Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb unveiled the Economic Survey for the outgoing fiscal year 2023-24 (FY24) during a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday. He briefly outlined key points from the survey, stating that in FY23, the GDP contracted by 0.2%, the PKR depreciated by 29%, and foreign exchange reserves were only sufficient to cover two weeks of imports. He emphasized the necessity for Pakistan to enter into a program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in FY24, highlighting the absence of a Plan B and the pivotal role of the nine-month Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) in the current situation. Agriculture emerged…
Author: WebDesk
Autocar recently had the opportunity to test Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming autonomous driving technology at the carmaker’s research center in Beijing. The test involved driving one of the fleet’s S-Class prototypes equipped with the new technology. The most noticeable feature is the additional digital display, which provides a comprehensive map of all road users in the vicinity, ranging from pedestrians to trucks. The technology itself emphasizes simplicity. Once a destination is selected through the navigation system, autonomous mode can be activated with a steering wheel button after manual driving initiation. During the test drive, the vehicle seamlessly navigated a busy four-lane arterial…
ISLAMABAD: Diplomatic Exchanges between India and Pakistan Follow Modi’s Third Term Inauguration Following Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony for his third term as Prime Minister, leaders of Pakistan and India engaged in diplomatic communications on Monday. Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, along with his elder brother and former three-time Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, extended congratulations to Modi through posts on a social media platform within hours of each other. Nawaz Sharif expressed confidence in Modi’s leadership and called for replacing animosity with optimism, while Modi responded by highlighting India’s commitment to peace, security, and progress. Although Modi secured a record-equalling third…
The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has stepped up its efforts in the recovery campaign by sealing seven commercial properties in Gulshan-e-Ravi for their failure to pay commercial fees. Directed by LDA Director General Tahir Farooq, the operation was conducted by TP Zone 1 Director Ayesha Mutahir. It targeted medical stores, grocery shops, private schools, and various other businesses. Mutahir emphasized that these properties had accumulated significant unpaid commercialization fees despite receiving multiple prior notices. She affirmed that actions against defaulters and illegal constructions would continue across the city without discrimination. In a related meeting focused on LDA’s resource generation, DG…
Fans burst into laughter after watching rapper Eminem’s blooper reel for the ‘Houdini’ video, which he recently shared on Instagram. In the clips, Eminem appears dressed as a superhero, sparking demands from fans for more content. One fan even suggested he should be cast as a Marvel superhero, while others admitted, “The more I watch, the better it gets.” Fans began expressing their excitement for more behind-the-scenes footage of Eminem, with some saying, “We need more Eminem behind the scenes.” There were also admirers who praised the star’s dedication to the challenging and risky stunts, saying, “So proud of all…
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is preparing to introduce application and processing administrative fees for the processing and issuance of Certificates of Compliance (CoC), as well as reviewing the current fee structure for Type Approval to address regulatory expenses. Presently, PTA does not charge any application or processing administrative fees for the processing and issuance of CoC. However, the Authority has emphasized the necessity of imposing such fees to cover regulatory expenses, including costs associated with human resources, paperwork handling, CoC dispatching, correspondence with various entities, payment of GSMA TAC database subscription fees, and administrative expenses related to the operation…
Pakistan faces a critical match against Canada at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York today, as their T20 World Cup journey hangs in the balance. To remain in the tournament, Pakistan must secure victories in both of their upcoming high-stakes group matches. Their fate also hinges on the United States losing both of their matches against India and Ireland. However, even if the US earns just one more point, Pakistan’s tournament hopes will be dashed in the initial stage. The Green Shirts’ prospects are so delicate that even a single rain-affected match could spell their elimination, as…
The Pakistani government appears to have acknowledged the looming threat posed by the adverse effects of climate change. However, this recognition alone is insufficient, as the necessary infrastructure to implement effective preventive measures is lacking. In recent years, the world has witnessed increasingly severe natural disasters occurring simultaneously across the globe. These phenomena, including intense weather events, are largely attributed to human activities, particularly since the onset of industrialization in the nineteenth century. The proliferation of factories powered by fossil fuels has contributed to escalating emissions, exacerbating the greenhouse effect and consequently impacting global weather patterns, seasonal cycles, and ecosystems.…
The planned 1 percent increase in the sales tax rate, moving it from 18 to 19 percent, will not be implemented through the upcoming Finance Bill 2024 due to concerns about its inflationary impact on the public. It’s anticipated that the rate will remain unchanged in the 2024-25 budget. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had recommended this 1 percent increase, estimating it would generate an additional revenue of Rs. 40-50 billion for the fiscal year 2024-25. However, Prime Minister Sharif rejected the proposal, citing the potential for immediate inflationary repercussions on the general populace. Despite discussions between the FBR…
In Islamabad, the Pakistan national football team has embarked on their journey to Tajikistan aboard a dedicated Pakistan Air Force aircraft from Nur Khan Air Base. Despite encountering two delays due to technical problems, they have now set off for Dushanbe. Pakistan is scheduled to face Tajikistan in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers round 2 match today at 8 pm Pakistan time.