Tech and Telecom

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag has expressed his opinion on a member of the selection committee Wahab Riaz. Sehwag accused Riaz of favouritism while facilitating the return of players like Mohammad Amir to the national squad. “Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir, these are two names who criticized the Pakistan team on the same TV channel, giving their comments,” Sehwag noted. “Today, one of them is a selector (Riaz) and one is in the playing eleven (Amir).” Sehwag highlighted the irony and potential conflict of interest, questioning the integrity of the selection process under Riaz’s influence. Sehwag’s remarks come amidst growing…

The General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) has apprehended two Pakistani expatriates for attempting to sell 26 kg of methamphetamine. These individuals have been handed over to the Public Prosecution for further legal proceedings, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency. Earlier this year, five Pakistanis were executed in Saudi Arabia for murdering a Bangladeshi security guard. In a statement, the Saudi Interior Ministry revealed that these individuals had killed the guard after attacking a private sector firm. On the other hand, authorities have urged the public to report any drug smuggling or selling activities. For those in Makkah, Riyadh,…

On Thursday, the Ministry of Religious Affairs announced the arrangements for distributing Zamzam water to pilgrims and clarified that passengers of Saudi Airlines, Serene Air, and Air Sial will receive Zamzam water upon arrival at Pakistani airports. According to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, all airlines have been tasked with handling the distribution of Zamzam water, also known as Abe Zamzam. Pilgrims returning to Pakistan on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Saudi Airlines, Serene Air, and Air Sial are instructed to book their Zamzam water along with their luggage and collect it from their respective airports. Instructions for…

On Thursday, Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah announced the installation of 400 new cameras at various locations to enhance road security. At the inauguration of the S-4 project of Karachi Safe City and the Sindh Surveillance System, CM Sindh highlighted that 40 toll plazas are now equipped with the latest security cameras featuring night vision capabilities. This system aims to monitor entry and exit points, helping to control criminal activities. The chief minister stated that the new system would integrate automatic number-plate recognition and face identification programs to combat crime more effectively. He projected that the smart surveillance system could…

Local manufacturing/assembling of mobile phones in Pakistan surged by 55 percent to 2.23 million units in May 2024 compared to May 2023 with country now fulfilling 95 percent of its mobile phone demand through local manufacturing. According to the latest data released by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), May 2024’s numbers took 5M2024 total locally manufactured/assembled mobiles to 13.1 million units, up 168 percent over the same period last year. Brokerage firm Topline Securities said that this improvement was mainly led by import restrictions last year coupled with gradual economic recovery. Pakistan now fulfills 95 percent of its mobile phone…

Senator Faisal Vawda on Thursday claimed that most parliamentarians own smuggled vehicles. He said this during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue today which was chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwala. The meeting reviewed key tax proposals in the Finance Bill 2024. Discussing the government proposal to impose a 20 percent Federal Excise Duty (FED) on juices and 18 percent General Sales Tax (GST), Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Amjad Zubair Tiwana informed the committee that these taxes were suggested by the Ministry of Industries and Production, not the FBR. Senator Vawda criticized the new…

The price of gold in Pakistan remain unchanged after the holiday break on Thursday. According to data issued by the Karachi Sarafa Association, the price of gold (24 carats) stood at Rs. 241,300, while the price of 10 grams was Rs. 206, 876. The Sarafa Association said that the price of gold has been kept under cost by Rs. 3,000 due to the reduction in purchasing power of the buyers. In the international market, gold rates hit a two-week high today, after recent US economic data raised market expectations of interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve later this year.…

The Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board has imposed an immediate ban on the O-level book, “The History and Culture of Pakistan,” authored by Nigel Kelly, for unspecified reasons. The Schools Education Department has issued a notification instructing all chief executive officers of the District Education Authority to enforce the ban. This notification, dated June 13, was released without detailing the rationale behind the prohibition. Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat and other officials confirmed the ban to a private news channel. An official disclosed that the initial ban was actually implemented in May of last year, and the latest notification…

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecasted rain across different parts of the country. According to the weather department, rainfall is on the cards for specific areas of Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. Islamabad residents have been advised to brace themselves for a hot day, with intermittent showers expected to provide relief later in the evening. Meanwhile, other parts of the country are set to endure sweltering conditions with minimal chances of rain. Sibbi is slated to experience scorching temperatures, potentially reaching a blistering 49 degrees Celsius, closely trailed by Turbat at 48 degrees Celsius. Islamabad is expected to register…

In a sneak peek, Snapchat unveiled its latest creation: an on-device AI model that uses augmented reality (AR) to completely change your surroundings. This generative AI tool/AR will allow Snapchat users to design custom lenses based on simple text prompts. Imagine sending a snap to your friends where you’re suddenly dressed like a character from a 50s sci-fi movie. Take a look at the GIF below which shows Snapchat applying prompts in real-time. According to TechCrunch, users will start seeing these exciting new lenses appear on Snapchat in the coming months. Even better, creators can get their hands on this…