Tag: trending

  • Karachi among South Asia’s top 10 start-up-friendly cities: Report

    Karachi among South Asia’s top 10 start-up-friendly cities: Report

    Karachi has been ranked in the top 10 start-up-friendly South Asian cities in Blink’s Startup Ecosystem Report 2022. Karachi has emerged as the highest-ranked city in Pakistan, taking the position away from Lahore.

    Karachi’s position has moved up in South Asia but globally it lost five spots to rank 291st. Lahore dropped a heartbreaking 48 positions to rank 305th whereas Islamabad dropped one position to 438th. This year has not been good for city rankings of smaller Pakistani cities – Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, and Jhelum are out of the global top 1,000, leaving Pakistan with only three ranked cities, versus seven in 2021.

    Pakistan has dropped one spot in 2022 to rank 76th globally and maintains its second rank in South Asia. Pakistan is ranked fourth in the CAREC (Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program) business region.

    Pakistan’s overview:

    “With a population of over 220 million, Pakistan’s economy has massive potential to grow. For this to happen, digitalisation and successful startups will be a critical element. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, digital entrepreneurship increased side by side with investment in local startups,” says the report.

    The report further states that digital infrastructure in Pakistan has seen improvement with the introduction of broadband internet coverage, including 4G. All this came together with new legal frameworks that regulate and promote digital payments, investment, and credit under the State Bank of Pakistan’s Digital Banking Policy.

    “In addition, the government set up Special Technology zones offering several tax exemptions and incentives. Pakistan has come a long way with its legal framework, but there are still some areas that require more clarity when it comes to taxation or incentives for domestic investments. The country’s turbulent political climate is not helping to create certainty and stable policies to boost the local startup ecosystem.”
    As per the report, “The spike in funding and startups needs to be fuelled by talent with experience in scaling startups. To sustain this need, the country needs to come up with ways of providing its startup ecosystems with qualified and trained personnel.”

    The global rating evaluates the state of the startup economy and describes the dynamics of their growth and the main trends. This year’s report evaluated startup ecosystems in 1,000 cities and 100 countries.

  • This Apple Watch Series 7 clone costs less than Rs2,000

    This Apple Watch Series 7 clone costs less than Rs2,000

    On Pakistani online marketplaces, there are a number of replicas that are so similar to the original product that a layperson would have a hard time telling the difference.

    Apple Watch clone smartwatches, which are significantly less expensive than the original Apple Watch, are one of the most popular products in online marketplaces like OLX and Daraz.

    Here is the cheapest Apple Watch Series 7 copy version currently available on Daraz with a price tag of just Rs1,899:

    The seller claims that the ‘I7Pro Max IWO13 PRO’ is an IP67-resistant watch with a heart-rate monitoring system and 1.8-inch ‘HD’ screen. It is currently one of the cheapest Apple Series 7 clone smartwatch available in Pakistan.

    These smartwatches come in a variety of model numbers and brand names, and most of them are made in China.

    Lower grade replicas are more affordable ones. Smartwatches costing more than Rs5,000 can be thought of as slightly superior to ones costing less than Rs4,000.

    Read more: Cheapest new cars to buy in Pakistan

    The most intriguing thing is that despite many online shoppers knowing that these affordable watches don’t offer good quality or features, they continue to purchase them since the original Apple Watch Series 7 has a starting price of Rs90,000, which is significantly higher than what an average consumer can afford.

  • Man attempts suicide inside a mosque, policeman rescues him

    Man attempts suicide inside a mosque, policeman rescues him

    Trigger warning: Self harm/suicide

    A 55-year-old cloth merchant attempted suicide inside a mosque in Karachi. The man tried to cut his throat with a razor inside a mosque in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) after Friday prayers.

    “He availed a loan to support his drowning cloth business but failed to overcome the financial losses,” said his family.

    Clifton Division Superintendent of Police Rohail Khan said that the worshippers and the policeman deployed outside the mosque for security rescued Nisar from further harming himself, reports Samaa News.

    He was taken injured to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for treatment. JPMC Executive Director Dr Shahid Rasool said the patient was stable but he has been placed on a ventilator for the time being.

    According to the JPMC Medico-legal Officer (MLO) who examined the patient, the man’s family said the patient was suffering from psychiatric issues and depression.

  • Dynastic politics: PTI slammed for giving ticket to Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s daughter

    Dynastic politics: PTI slammed for giving ticket to Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s daughter

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice President Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s daughter Meher Bano Qureshi is contesting the upcoming by-polls for a National Assembly (NA) seat vacated by her brother Zain Qureshi.

    She will contest the election from NA-157, Multan. Addressing a press conference, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that they had filed nomination papers after the approval of PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

    “Meher Bano has a sense of the next generation. If we want to get our country out of this difficult situation, then mothers and daughters have to play a role because a mother has more sense of what will be the future of her child.”

    Meher Bano said that she has been working with the social media team of PTI since 2018.

    “My father has chosen me to keep Imran Khan’s narrative alive, contrary to tradition.”

    However, in Multan, PTI workers came to protest against their own party’s candidate, Meher Bano Qureshi, outside the Election Commission office and raised slogans of disapproval for dynastic politics. They argued that Mahmood couldn’t find anyone within the party for the candidacy.

    “First Mahmood gave a party ticket to his son, now her to his daughter,” they complained.

    A local PTI member, Engineer Waseem, who was also a part of the protest, said that if the party does not give him a ticket, then he would contest the election as an independent candidate.

    People on social media are expressing their disappointment over PTI continuing with the tradition of dynastic politics.

    https://twitter.com/Zara75520916/status/1555522618228445184?s=20&t=nDRe3scpPcj4cUJJzB3taA

    https://twitter.com/__Mugal/status/1555581107739004929?s=20&t=nDRe3scpPcj4cUJJzB3taA

    Reacting to the backlash, Meher Bano tweeted: “I have come across so many spreading fake news, doctored images and posters and attributing false statements to me. I wonder if it would have been different had I been a man. Anyhow, happy to work hard and prove myself.”

    Shah Mahmood’s son Zain Qureshi won PP-217 in the Punjab by-polls held on July 17. After becoming a member of the Punjab Assembly, he vacated his NA seat. His sister will now contest the election for the NA seat vacated by him.

    PTI Chairman Imran Khan himself has condemned and attacked the Pakistan Muslim-League (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for dynastic politics on multiple occasions.

  • Video: Saba Faisal confesses to getting cosmetic treatments to look young

    Video: Saba Faisal confesses to getting cosmetic treatments to look young

    Senior actress Saba Faisal recently appeared on actor and host Sajid Hassan’s chat show. The Baaghi star revealed on the show that she has gotten cosmetic treatments like botox to make herself look younger.

    Saba Faisal Reveals Details About Her Cosmetic Surgery

     She said that she never goes overboard o the extent that her features change but it is a requirement of the industry and she does get it done. Saba and Sajid also talked about the quality of doctors we have who are practicing these procedures and Saba said that she has one reliable doctor whom she always goes to get her botox done.

    Saba Faisal Reveals Details About Her Cosmetic Surgery

    Faisal added that there is no shame in getting these procedures done, so she feels no need to hide it. Arguing against the taboo attached to these procedures, the actor said, “Why should I lie? I do get these treatments done, and there’s no shame in getting them done. As you age, if you can maintain your looks and look your best for however long with these treatments, then you should go for it.”

  • Shoaib Akhtar requests prayers for eight-hour long knee surgery

    Shoaib Akhtar requests prayers for eight-hour long knee surgery

    Pakistan’s former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has requested prayers for his knee surgery. He has been admitted to a hospital in Australia.

    In a video message from his hospital bed, Shoaib Akhtar in said that he will have an eight-hour long surgery for which he needs prayers.

    The former cricketer said that he hopes this will be his last surgery. He has had five knee operations before.

    “One thing I would like to say is that it’s all worth it,” said Shoaib, as playing for Pakistan as a fast bowler meant a lot to him.

    “I will need two to three weeks to fully recover and the pain will go away,” he said.

    “This is the pain that I have to endure. It will be an eight-hour partial knee replacement surgery and hopefully, I will come out right,” he added.

    Prior to his retirement from international cricket in 2011, Akhtar played for Pakistan in 46 Tests, 163 ODIs, and 15 T20Is. He took 444 wickets in those matches.

  • PSX resumes recovery as KSE-100 index gains 670.87 points

    PSX resumes recovery as KSE-100 index gains 670.87 points

    The KSE-100 increased for the fourth consecutive session on Friday as the rupee continued to strengthen against the US dollar, maintaining positive investor confidence at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).

    The price of WTI crude oil was $87.95 per barrel during the day, while Brent crude oil was being sold at $93.75 per barrel, bringing the global oil prices to multi-month lows.

    The domestic equities market gained 670.87 points, or 1.62 per cent, to close at 42,096.24 points as a result of this development.

    The Pakistani currency’s ongoing rebound, which continued for the sixth day in a row against the US dollar, provided additional support for the market.

    Despite initial selling pressure on the market and a period of time in which the KSE-100 index traded flat, investor interest picked up toward the end of the first session, and the market closed roughly 300 points higher.

    The rise gained momentum in the second session, which enabled the index to pass the 42,000-point threshold and conclude with significant gains.

    The day ended strongly for index heavyweights in the banking, fertiliser, cement, chemical, automobile, and cement industries. On a weekly basis, the benchmark KSE-100 increased by 4.85 per cent. Capital Stake said that the PSX had strong sentiment for the fourth straight session.

    According to Topline Securities’ analysis, Pakistan’s stocks saw good momentum as a result of softening global energy prices for coal and oil, which experienced some correction.

    The decline enabled the market maintain its purchasing mood from Thursday and helped the KSE-100 index conclude the day at 42,096 points.

  • Man fired for coming 20 minutes late to office for the first time in 7 years

    Man fired for coming 20 minutes late to office for the first time in 7 years

    A man was allegedly fired for arriving 20 minutes late to work for the first time in more than seven years. One of the sacked employee’s coworkers posted about the incident.

    Reddit user @No_StopItStepbro in a post wrote, “Co-worker who has never been late in 7+ years, gets fired for the first time being late.”

    “This happened last week and today Monday we just found out he was fired for being 20 minutes late FOR HIS FIRST TIME EVER… tomorrow me and ALL my coworkers will be late and will continue to come in late until they rehire him.”

    The post added that as a mark of protest, all the employees of the company have decided to come late to the office until the person is rehired by the company.

    The post has generated at least 4.1k comments with several people sharing their stories of coming late to work.

  • Sajal Aly set to play Fatima Jinnah in forthcoming partition series

    Sajal Aly set to play Fatima Jinnah in forthcoming partition series

    Actor Sajal Aly is set to essay the late Fatima Jinnah in a series based on the Indo-Pak independence. Samiya Mumtaz and Sundus Farhan will also be playing Fatima Jinnah’s older portions. All the actresses will perform different phases of the life of Fatima Jinnah during the independence movement.

    The writer and director of the series, Danial K Afzal says the prologue is ready for the series based on partition.

    “The prologue teaser has three scenes, one of Bombay, one of the ’47 train carrying the beheaded corpses, and the third when she [Fatima Jinnah] stood for the elections,” said Afzal while talking to Dawn.

    Each scene in the teaser corresponds to a consequent season. “It will be a series with three seasons and 15 episodes per season.” He explained the series is divided into three seasons. “The first season is going to be pre-independence, the second is going to be during the independence and the third will be post-independence,” said the director.

    Afzal said that the series has been scripted entirely from the perspective of Fatima Jinnah and “we’ve only shot the prologue in which Sundus Farhan will play the pre-independence Fatima Jinnah, then the main chunk that is independence will be played by Sajal Aly and post-independence, the whole ’65 era, will be played by Samiya Mumtaz,” he explained.

    Mader-e-Milat Fatima Jinnah was a key figure in the independence of Pakistan. Several movies have been made on partition and several actresses got to portray Fatima Jinnah but the biopic on her life specifically has never been made. It has been reported that it will be Sajal Aly (for the phase of age 50) who will depict her along with Samiya Mumtaz (for the age 70) and Sundus Farhan to showcase Jinnah in her 30s.

    Dananeer Mobeen will also be seen in the series as a journalist from Bombay.

    The series, which is being made by a new production house called Aur Studios, may have a TV release, but is mainly being targeted towards an OTT audience. The teaser is apparently all set to hit screens, but the prologue will release on 14th August.

  • Army chief reaches out to Saudi, UAE authorities to discuss IMF programme

    Army chief reaches out to Saudi, UAE authorities to discuss IMF programme

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has spoken with the rulers of two Gulf countries — the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — to discuss the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.

    According to media reports, the extended fund facility worth $1.2 billion with the IMF was discussed with the Gulf countries, including the upcoming executive board meeting of the IMF, which is expected to ratify the loan programmme.

    It is pertinent to mention that the loan programme reportedly came under discussion and a positive development is expected for Pakistan soon.

    The development has taken place a week after the COAS was reported to have reached out to US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman over resuming the programme with IMF. He appealed to the US to help Pakistan secure an early dispersal of $1.2 billion in funds.