The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has imposed an 18 percent General Sales Tax (GST) on packaged food items, including formula milk. The decision was announced during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla. Chairman FBR, Amjad Zubair, told the committee that the GST will apply to all packaged items, including departmental stores …

Sheikh Maher Al Muaiqly, an imam at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, delivered the Hajj sermon at Masjid-e-Nimra on Saturday, urging Ummah to forge unity and cohesion among their ranks. Hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims from around the world converged at Maidan-e-Arafat on Saturday to perform the Rukn-e-Azam of Hajj “Waqoof-e-Arafat” which marks climax of the Hajj. Worshippers from …

The World Bank has approved $150 million in funding to improve education facilities in Pakistan’s Punjab province. This initiative aims to benefit five million children who are currently out of school. A spokesperson for the World Bank highlighted that the funds will specifically target the seven million children in Punjab who lack access to education. By enhancing educational infrastructure and …

Pakistan’s National Logistics Cell (NLC) has achieved a new milestone. This government agency, known for its transport and logistics services, has effectively expanded its trade reach to another key Central Asian country. This week, NLC successfully delivered its first truckload of 6 tonnes of cherries from Dara Khunjarab to China. Following this, a second consignment is set to depart from …

In an incident at district court Attock, two prominent lawyers, Malik Israr Ahmed and Zulfiqar Marza, lost their lives due to gunfire by a police officer. Malik Israr Ahmed, a seasoned advocate of the High Court and former President of the Punjab Bar Council, was targeted inside the courthouse premises. The incident unfolded when the police officer allegedly opened fire, …

The Senate Standing Committee on Finance has approved a proposal to prohibit non-filers from traveling abroad. The meeting, chaired by Senator Salim Mandviwala, resulted in an important decision impacting individuals who fail to file their tax returns. According to the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), actions against non-filers will be enforced under the Income Tax General Order. Exemptions …

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has praised Energy China as a globally renowned multinational corporation and a crucial partner for Pakistan, contributing significantly to the country’s sustainable development. According to a statement released by Energy China on Saturday, it was stated that Song Hailiang, Chairman of Energy China (CEEC), met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his visit to …

People gather at a livestock market ahead of Eid al-Adha in northwest Pakistan’s Peshawar on June 14, 2024. (Photo by Saeed Ahmad/Xinhua) People gather at a livestock market ahead of Eid al-Adha in northwest Pakistan’s Peshawar on June 14, 2024. (Photo by Saeed Ahmad/Xinhua) Palestinian livestock breeders work in a farm ahead of Eid al-Adha in the southern Gaza Strip …

ISLAMABAD: The Women in Nuclear Pakistan Chapter (WiN-Pakistan), in collaboration with the Pakistan Nuclear Society (PNS) and the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority, organized a one-day seminar titled “Knowledge Sharing with Women in Nuclear Safety and Nuclear Security.” The seminar, aimed at fostering information exchange and promoting awareness of nuclear safety and security, saw the participation of around a hundred female …

SANAA: As the Muslim world prepares for the joyous celebrations of Eid al-Adha, a somber mood hangs over Yemen’s capital. The country, ravaged by nearly a decade of civil war, now faces a new challenge: a crippled economy further strained by the escalating crisis in the Red Sea. In Sanaa’s Old City, the famed Al-Melh market used to be known …

NEW DELHI: Four forest officials were killed and four others suffered burns while extinguishing a fire at a wildlife sanctuary in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, officials said Friday. The fire broke out at Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary under the Civil Soyam forest division in Almora district, about 370 km east of Dehradun, the capital city of Uttarakhand. According to …

Pakistan has been eliminated from the T20 World Cup 2024 after inclement weather in Lauderhill meant points were split between Ireland and the USA. USA have qualified for the Super Eight alongside India from Group A, also sealing their berth in the 2026 T20 World Cup. For Pakistan, though, a torrid tournament culminated in a hasty exit under gloomy skies …

Former Pakistan cricketer Azhar Ali has called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate the final three Group A matches scheduled to be held in Florida due to severe weather and flood warnings in the state. As the teams prepare to compete for a spot in the Super 8s, Ali has raised concerns about the viability of hosting the …

Additional session judge Afzal Majoka has adjourned the hearing of appeals filed by Bushra Bibi, founder of PTI, against their sentence in the ‘Iddat Nikkah’ case. Bushra Bibi’s legal team, including Khalid Yusuf Chaudhry and Usman Riaz Gul, appeared in court. PTI lawyers submitted the written order of the Islamabad High Court on Thursday. Usman Riaz Gul urged the court to …

WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature that will simplify the process of transferring chat history when switching to a new phone. This development comes as a relief for users who often find the data transfer process cumbersome and worry about losing their chat history. Switching to a new phone typically brings excitement, but this excitement can quickly turn …

Crowds of robed worshippers will circle the Kaaba, the black cubic structure at Mecca’s Grand Mosque, with many expressing sadness eight months into the Israel-Hamas war. “Our brothers are dying, and we can see it with our own eyes,” a tearful 75-year-old Zahra Benizahra from Morocco told AFP. Belinda Elham of Indonesia, which has the world’s largest Muslim population, said …

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif conducted a four-hour-long inquiry at Sahiwal Teaching Hospital following the tragic deaths of 11 children and ordered the suspension and arrest of the Principal, Medical Superintendent (MS), Additional Medical Superintendent (AMS), and Admin Officer of the hospital. CM Maryam Nawaz personally reviewed all inquiry reports and CCTV footage related to the incident. Punjab CM …

Global rating agency Moody’s Friday said that Pakistan’s weak debt affordability drives high debt sustainability risks as the government spends more than half its revenue on interest payments. Moody’s commenting on newly finance bill for the fiscal year 2024-2025 said: “The budget estimated debt servicing payments to have increased by about 18pc for fiscal 2025 compared with a year ago. …

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed Khan encouraged the judiciary to uphold justice fearlessly to reinforce public trust in the judiciary’s impartiality and commitment to the rule of law by fighting the establishment and vowed establishment interference in the judiciary to be ended soon. The LHC CJ in his address emphasized the imminent end to establishment interference in …

Dreaming to get a glowing complexion? You have arrived at the right place. You can easily get a fair and radiant complexion with the right skincare routine and home remedies. Just make sure to choose ingredients that work well for your skin type. Here are some amazing home remedies for glowing and fair skin. 10 DIY Home Remedies for Fair …

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Adviser Finance, Muzammil Aslam, has declared federal budget as ‘killing poison. “The federal budget has not been the government’s intent, it is an IMF budget,” KP finance official claimed. “Thirty-eight percent tax has been enhanced on the instructions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF),” he alleged. “The salaried class has been strangulated in this budget,” Muzammil Aslam said. …

Pakistan on Thursday reiterated its call for holding Israel accountable for its grave crimes in Gaza and urged the global conscience to force Israel towards an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and bringing an end to the war on the Palestinian people. “Pakistan believes the time has come to hold Israel accountable for its grave crimes…In this context, Pakistan notes positively …

Apple overtook Microsoft as the most valuable company in the world, overtaking it once more as the manufacturer of the iPhone advanced in the competition to dominate artificial intelligence technology, according to Reuters. Its market valuation increased to $3.25 trillion when its shares increased by more than 2% to $211.75. With a market valuation of $3.24 trillion, Microsoft surpassed Apple …

Indian actor and model Sonam Bajwa known for her candid appreciation of Pakistani talent has once again made headlines for her admiration of cross-border celebrities. This time, she took to her Instagram Story to share a heartwarming moment featuring Pakistani cricketer Naseem Shah. In the viral video clip, Naseem Shah, Pakistan’s talented fast bowler, is seen comforting a young fan …

Engineer Saleh Al Jasser, the Saudi Arabian minister of transport and logistics services and chairman of the Board of Directors of General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), has launched a self-driving air taxi trial at the holy sites. The Saudi authorities have taken another revolutionary step to make Hajj comfortable. The electric air taxi’s inaugural trial, witnessed by GACA President …

Punjab Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman is presenting the Punjab budget 2024-25 in the Punjab Assembly session under the chair of Speaker Malik Ahmed Muhammad Khan amid the opposition protest. The session kicked off with a delay of one hour and 38 minutes. The budget outlay of Rs5,446 billion, including Rs842 billion allocated for development expenditure and a surplus of …

Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said that countries run on taxes, and increasing the scope of taxes is inevitable and regretted that a tax rate of 10% of GDP is unacceptable. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said the budget for the next fiscal year revolves around five principles, including widening tax base and digitizing economy. Addressing the post budget news conference …

The Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) has challenged the acquittal of PTI founder and Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the cipher case in the Supreme Court. An appeal was filed in the Supreme Court against the decision of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The IHC had acquitted PTI founder and Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case. The Islamabad High Court has …

Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch in a weekly news briefing said there was no exchange of congratulatory letters between the leadership of Pakistan and India. The spokesperson said Pakistan did not want to comment on India’s internal affairs. The FO spokesperson refrained from responding to the ban on passports of asylum seekers abroad. “The issue of passports and immigration …

BEIJING: China’s top political advisor Wang Huning met with a delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) led by Nguyen Trong Nghia, member of the Political Bureau and secretariat of the CPV Central Committee, as well as head of the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education in Beijing on Thursday. Wang, a member of the Standing Committee …

COLOMBO: The “Palestine Aa Eku Dhivehin” telethon, organized by the Public Service Media (PSM) under Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s directives, has collected nearly 10 million Maldivian rufiyaa (about 650,000 U.S. dollars) in aid by the end of Wednesday, the PSM said on Thursday. The telethon ran for 15 hours, the PSM said, adding that they received 9,390,647 rufiyaa and 31,732 …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping’s speech at the opening ceremony of the 10th ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum has been published. Xi delivered the speech, titled “Further Deepening Cooperation and Moving Forward to Step up the Building of a China-Arab Community with a Shared Future,” in Beijing on May 30. The booklet, published by the People’s Publishing …

Sarahouda Stiti, a 130-year-old woman from Algeria, received a warm and enthusiastic welcome upon her arrival at Jeddah International Airport in Saudi Arabia on June 10, 2024. Stiti, the oldest pilgrim from Algeria, was greeted with great respect at the airport. Recognized as the oldest Hajj pilgrim to visit the Kingdom this year, Stiti hails from Iraq but resides in …

The new income tax slabs for the salaried class under the federal budget 2024-25 revealed that a higher rate of income tax would now be applicable from July 1, 2024, where annual taxable income exceeds Rs. 600,000, high-level sources informed. In the new federal budget 2024-25, where taxable income is between Rs. 600,000 but does not exceed Rs. 1,200,000, the …

National cricket team fast bowler Haris Rauf recently opened up about the challenges of playing cricket in New York during the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, his comeback from injury, and the importance of minimizing errors on the field. Pakistan secured their first win of the ICC T20 World Cup with a convincing seven-wicket victory over Canada in the 22nd …

The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has released a comprehensive report marking 100 days of the 16th National Assembly, shedding light on various aspects of the legislative body’s performance and participation rates. The National Assembly held a total of 23 sittings during this period, spanning 66.5 hours in total. However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s attendance at these meetings was …

A fire that broke out in a building housing workers in the city of Mangaf in southern Kuwait early on Wednesday has killed at least 41 people, the country’s deputy prime minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah said during a visit to the site. The deputy PM accused real estate owners of violations and greed, saying those factors contributed towards …

As the monsoon season approaches, experts predict higher-than-usual rainfall across the country, with significant risks of flooding from July to September. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued warnings and outlined precautionary measures to mitigate potential disasters. The monsoon rains are expected to exceed normal levels this year, raising concerns about widespread flooding. Rivers and canals are at high …

The federal government has set ambitious economic targets in the budget for the fiscal year 2024–25 amidst challenging global and domestic economic conditions. According to official documents, the budget aims for a GDP growth rate of 3.6% for the next fiscal year. To curb rising living costs, the inflation target has been set at 12%. The government is optimistic about …

Indian actress Sonakshi Sinha has addressed ongoing rumours regarding her potential wedding to beau Zaheer Iqbal, asserting that the decision of marriage is solely her prerogative. In a candid interview with iDiva, Sinha expressed her bemusement over the persistent curiosity surrounding her marital plans. “Firstly, it’s nobody’s business. Secondly, it is my choice, so I don’t know why people are …