Islamabad, Dec 21: After a two-day record-breaking selloff, buying activity returned to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Friday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index surging by over 3,200 points. The KSE-100 index climbed 3,238 points to close at 109,513, reflecting a 2.96% increase from the previous session’s close. This rebound followed a steep loss of over 8,500 points during Wednesday and Thursday’s massive selloff. On Wednesday, the index fell by 3,790 points (3.41%), marking its worst-ever single-day decline in terms of points. The selloff continued on Thursday, with a further decline of 4,795 points (4.51%). Trading volume reached 740.04 million…
Author: Mawadat Fatima
Islamabad, Dec 21: Road signage, directional boards, and metro station information in Delhi will soon feature Hindi, English, Punjabi, and Urdu, following a directive issued by the Department of Arts, Culture, and Language on November 4. The directive covers metro stations, hospitals, public parks, government offices, and even nameplates outside bureaucrats’ offices. The Public Works Department, responsible for managing 1,250 km of Delhi’s roads, will oversee the updates to road signage. Currently, public signage in Delhi predominantly includes Hindi and English. Under the new mandate, all public boards and signages will incorporate all four languages—Hindi, English, Punjabi, and Urdu—in that…
Islamabad, Dec 21: Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, expressed the desire to resolve lingering issues stemming from the 1971 war and move forward in bilateral relations during his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday in Cairo. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Developing Eight (D-8) Summit. According to a statement from the Bangladeshi Chief Adviser’s Office, Yunus emphasized strengthening ties with Pakistan and resolving historical grievances to enable progress. Both leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in trade, commerce, and cultural and sports exchanges. Yunus also highlighted his intent to revive the South Asian Association…
Islamabad, Dec 21: Honda has unveiled the interior of the highly anticipated 2026 Prelude, which is set to make its return to the U.S. market in late 2025. The interior, reminiscent of the Honda Civic, features paddle shifters, a push-button gear selector, and a bench-style rear seat. This glimpse comes from a prototype drive showcased to Japanese media. For car enthusiasts who might have missed the recent buzz, Honda confirmed the Prelude’s comeback just two days ago. Now, the YouTube channel Lovecars!TV! has provided a closer look, with interior footage appearing around the three-minute mark of their video. Islamabad. Dec…
Islamabad, Dec 20: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has imposed penalties of Rs 75 million each on two manufacturers of frozen desserts for misleading consumers by falsely advertising their products as “ice cream.” CCP initiated these proceedings on a complaint filed by M/s Pakistan Fruit Juice Company (Private) Limited, the manufacturers of “Hico” ice cream, alleging about two undertakings engaged in deceptive marketing by portraying their “frozen desserts” as ice cream through televised advertisements and social media campaigns. The Commission directed a formal enquiry into the matter and later issued show cause notices to M/s Unilever Pakistan and M/s…
Pakistan’s rice exports saw a significant increase of 35.40 percent during the first five months of the current fiscal year (2024-25), compared to the same period last year. According to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the country exported over 2.377 million metric tons of rice, including basmati and other varieties, from July to November 2024, worth $1.515 billion. This was up from 1.721 million metric tons, valued at $1.119 billion, in the same period last year. Basmati rice exports rose by 34.64 percent, reaching 370,282 metric tons, valued at $386.116 million, compared to 244,664 metric tons and…
Islamabad, Dec 20: Syed Irfan Nazar’s life took an unexpected turn in 2022 when he suddenly lost his job. The 45-year-old Pakistani expatriate faced both financial and legal difficulties after his employer canceled his visa, leaving him, his wife, and five children in a vulnerable position. “I couldn’t even afford milk for my children,” Nazar recalled. Returning to Pakistan was not an option. “I’ve only been back a few times—once for my wedding and again when my parents passed away. There’s no one left there. I can’t imagine leaving the UAE.” Having moved to the UAE in 2000, following his…
Islamabad, Dec 20: FACE (Food Security & Agriculture Centre of Excellence), a non-profit organization, has partnered with the Punjab Government to enhance the agriculture sector. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Punjab Agriculture Department and FACE on Thursday, December 19. FACE will assist the Punjab Agriculture Department by providing technological innovations, global expertise, and infrastructure development aimed at improving crop yields and promoting sustainable farming practices that are suited to the region’s changing climate. Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain expressed confidence that this collaboration will address critical challenges, such as food security, low crop yields, and…
Islamabad, Dec 20: The government-operated electric vehicle (EV) charging network, UAEV, has announced that its revised tariffs will take effect in January 2025. The updated rates include Dh1.20 per kWh (plus VAT) for DC chargers and Dh0.70 per kWh (plus VAT) for AC chargers. These adjustments aim to support the sustainability and scalability of the EV charging infrastructure. Despite the introduction of tariffs in May, EV charging services have remained free until now. To enhance user convenience, UAEV is introducing a mobile app that offers features like locating nearby charging stations, real-time status updates, and streamlined payment options. Additionally, a…
Islamabad, Dec 20: The government is working to secure an extra $500 million in project financing from multilateral institutions during the ongoing fiscal year. Negotiations are currently underway with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank, and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to finalize the funding. According to sources, the Ministry of Finance and the Economic Affairs Division are actively engaged in discussions with these institutions. The revised project financing target for this fiscal year has been increased to $5.6 billion, up from the initial estimate of $5.1–$5.2 billion. The ADB is expected to contribute over $300 million toward…
