ISLAMABAD, AUGUST 20: With the announcement of a major enhancement to its webinar features, Zoom can now host up to one million attendees at once. This statement follows the platform’s rising acceptance among political groups—especially those soliciting money for the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris. Large-scale virtual events are in demand, as seen by the hundreds of thousands of people that these groups have successfully hosted calls with. In response to the increasing demand for large-scale virtual meetings, Zoom has implemented a tier-based webinar package system. A variety of maximum capacities are now available to customers, including 10,000, 50,000,…
Author: Mawadat Fatima
ISLAMABAD, AUGUST 20: The total amount of money owed to exporters and businesses for unpaid sales tax refunds has increased to Rs. 85 billion so far, this fiscal year. The important export industries of sporting goods, surgical equipment, leather products, carpets, and textiles owe the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) a minimum of Rs. 30 billion. Sui Southern Gas Company Limited alone is currently facing a Rs. 25 billion sales tax return loads. Refunds totaling Rs. 30 billion are, however, being delayed because of systemic non-claim problems. Refunds that have been correctly detected in the system are being completed within…
ISLAMABAD, AUGUST 20: The National Police Foundation (NPF) and a Turkish enterprise have partnered to build a state-of-the-art 100-bed international hospital in Islamabad. The facility’s foundation was laid by Federal Minister of Interior Mohsin Naqvi. It is anticipated that this project will revolutionize healthcare services for the public and police officers. The hospital’s land was donated by the National Police Foundation (NPF), and the project would be financed by a private Turkiye company investing Rs. 5 billion. According to Naqvi, this project is a huge step forward for the region’s healthcare infrastructure and a key turning point for the NPF,…
ISLAMABAD, AUGUST 20: With the aggressive drive against plastic bag use in the Federal Capital’s local markets, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration is making it clear that infractions would not be allowed. A spokesman for the ICT administration stated that the Assistant Commissioner of I-9 rigorously enforced the district’s ban on plastic bags during a recent visit to the H-9 Sunday bazaar. The AC, accompanied by district administration officers, seized plastic bags and fined anyone caught using them Rs 20,000. As the Deputy Commissioner noted, this step is a part of a larger effort to end the usage of…
ISLAMABAD, AUGUST 20: The trophy for the next Test series was ceremoniously unveiled at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium by the captains of Bangladesh and Pakistan, Shan Masood and Najmul Hossain Shanto, respectively. The third cycle of the ICC World Test Championship will feature a two-match series that will kick off in Rawalpindi on August 21. Both sides are trying to raise their World Test Championship rankings, therefore this series is quite important. Of the nine teams in the competition, Pakistan is presently ranked sixth, and Bangladesh is ranked eighth. Both sides have a great chance to advance in the standings…
ISLAMABAD, AUGUST 20: On Monday, Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister, gave the relevant authorities the order to use Gwadar port to transport half of all cargo from the public sector inland by water. These orders were given by PM Shehbaz during a review meeting on Chinese investment in Islamabad. During the discussion, he was informed about the visit by a Chinese expert delegation to Pakistan from July 30 to August 6, 2024. The forum was informed that the Chinese delegation held meetings with delegates from multiple ministries, who provided recommendations on how to improve collaboration within their respective domains. Significant…
ISLAMABAD, AUGUST 20: In Pakistan, Independent Power Producers (IPPs) have benefited from significant tax deductions of Rs. 1.217 trillion between the mid-1990s and the fiscal year 2023–2024. According to Dawn’s report on Tuesday, these exclusions go beyond capacity payments, which are projected to total Rs. 2.091 trillion in the current fiscal year (2024–25). This policy has been maintained by succeeding administrations, allowing 106 IPPs to get lifetime tax exemptions. By lowering market risks related to capacity underutilization, the policy has greatly benefited these businesses, enabling certain IPPs to see returns on equity of up to 25–30 percent for a number…
ISLAMABAD, AUGUST 20: Google has issued a strong denial of claims implying the discontinuance of Fitbit smartwatches, which have been the subject of recent discussion over their future. In a response to Ars Technica, a Google spokeswoman confirmed that the company does not currently have any plans to discontinue the Fitbit Versa or Sense product lines. This explanation follows the publication of a dramatic piece on TechRadar on Sunday with the headline “RIP Fitbit smartwatches—an end we could see coming a mile away.” The article made links between the upcoming release of Fitbit devices and the unveiling of the Google…
ISLAMABAD, AUGUST 20: The ruling by IHC Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan invalidated the regulations that permitted the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to turn greenbelts into residential plots. The ruling followed appeals from Sector G-11 residents who contested the CDA’s actions in establishing new plots on greenbelts next to their neighborhood. The petitioners, through their attorney Barrister Umar Gillani, contended that the CDA’s actions went against the established layout plan of their area, which was finalized in the 1990s. Judge Khan ordered the destruction of all homes constructed on such plots beginning in 2021 and ruled that the CDA’s policies…
ISLAMABAD, AUGUST 20: The MBBS yearly test schedule was accepted at the 50th meeting of the University of Health Sciences (UHS) Board of Studies in Medicine on Monday. The board’s convener, Prof. Sardar Al-Farid Zafar, as well as the principals of associated government and private medical colleges attended the meeting, which was chaired by UHS Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ahsan Waheed Rathore. The final week of December 2025 was chosen to start the First Professional MBBS yearly exams, while the final week of January 2025 was set aside for the Second Professional MBBS exams. A UHS representative stated that the…
