Islamabad, Feb 6: The Government of Pakistan has declared Saturday, February 8, 2025, as a Day of National Mourning in honor of the passing of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan. The announcement was made through an official notification by the Cabinet Division. The Prime Minister of Pakistan expressed deep sorrow on behalf of the government and the people of Pakistan over the demise of the spiritual leader.
Author: Iqra Khan
Islamabad, Feb 6: Haroon Malik, Chairman of the FIFA-appointed Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Normalisation Committee, recently briefed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) about the potential consequences of the ongoing deadlock between FIFA and the newly elected PFF Congress. He warned that FIFA might conditionally suspend Pakistan if the issue is not resolved. The deadlock stems from disagreements over proposed amendments to the PFF Constitution that FIFA wants to align with international standards. Malik explained that the majority of the newly-elected members of the PFF Congress have not agreed to these proposals, which has led to this…
Islamabad, Feb 6: Dr. Usman Chohan, Director of Economic Affairs and National Development at CASS, recently discussed the promising potential for the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) amid the evolving cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh. Both nations have demonstrated a renewed commitment to regional peace and prosperity despite ongoing geopolitical challenges. Dr. Chohan emphasized that beyond governmental ties, fostering people-to-people connections would be key to ensuring sustained and prosperous cooperation between the two countries. During the discussion at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, President of IRS, highlighted remarks made by SAARC…
Islamabad, Feb 6: OpenAI stunned its 3.9 million followers on X.com with a surprise livestream announcement titled “Deep Research,” sparking immediate speculation. When the stream went live, OpenAI revealed its latest AI advancement: an agentic AI model designed to perform multi-step research tasks. This new tool is capable of discovering content, synthesizing findings, and applying reasoning to complex topics. Deep Research marks a significant leap forward in AI’s ability to conduct and refine research. Unlike previous models, this AI can actively discover and analyze online content, synthesize large amounts of data, and apply reasoning to deliver refined results. One of…
Islamabad, Feb 6: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecasted mainly cold and dry weather across most parts of the country on Friday, with hilly areas experiencing very cold conditions during the evening and night hours. A continental air system is currently influencing the weather, keeping conditions dry throughout the region. However, a shallow westerly wave is expected to approach the western parts of the country by tomorrow evening or night, potentially bringing slight changes to the weather patterns. In the last 24 hours, cold and dry weather prevailed in most areas, with isolated rain and snowfall reported in upper…
Islamabad, Feb 6: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved the Honhaar Scholarship program for students from other provinces, ensuring equal access to educational opportunities across Pakistan. In a meeting where she presided over key decisions, Maryam Nawaz directed that the number of laptops provided to students in Punjab be increased to 110,000. She also ordered the establishment of a dedicated helpline to assist scholarship recipients. The Chief Minister emphasized that the eligibility criteria for students from other provinces would mirror those for students within Punjab, with a minimum requirement of 65% marks to qualify for receiving a laptop.…
Islamabad, Feb 6: Pakistan’s gaming industry is experiencing rapid growth, fueled by a young population, increasing internet penetration, and a thriving gaming community. According to a report by the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), the number of gamers in the country is expected to reach 50.9 million by 2026. In 2024 alone, the Esports market is projected to generate $5.2 million in revenue, with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.71%, bringing the market volume to $8.7 million by 2029. Pakistan has emerged as a key player in the global Esports landscape, with approximately 16% of its population…
Islamabad, Feb 6: MCB Bank Limited has announced strong financial results for the year ending December 31, 2024, showcasing continued growth and stability. Under the leadership of Chairman Mian Mohammad Mansha, the Board of Directors approved the annual financial statements and declared a final cash dividend of PKR 9.0 per share, bringing the total cash dividend for 2024 to 360%. The Bank reported a profit before tax (PBT) of PKR 118.4 billion and a profit after tax (PAT) of PKR 57.6 billion, translating into an earnings per share (EPS) of PKR 48.62. On a consolidated basis, PBT stood at PKR…
Islamabad, Feb 6: Climate experts and policymakers have called for collective action, regional cooperation, and innovation to combat the escalating climate crisis. Speaking at a session titled “Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Pakistan in 2047: A Vision for Climate Resilience & Climate Justice,” participants emphasized the urgency of addressing climate change through collaboration and effective communication. The session was part of Breath Pakistan, a two-day global climate conference aimed at making Pakistan climate-resilient by 2047 while fostering regional cooperation across South Asia. The region faces shared challenges, including rising temperatures, water scarcity, and increasing natural disasters. Former Climate Change Minister…
Islamabad, Feb 6: The Pakistani rupee (PKR) showed mixed results in the currency market today, closing in the green against the US Dollar (USD) after opening at 280 in the interbank market. Throughout the day, the rupee hovered between 278 and 281 against the dollar, eventually settling at 279.14 by the end of the trading session. In the open market, rates remained between 279 and 282. Despite the positive close against the greenback, the rupee experienced a bearish trend against most other major currencies during today’s session. The PKR depreciated by 0.07 percent on a day-on-day (DoD) basis, losing 19…
