponed their expansion plans and hiring. Import restrictions have also added to the woes of industries and businesses that have faced frequent shutdowns, resulting in uncertain or no wages for millions of workers.
The SPI is compiled by PBS by collecting prices of 51 essential items from 50 markets in 17 cities of the country. During the week, prices of 21 items increased by 41 per cent, while prices of seven items decreased by 13.73 per cent, and prices of 23 items remained unchanged, accounting for 45.10 per cent of the total. Various weightages are assigned to different commodities in the SPI basket, with milk, electricity, wheat flour, sugar, firewood, long cloth, and vegetable ghee having the highest weights for the lowest quintile. The price of milk and wheat flour increased, while the price of sugar decreased. The prices of electricity, firewood, long cloth, and vegetable ghee remained unchanged. However, the prices of all these commodities increased on a yearly basis.
In a surprising statistic, in the three last years at least 54.53 per cent of candidates, who appeared for the Central Superior Services (CSS) Examination failed Pakistan’s national language Urdu subject.
In 2019, 30 per cent of candidates failed in Urdu, while in 2020 and 2021, the rate of failure shot up to 59 per cent and 73 per cent.
Regarding the success rate in English, 35,000 out of 49,500 candidates failed in the subject in 2019 with a rate of failure of 73 per cent, which got better in 2020 when only 39 per cent got failed. However, in 2021, 92 per cent failed the subject.
The details of the candidates were presented in the National Assembly (NA) on Friday.
There hasn’t been a better time to watch Pakistani dramas than now, what with a whole range of shows and actors set to make their mark on our screens. It looks like finally the entertainment industry has started listening to our calls for something other than the saas-bahu jhagray, because these shows range from celebrating women in sports to satire to exploring the thrills of first love.
It also looks like Pakistanis are about to see fresh faces as well as some beloved actors make their debute on screen as Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed are coming back once more, and Instagram influencers like Mamia Shahjaffer, Khushhal Khan and Dananeer are set to star as main leads.
We’re definitely certain that you’re cancelling your plans to set up your movie night after scrolling through our list.
22 Qadam
Starring Hareem Farooq and Wahaj Ali, the drama is set to explore the lives of women in sports, through the story of Fari (played by Farooq) who aspires to become a cricketer. Speaking to The Current, Farooq called 22 Qadam “the voice of the unheard” and said that the sole inspiration behind this show was women like Sana Mir:
“The first person that comes to our mind when you talk about women and cricket is Sana Mir, she’s been an inspiration for so many women out there. It is just about breaking stereotypes and the taboos out there that women can also excel in sports, and if nothing else it makes you more independent and gives you that confidence that allows you to face the world in the best way possible.”
College Gate
It looks like the entertainment industry has finally understood that there isn’t any one out there willnigly ready to sit down and listen to another shaadi story about underaged women marrying men twice their age, because we’re finally getting a story about college students and their personal experiences. The show, starring Khaqan Shahnawaz, Mamia Shahjaffer and veteran actress Saba Hameed, promises to be a drama unlike what has been shown before with topics like addiction, peer pressure and depression thrown into the story.
Barzakh
Starring power leads Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed along with newcomer model Khushhal Khan, the series has definitely captured our attention, especially the fact that it is written and directed by the mastermind behind Churails (2018), Asim Abbasi. Speaking to Variety, Abbasi said that the inspiration for the series came after the death of his father and watching his own son grow into a young boy:
“In the aftermath of my father’s passing, and witnessing my son grow into a young boy, I found myself consumed with nostalgia, and memories of times gone and loves lost. And I began to think about my fears – the end of consciousness, the end of imagination, the end of love. And from these fears, grew a story where love was indeed eternal. Where it survived us – making it the ultimate human legacy.”
Producer of the series Kerjiwal said:
“‘Barzakh’ is a product of COVID brain – it was a time where like everyone else, Asim and I were talking about love, life, death, losing loved ones, unable to say our goodbyes. There was a sense of loss, but also confusion, because of a lack of completion. Death and parting didn’t seem like a finality like it used to because funerals and weddings were both happening on Zoom.
This new reality was surreal and to make any sense of it, physical contact or in-person meeting with friends and family became crucial. Hence the idea about a show which essentially was a family reunion came up.”
101 Talakhien
This looks like the perfect drama for anyone (especially us) who is bored to death of marriage obsessed culture, and wants something dark and satirical- which is exactly what the show promises to deliver. Zahid Ahmed stars as famous lawyer Rustom Kavasji, who artfully decodes how couples begin to fall apart after getting married.
Muhabbat Gumshuda Meri
This seems like a Pakistani version of K-dramas which will explore the thrills of high school relationships, because this trailer has already got us counting down the days to the release. TikTok star Dananeer and model and actor Khushhal Khan are the main leads of the drama and are shown to be complete opposites, who slowly come to fall in love with each other. However, their relationship is threatened by their parents leading to the couple going to any lengths to protect their relationship.
Idiot
Fans of Ahmed Ali Akbar who loved him in ‘Parizaad’ and ‘Ehd-e-Wafa’ are in for a treat because the hearthrob has already sparked anticipation with his upcoming film ‘Gunjal’ and now with his drama ‘Idiot’ where he is set to star opposite Mansha Pasha.
As soon as he used the expression, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique burst into laughter. PM Shehbaz turned around to look at the members seated closest to him. He asked if he pronounced the word correctly, to which they laughed and nodded.
Former President Asif Ali Zardari can also be seen smiling up at Shehbaz Sharif from his chair.
However, the exact meaning of the word eluded many. So we did some sleuthing on Twitter.
According to one social media user ‘Bhambhal bhoochiyan‘ means putting someone in trouble or confusion.
یہ لفظ ۲۰۰۳ میں پہلی بار ICMA میں اکنامکس کے ٹیچر سے سنا تھا جو کہ Phd Ecnomics, وزٹنگ لیکچرر اور ساتھ گریڈ ۲۰ کے بیوروکریٹ بھی تھے ہم اس لفظ کو کوئی گندہ لفظ سمجھے تھے اور ساری کلاس ہنسنے لگی تھی مگر انھوں نے ا سکا ترجمہ شاید “مشکل میں یا الجھن میں ڈالنا” بتایا تھا
The United States has urged Pakistan to take urgent action to implement the necessary reforms required by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to address the country’s rising economic crisis. Inflation has been a major issue for Pakistan, and discussions between the two parties have been ongoing since January to find a consensus on multiple conditions before signing a deal that includes external financing from friendly nations.
Elizabeth Horst, the State Department official in charge of Pakistan, stressed the importance of Pakistan’s compliance with the IMF’s agreed-upon reforms to ensure the country’s financial stability and avoid falling further into debt. She emphasised that although the reforms may not be easy, they are essential for the growth of Pakistan’s economy.
Horst also expressed the US government’s concern over Pakistan’s economic situation and promised support for the country, particularly in policy, business, and transparency. She pointed out that the trade relationship between the two countries is already worth over nine billion dollars and will continue to increase.
Highlighting the close cooperation between the US and Pakistan in areas such as trade and investment, climate change, and security, Horst revealed that the Pakistan-US Green Alliance has been initiated to further enhance these relations. She emphasised the importance of Pakistan’s sovereignty and that it is free to make its own choices.
The State Department official also emphasised that both countries are working together to ensure regional security, counter-terrorism, and counter-narcotics. She expressed concern over the rising number of terrorist incidents in Pakistan and stressed the importance of continuing cooperation between the two countries to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a haven for terrorists.
Horst concluded by stating that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is in the interest of both Pakistan and the US. She emphasised the importance of pushing the Taliban to fulfill their promises for peace and stability, as thousands of lives have already been affected by terrorism.
