KARACHI:A sudden change in the green channel’s parameters by Pakistan Customs has halted the clearance of thousands of containers of various imported commodities including essential goods, due to which importers are facing severe financial losses. Meanwhile, shipping companies and terminal operators are earning millions of rupees in terms of additional revenue through demurrage and detention charges. The delay in clearance …

Air pollution has reached critical levels in Karachi, with the city’s air quality index (AQI) recorded at 207 on Tuesday, making it the fourth most polluted city in the world. Only New Delhi, Lahore, and Cairo reported worse air quality, according to global rankings. As of 11:00 am, Lahore was ranked as the second-most polluted city in terms of air …

A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking the registration of two FIRs for a single incident, terming it inadmissible. Justice Jamal Khan Mandukhel reprimanded the petitioner, Waseem Ahmed Khan, for filing the case, noting that such petitions contribute to the growing backlog in the Supreme Court, now exceeding 60,000 cases. “We are repeatedly reminded …

Following the government’s decision to ban unregistered VPNs, the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association has voiced concerns, calling for a fair and balanced regulatory framework. In a statement, the association highlighted the importance of VPNs for ensuring privacy, secure communication, and online accessibility. It warned that indiscriminate restrictions could negatively impact IT exports, financial transactions, and research work, potentially …

The 12th edition of defence exhibition and seminar, IDEAS 2024, kicked off in the Karachi Expo Center on Tuesday. The exhibition has been organized to showcase a wide range of modern and traditional defense equipment, weapon systems and vehicles. Global defense experts are showing deep interest in the IDEAS 2024 exhibition. Defense production and exports are amongst the priorities of …

The China International Import Expo (CIIE) has swiftly evolved into one of the most persuasive global trade events since its inauguration in 2018. The 7th edition of CIIE has once again presented the event’s pivotal role in connecting global markets to China, offering a platform for international businesses to not only demonstrate their products but also tap new opportunities for …

Marcus Stoinis slammed five huge sixes in an unbeaten 61 as Australia crushed Pakistan by seven wickets in Hobart on Monday to secure a 3-0 T20 series whitewash. Chasing a meagre 118, the hosts hit the target in the 12th over to hand Pakistan a reality check after the visitors won the preceding ODI series 2-1. Stoinis was unstoppable once he got …

The Kremlin accused US President Joe Biden on Monday of escalating the war in Ukraine by allowing Kyiv to use long-range missiles supplied by Washington to strike targets inside Russia. The comments from Moscow came as Ukraine said a fresh Russian strike on the Black Sea port city of Odesa had killed at least eight people and wounded 18, following a massive …

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi reiterated on Monday that the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2025 would still be held in the country amid India’s refusal to send its team for the tournament. Pakistan, who won the last edition of the Champions Trophy staged in England in 2017, will host the Feb 19-March 9 tournament. Due to their soured …

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed that Aqib Javed will serve as the temporary head coach of the national white ball team until the 2025 Champions Trophy. The announcement was made during a media interaction following Naqvi’s visit to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Monday. PCB Chief Naqvi, addressing concerns regarding Pakistan’s readiness to host the prestigious event, …

Lahore’s overall air quality index (AQI) has reached alarming levels, with the current AQI standing at 434, significantly exceeding the World Health Organization’s (WHO) safety guidelines. The city’s air contains 58.5 times more chemical substances than the recommended levels set by the WHO. Several areas in Lahore are experiencing hazardous air quality. FC College and its surrounding areas have recorded …

The meeting of the Apex Committee of the National Action Plan (NAP) originally scheduled for today has been rescheduled. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who was set to chair the crucial session, had to reschedule the meeting due to other pressing commitments. However, the meeting has now been rescheduled and will take place tomorrow. The session was convened to review the …

The process for receiving applications under the Government Hajj Scheme 2025 begins today (Monday) and will continue until December 3, the Ministry of Religious Affairs announced. The lottery for the official Hajj scheme is scheduled to take place on December 6. Applicants participating in the regular scheme for the first time will be given priority in the lottery, according to …

Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast below-normal rainfall in November, with Islamabad unlikely to see rain this week. The prolonged dry spell is expected to worsen smog, raising the risk of chest and respiratory diseases. Medical experts warn of increased problems for asthma patients and other vulnerable groups due to deteriorating air quality. Director of Meteorology Dr. Zahar Ahmed Babar emphasized …

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology expressed serious displeasure over the closure of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in Pakistan, seeking a response from the attorney general and the interior secretary over it.  Chairperson of the committee, Palwasha Khan, warned that the issue could become political and create problems if mass protests erupted by millions of affected freelancers. She announced …

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed satisfaction over the country’s improving economic situation, while also issued instructions to speed up actions against tax defaulters.  While presiding over a meeting to review the economic situation, the PM emphasized that all sectors must contribute to the nation’s development by paying their share of taxes. He issued a clear directive to expedite actions against …

The Punjab government resolved on Sunday to ensure the implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to combat the toxic smog looming all over the province. According to details, the spokesperson said, “The food points and restaurants had been closed after 8:00 pm.” “The implementation of the SOPs to overcome the challenges faced by the air pollution had reaped the …

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Sunday that everybody will have to pay taxes for boosting the country’s revenue. Expressing his thoughts, Aurangzeb expressed about the country’s economy, saying, “The country’s economy is on the verge of the prosperity. The inflation and interest rates have witnessed a decline as well.” “The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was amazed that how the …

RIO DE JANEIRO: China and Brazil must seize the opportunities offered by the times, and continue to promote synergy between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Brazil’s development strategies, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a signed article published on Sunday in Brazilian media outlet Folha de S. Paulo. Xi said both sides should keep enhancing the strategic impacts of …

LIMA: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday met with U.S. President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Lima, Peru. Xi told Biden that over the past four years, China-U.S. relations have gone through ups and downs, but the two sides have also been engaged in dialogue and cooperation, adding the relationship has remained …

LIMA: When China first hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in 2001, the nation stood at a crossroads, poised to join the World Trade Organization. It was a moment of transformation that signaled China’s readiness to step fully into the global economic arena. By the time China hosted APEC again in 2014, the story was markedly different. The country …

Jake Paul beat boxing legend Mike Tyson by unanimous decision to win an intergenerational heavyweight battle in Texas on Friday that failed to live up to its enormous hype. The bout between the 27-year-old social media influencer-turned-prizefighter Paul and the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Tyson was streamed live on Netflix and played out in front of a sold-out crowd at …

Spencer Johnson (5-26) and (32 off 17) powered Australia to the brilliant 13-run victory against Pakistan to clinch the three-match T20I series 2-0 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on Saturday. Chasing a target of 148, Pakistan were bundled out for 134, with Usman Khan (52 off 38) notching up a fifty. Irfan Khan had remained unbeaten 37 off …

Seven security personnel have allegedly been martyred and 15 others injured when unidentified armed men attacked the Shah Mardan check post in the Johan area of Kalat, Balochistan late on Friday night. The bodies and injured were transported to Quetta for medical treatment and post-mortem procedures, Levies officials confirmed. According to reports, the martyred personnel have been identified as naik …

LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced to further extend the closure period of all educational institutions including schools till November 24 due to the heavy smog. As per details, the increasing smog situation has prompted the provincial government to further extend the closure of all public and private educational institutions, including tuition centres, for another week. Earlier the educational institutions …

LAHORE: The Punjab government has claimed success in conducting an artificial rain experiment using local technology. The experiment was a collaborative effort involving the Strategic Plans Division (SPD), Army Aviation, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other provincial agencies. According to the Punjab government’s statement, cloud seeding was carried out in Jhelum, Chakwal, Talagang, and Gujar Khan. The Meteorological Department, backing …

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior has penned a letter to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block illegal Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), highlighting increasing risks to national security and public morality. “VPNs are increasingly being exploited by the terrorists,” stated the ministry’s letter. “Off late, an alarming fact has been identified, wherein VPNs are used by terrorists to obscure and conceal …

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government has decided to keep the petrol and diesel prices unchanged for the next fortnight starting from November 16, 2024. According to a notification issued by the finance ministry, the petrol price has remained stable at Rs248.38 per litre, while the new price of high-speed diesel has remained unchanged at Rs255.14 per litre. The price of …

Swedish Gender Equality Minister Paulina Brandberg’s rare phobia of bananas has led to a series of unusual requests for meetings and events to be held in banana-free environments, according to leaked emails obtained by the tabloid “Expressen”. The phobia, known as “bananaphobia”, can trigger symptoms like anxiety and nausea, often when the fruit is seen or smelled. In one email …

Speaking at the special event of Margalla Dialogue 2024 in Islamabad, Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to regional and global peace amidst growing global challenges. He addressed critical issues, including the spread of misinformation, rising extremism, and the need for collective global action on pressing matters like terrorism and climate change. The army chief said rapid …

RAWALPINDI – The Pakistan Army successfully rescued travellers stranded in Deosai. On November 14, around 15 passengers traveling from Gultari to Skardu via Deosai became trapped due to heavy snowfall, losing all ground communication. Families and locals appealed to the Pakistan Army for help, prompting an immediate air and ground rescue operation. A joint team of Pakistan Army soldiers set …

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong Wednesday acknowledged Pakistan government’s efforts towards stabilizing its economy reflected through improvement in the economic indicators. “The economic indicators have shown improvement which has been recognized by the international institutions”, the ambassador said while addressing an enthusiastic audience at the Chinese Speech Contest held at National University of Modern Languages (NUML). He described …

As one of the most ambitious global projects of our time, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has transformed not only the physical landscape of participating countries but also their economic and diplomatic relationships. Introduced in 2013, the BRI seeks to enhance global connectivity and cooperation through infrastructure development, trade and investment. It offers a path toward inclusive development and …

The 11th China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum, held recently in Yinchuan, the capital of Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, marks a very significant milestone in fostering collaboration between Central Asian countries and China. The influential forum concluded by signing of 35 cooperation projects, with the worth of $1.57 billion (11.37 billion Yuan). The forum with its vision adopted the Yinchuan …

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday dismissed the cancer rumours, saying only two countries in the world do the parathyroid treatment. Expressing her thoughts in London, CM Maryam said: “The country has always witnessed the prosperity during the Nawaz Sharif-led government. The PML-N is having a track record of steering the country towards stability.” She said, “I had undergone …

President Joe Biden welcomed President-elect Donald Trump to the White House on Wednesday. This was Trump’s first return to the White House since his 2020 election defeat to Biden, an outcome he had fiercely contested, alleging widespread electoral fraud. The Oval Office meeting, held just a week after Trump’s victory in the November 5 election, was seen as a significant …

Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi,affirmed on Wednesday that communication channels with the United States remain intact, even as Tehran grapples with significant ideological differences with Washington. His comments come a week after Donald Trump’s election victory, amid mounting uncertainty over the future of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Araghchi noted, “The communication channels between …

Security forces carried out a successful intelligence-based operation in the general area of Miran Shah, North Waziristan, on November 12-13, targeting the reported presence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants – referred to as Khawarij militants- the military’s media wing said on Wednesday. The operation resulted in the death of eight terrorists, with six others sustaining injuries during the engagement. According …

Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has assured that no mini-budget will be introduced while affirming the government’s commitment to maintain the annual tax target of Rs12,970 billion. Sources from the FBR also stated that the General Sales Tax (GST) will not be imposed on petroleum products, aligning with ongoing discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Sources also indicate …

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the COP29 Climate Action Summit in Baku, calling for urgent global action and support for countries most impacted by climate change. Starting his speech, Shehbaz congratulated Azerbaijan’s president for hosting the summit and emphasized the dire consequences faced by Pakistan and several other vulnerable nations due to climate change. “If timely measures are not taken, …