In yet another burden on Karachi electricity consumers, the power tariff has jacked up by Rs10.1 per unit. According to the notification issued by NEPRA, the electricity tariff was hiked on account of monthly Fuel charge adjustments (FCA) for July 2023 to March 2024. The notification further said, additional charges will be collected from consumers in Karachi from June to September …

Indian actor-politician Kangana Ranaut has slammed the Hindi film industry for not commenting on her slap row. On June 6, Kangana was slapped by a CISF officer during a security check-in at Chandigarh airport as she departed for New Delhi. After calling out Bollywood’s silence on the matter, the actor deleted her Instagram story. Kangana’s now-deleted Instagram story about the slap …

Pakistan cricket team Head coach Gary Kirsten was furious and called all the players into the dressing room after a crushing defeat by the USA in the opening game of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. “A game plan was made but no one followed it,” Gary Kirsten told players and the team did not appear to play as ‘one’ …

Shayan Afridi, a young and promising tennis player from the Khyber district, is making waves in the tennis world. Shayan has already achieved remarkable success in provincial, national, and international tennis competitions. Shayan’s journey is marked by an impressive collection of titles. He has secured eight U-10, twelve U-12, and three U-14 national championships, showcasing his exceptional talent and dedication …

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) approved the names of the three judges by a majority of 5 to 4. The meeting has nominated Lahore High Court Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan for his elevation to the Supreme Court. The Judicial Commission meeting was chaired by Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa. CJP Qazi Faez Isa, law minister, Auditor General for …

The government has decided to increase the budget of the Ministry of Climate Change by Rs11.82 billion to protect Pakistan from the adverse effects of climate change. This substantial budget hike underscores the country’s commitment to environmental sustainability, with a particular focus on the ongoing Green Pakistan program, which was called the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami. The upcoming budget for …

While visiting Shenzhen the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif appreciated both countries bolstering bilateral trade relations and connectivity. The robust participation of 500 Chinese and 100 Pakistani companies in the Pak-China Business Conference showing an encouraging sign for future collaborations of the private sector of both sides. Moreover, the signing of 32 MoUs during the conference, hopefully would serve …

BEIJING: China urges the United States to earnestly abide by market principles and international trade rules, and create a sound environment for fair competition among enterprises from all countries, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday. Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a daily news briefing when answering a query on report that U.S. President Joe Biden said …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Thursday congratulated via video link the signing of an intergovernmental agreement in Beijing on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project. Xi pointed out that the railway is a strategic project of connectivity between China and the Central Asia and a landmark project of the three countries’ cooperation …

Mystery continues to shroud the government’s bid mentioned in official documents to introduce changes in solar panel policy and replace net metering with gross metering system. Federal Minister for Power Division Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari has consistently denied that there will be no change in the existing net metering system. The minister vehemently said that net metering would continue …

Amid a rising tide of anti-Muslim hate, senior diplomats from Pakistan, Türkiye and Indonesia Wednesday reaffirmed their governments’ collective commitment to combatting Islamophobia, while also advocating peace, tolerance, and inter-religious dialogue. They were speaking at an event co-hosted by the consulates general of the three Islamic countries at the Turkish Consulate General in New York. In his remarks, the Consul …

Bollywood star Vivek Oberoi recently delighted fans by dancing to a song by Pakistani legendary singer Atif Aslam, creating a viral sensation on social media. The Indian actor attended Atif Aslam’s ongoing concert in Abu Dhabi, where Atif invited him to perform on stage. With much enthusiasm, he took to the stage and danced energetically, much to the excitement of …

The Modi government’s strategy of leveraging religious sentiment for electoral gain faced a historic setback in Ayodhya. Despite the recent inauguration of the Ram temple on the site of the Babri Masjid, the people of Ayodhya rejected the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) politics, electing Samajwadi Party’s Awadhesh Prasad over BJP representative Lallu Singh. Lallu Singh, who had been a two-time …

Skipper Babar Azam said ever since he started cricket he has been listening to Pakistan-India matches never realized on-field but has a different experience. “The whole world waits for the match between Pakistan and India,” Babar Azam said. “I used to enjoy watching Pakistan-India matches. Rivalry goes on but people should enjoy cricket,” he said in a video interview. “The …

In the lead-up to the 2024-25 budget, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has turned down a proposal to increase the tax on cash withdrawals from banks for non-filers, as confirmed by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials. The proposal was meant to raise the tax rate to 0.9% for bank withdrawals exceeding Rs50,000 for non-filers. Currently, non-filers are subjected to a …

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has announced an increase in electricity prices by Rs3.33 per unit, placing an additional burden of over Rs35 billion on consumers. This adjustment comes as part of April’s monthly fuel adjustment, according to a notification issued by the authority. The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) had initially requested a price hike of Rs3.49 …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s prestigious Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad, has appointed   Sarwar Khawaja as the Distinguished Professor of Practice in Business Administration. Khawaja, currently serving as the Chairman of the Board at Oxford Business College, brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished career in business education. With a robust background in both academia and industry, Khawaja will contribute to the university’s …

SHENZHEN: Minister for Privatization and Board of Investment, Abdul Aleem Khan on Wednesday hailed the fruitful outcome of the recent Pakistan-China Business Conference held in Shenzhen, China, emphasizing the significant strides made in bolstering bilateral trade relations between the two countries. Speaking to the media in China, he expressed satisfaction over the robust participation of 500 Chinese and 100 Pakistani …

STUTTGART, Germany: Officials and business leaders from China and Germany on Wednesday highlighted the seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE) as a key gateway to the Chinese market. With 75 German companies already signed up, the expo offers substantial opportunities for trade and collaboration. At a promotion event for the Expo held in Stuttgart, attendees urged German enterprises to actively …

BEIJING: While collecting lunar samples on the far side of the moon, China’s Chang’e-6 mission thrilled the nation with a photo of the bright red Chinese national flag unfurled on the desolate lunar surface. Even more interestingly, one of the flag’s raw materials is basalt, which piqued the curiosity of netizens and sparked lively discussions on social media. “Unbelievable! I …

JIUQUAN: China on Thursday launched a CERES-1 carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, sending three satellites into planned orbit. The commercial rocket blasted off at 1:00 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the launch site, carrying the TEE-01B satellite and two other satellites. The launch was the 14th flight mission using the CERES-1 rocket series. The CERES-1 …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that China-U.S. education exchanges and cooperation help promote mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries, especially the youth, which is a project for the future of bilateral relations. Xi made the remarks in a recent reply letter to Lamont Repollet, president of Kean University in the United States. He …

SHENZHEN: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday visited the Huawei headquarters here and invited the company to invest in Pakistan’s taxation, and e-governance sectors besides enhancing its presence in Pakistan’s Safe City projects. On his arrival at the headquarters, Huawei Chairman Liang Hua welcomed him which followed the playing of national anthems and his visit of the Exhibition Center. The …

SHENZHEN: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday visited the Nanshan One-Stop Service Center and Shenzhen Exhibition Museum and directed his ministers to immediately coordinate with the Center to replicate a similar modern system in Pakistan. On his arrival at the Center, the prime minister was received by Member of Party Leadership Government of Shenzhen Nanshan District Peoples Government and Deputy …

BEIJING: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday landed in the Chinese capital city of Beijing, on the second leg of his five-day official visit to China. As the prime minister arrived here from Shenzhen city at Beijing Capital International Airport, he was received by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong and officials of the Pakistan’s embassy. The prime minister is …

SHENZHEN: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday assuring all-out facilitation to Chinese investors, and security of Chinese individuals, projects and investments in Pakistan, emphasised that mutually rewarding business-to-business cooperation was key to a bright future for the two people. The prime minister, addressing the Pakistan-China Business Forum here during his five-day China visit, highlighted bilateral trade and investment potential, especially …

A blanket ban on the production, distribution, and trade of plastic has been imposed across Punjab, provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said Wednesday. “Today, in the first stage, a ban has been imposed on plastic bags. It is the government’s policy to ban plastic bags,” the minister told an event in the provincial capital on the occasion of World Environment Day. …

The power division on Wednesday refuted the speculations regarding ending the solar net metering policy. The power division spokesperson refuted the news regarding ending net metering policy, as fake and baseless. The news channels should have contacted the ministry before airing ‘unverified’ news items, the spokesperson said. The power division further stated that it has not received instructions on the …

India skipper Rohit Sharma said he has been dealing with the pressure of ending the team’s ICC trophy jinx ahead of their T20 World Cup 2024 opening match against Ireland on June 5, Wednesday. India’s last ICC event win came back in 2013 when they defeated England to win the Champions Trophy. Since then, India has reached the final 5 …

Sarim Burney, a well-known social activist, was detained upon his arrival at Karachi Airport from the United States, sources confirmed. The detention came amidst serious accusations of human trafficking levelled against him by the US government. According to sources, Burney was apprehended by the Anti-Human Trafficking Police upon his arrival in Pakistan on the complaint of the US government. It …

Experts are strongly advising all iPhone and Android users to turn off their devices at least once a week to safeguard against cyberattacks. This simple measure is recommended as a defense against “zero-click” hacking attempts, where hackers can infiltrate phones without any user interaction. The National Security Agency (NSA) supports this tactic, suggesting that it helps clear data stored in …

The 2024 Indian elections have sparked significant controversy, with opposition parties raising serious concerns over the legitimacy of the electoral process under Narendra Modi’s government. Claims of electoral malpractice have cast a shadow over the predicted outcomes, which favor the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Exit polls, predominantly forecasting a BJP victory, have faced sharp criticism from opposition leaders. Congress …

Since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021, human rights violations have surged, plunging the nation into a dire humanitarian crisis. Terrorist groups such as the Taliban and the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) have inflicted severe oppression on the Afghan people, with women and ethnic minorities bearing the brunt of these atrocities. The Taliban’s regime has severely …

The Supreme Court rejected MQM leader Mustafa Kamal’s plea for immediate pardon in the contempt of court case, while giving Senator Faisal Vawda a week to reconsider his reply. At the beginning of the hearing, Barrister Farogh Naseem told the court that Mustafa Kamal had apologized unconditionally in a one-page reply. He had specifically apologized for the May 16 press …

The Supreme Court has issued the dissenting note of Justice Athar Minallah in the lives-streaming plea of the PTI founder Imran Khan which was rejected by the SC bench, in the NAB amendments case. Justice Minallah said SC had declared access of the public to the court proceedings in all cases in matters of public importance through live streaming as …

JAKARTA: At least five people were killed and three others injured when a car hit a truck on a highway in the western Indonesian province of North Sumatra, regional police said on Wednesday. The accident took place on a highway connecting Binjai and Langsa on Tuesday afternoon, said the province’s traffic police chief Muji Ediyanto. Three infants reportedly died in …

BEIJING: China is committed to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and opposes any words or deeds that aggravate tensions on the peninsula, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Wednesday. Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a daily press briefing following the Republic of Korea’s (ROK) decision to fully suspend the Sept. 19 military agreement with the Democratic …

ISLAMABAD: The China-aided New Gwadar International Airport in Pakistan has started carrying out a five-day flight test from Tuesday, marking that the project is about to enter the final sprint stage, the airport’s project management team said. Ding Kan, head of the project management team, told Xinhua that the flight test work of the airport, being built under the China-Pakistan …

BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has elaborated on China’s consistent position on the Ukraine crisis, stressing that China adheres to promoting talks for peace, and although the conditions for peace talks are not yet in place, China will never stop its efforts for peace. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday congratulated Halla Tomasdottir on her election as president of Iceland. Noting that China-Iceland relations have maintained a sound momentum of development in recent years, Xi said bilateral cooperation in such areas as trade, investment, geothermal energy and environmental protection, as well as culture and tourism has made steady progress with new results. Adding …