Islamabad, Jan 6: In an extraordinary act of heroism and compassion, Pakistani citizen Asif Bashir has been nominated for an esteemed Indian Civil Award for his life-saving efforts during Hajj 2024. Bashir’s bravery came to the forefront when he risked his life to rescue 44 individuals, including 24 Indian nationals, amidst the extreme heat in Mina. With no immediate medical support available, Bashir physically carried pilgrims to safety, preventing further fatalities in the sweltering conditions. In recognition of his selflessness, the Indian government has invited Bashir to receive the award on January 26, 2025. This acknowledgment has garnered significant attention…
Author: Iqra Khan
Islamabad, Jan 6: The Pakistani rupee (PKR) closed lower against the US Dollar (USD) today after opening at 279 in the interbank market. Throughout the day, the interbank rate fluctuated between 278 and 279, ultimately settling at 278.62 by the close. The open market also saw rates between 278 and 281 for the PKR against the USD. On a day-on-day (DoD) basis, the rupee depreciated by 0.02%, losing six paisas. This marks a slight decline, contributing to a fiscal year-to-date depreciation of 0.12%. The rupee also lost ground against other major currencies during today’s session. It lost one paisa against…
Islamabad, Jan 6: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered a thorough investigation into multiple issues plaguing the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO). The investigation will focus on concerns including the reinstatement of 12 officers with alleged corruption histories, accusations of overbilling, unauthorized involvement of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and other operational irregularities. Sources have indicated that the Prime Minister’s Office has directed that a comprehensive report be submitted within the next 10 days. A notification from the PM’s Office outlines the formation of a special committee tasked with addressing these issues. The committee will consist of Shahid Khan, a…
Islamabad, Jan 6: A delegation from the Population Council, led by President Dr. Rana Hajjeh, met with Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb at the Finance Division to discuss the challenges of rapid population growth in Pakistan. During the meeting, Aurangzeb highlighted the profound impact of population growth on the country’s development objectives. He stressed the importance of a long-term, evidence-based strategy to understand and manage population dynamics. The finance minister called for the integration of these dynamics into planning across key sectors, including health, education, employment, urbanization, and the environment, to unlock the country’s potential for socio-economic…
Islamabad, Jan 6: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has expressed serious concerns over the significant disparities in tax compliance for the fiscal year 2023-24, particularly the gap between income tax and sales tax participation. According to a recent FBR report, while there are 4,738,595 active income taxpayers, only 234,193 individuals are registered as sales tax filers, highlighting a major compliance gap. The Regional Tax Office (RTO) Lahore has emerged as a leader in both income and sales tax categories, with 809,131 active income tax filers and 41,783 sales tax filers. Karachi and Faisalabad also show strong performance in tax…
Islamabad, Jan 6: Samsung Display has unveiled its fourth-generation quantum dot (QD)-OLED TV panels, which promise to set a new standard for OLED technology with an impressive peak brightness of 4,000 nits. This significant upgrade from the previous generation’s 3,000 nits strengthens Samsung’s dominance in OLED panel manufacturing. The enhanced brightness is attributed to advancements in panel-driving technology and the use of new organic materials. Unlike LG Display’s WOLED panels, which utilize white sub-pixels, Samsung’s QD-OLED technology achieves superior brightness and color purity by relying on red, green, and blue sub-pixels. In addition to the improved QD-OLED panels, Samsung Display…
Islamabad, Jan 6: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is reportedly considering resignation, with sources inside his Liberal Party expecting him to step down ahead of the national caucus on Wednesday. Media outlets, including The Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star, have stated that Trudeau may announce his decision within the next 24 hours. However, his office has declined to comment on these reports. If confirmed, Trudeau’s departure would leave his party leaderless just months before the upcoming national elections, scheduled by the end of October. It is uncertain whether he would remain in an interim capacity or vacate the…
Islamabad, Jan 6: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has conducted an Independent Quality of Service (QoS) survey across 18 cities to evaluate the performance of Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs). This assessment aimed to measure key performance indicators (KPIs) related to voice, mobile broadband, and short messaging services (SMS), as specified in operator licenses and regulations. According to the survey results, Zong secured the top position overall, excelling in nearly all evaluated attributes. Jazz followed as the second-best performer, with Ufone and Telenor ranking third and fourth, respectively. While the survey highlighted encouraging compliance levels with KPIs for voice and latency,…
Islamabad, Jan 6: In the last 24 hours, 63 Pakistani nationals have been deported from four countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Malaysia, and Iraq. Upon their arrival at Karachi airport, they were processed in accordance with legal protocols before being allowed to return to their respective homes. According to airport sources, Saudi Arabia deported 29 individuals, citing various reasons. Among them, four individuals were blacklisted, 15 were involved in absconding (haroob) cases, and 10 were deported for overstaying their visas. The deportations highlight the consequences of non-compliance with residency and labor laws in the Kingdom. Malaysia deported 16 Pakistanis…
Islamabad, Jan 6: Admissions to public sector medical colleges in Punjab are set to begin on Monday, January 6, 2025, as announced by the University of Health Sciences (UHS). The process will follow guidelines issued by the Punjab Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), ensuring a transparent and merit-based selection system. For MBBS programs, government medical colleges across Punjab will accept online applications from January 6 to January 15. The first merit list for these programs will be displayed on January 23. Similarly, the admissions for BDS programs in government dental colleges will commence on February 3 and conclude on February…