Tech and Telecom

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Tuesday said that the federal government has started work to cut its expenditures. Speaking in the National Assembly, the premier admitted that it is true that the government prepared the budget in consultation with the International Monetary Fund. Regarding austerity measures, the prime minister said he has already abolished Pakistan Public Works Department. He added that a committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of the finance minister regarding the downsizing and right sizing of various departments. He said tangible findings of the committee will be laid before the House. He also highlighted that ten percent…

Probably one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history, Wasim Akram, expressed strong support for Shaheen Afridi to return as captain of the national team. Akram criticized the chop and change in the team’s leadership, which he believes hinders consistent performance. Akram’s comments come amid ongoing debates over the captaincy of the Pakistan men’s cricket team after their exit from the T20 World Cup from the group stage. “Babar Azam was removed, and Shaheen Shah Afridi was brought in. He then lost one series, and at that time, a new chairman came and changed the captain,” Akram stated, highlighting…

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has directed Inland Revenue field formations to remain open on June 28 (Friday), June 29 (Saturday) and June 30 (Sunday). In this regard, the FBR has issued instructions to the field formations on Tuesday. According to the FBR, office timings would be till 8:00pm on June 28 (Friday). The office timing would be till 06:00pm on June 29 (Saturday) and office timing would be 12 midnight on June 30 (Sunday). FBR has also directed Chief Commissioners Inland Revenue to establish liaison with State Bank of Pakistan (SSP) and authorized branches of National Bank of…

Karachi is currently reeling under a severe heatwave that has led to fatalities and widespread distress among its residents. According to PakWeather, a prominent weather forecasting agency, the city has experienced soaring temperatures in recent days, resulting in the deaths of over 300 individuals. Temperatures yesterday soared between 42 to 44 degrees Celsius in the port city. PakWeather has predicted that the heatwave is expected to persist for the next two to three days, intensifying the current dire conditions. کراچی میں شدید گرمی اور ہیٹ ویو، ہیٹ اسٹروک سے کئی افراد متاثر.. کراچی میں گرمی سے 3 روز میں 300…

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb Tuesday said that non-filers of income tax will be given a chance to explain their position before barring them from travelling abroad. Speaking in the National Assembly, the minister also said that under Section 116 of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, an explanation will be included in the declaration of foreign assets and assets of a spouse, in case of spouse being dependent on the taxpayer. Moreover, the minister said that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will see if the non-filer is habitual in filing late returns and will be…

A new driving license center has been established on Mall Road to issue driving licenses to the business community and the general public. The center, located at the Business Facilitation Centre, Al-Falah Building, Mall Road, provides various services such as trader learner permits, duplicate licenses, renewals, and international licenses. To ensure timely issuance and efficient handling of the large number of applicants, the Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) set up testing sessions at four different locations in December 2023. The newly established center falls under this initiative which aims to improve access to driver’s license facilities for the masses and…

The federal cabinet decided on Tuesday that no new duty will be imposed on solar panels. In a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the cabinet decided against imposing a duty on solar panels to keep renewable sources of energy affordable for the common man. The meeting decided on limited sugar exports after confirming ample reserves. The Prime Minister ordered that sugar prices must not increase and formed a committee to monitor prices, with exports to be halted if prices increase. The cabinet was informed that the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is progressing rapidly, with bidding scheduled…

The largest province in Pakistan, Balochistan, has severe traffic safety issues. Balochistan lacks double-lane highways, as compared to other provinces, which causes numerous accidents and fatalities. In 2021, a report showed that 8,000 people lost their lives in highway accidents in Balochistan in one year. This is much higher than the 2,238 fatalities from terrorism in the last ten years. The Quetta-Karachi Highway, an important 813 km road, is known for accidents and is nicknamed “Killer Road.” More than 800 accidents happen on this single-lane highway every year. There are many tragic stories. Nine family members lost their lives in…

The Shandur Polo Festival, originally scheduled in upper Chitral from June 28 to June 30, has been postponed due to adverse weather conditions. The announcement was made in a notification by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government on Monday. The festival is an annual event held at Shandur Top, the highest polo ground in the world, situated at an altitude of 3,700 meters. The tournament features teams from Gilgit and Chitral districts competing under freestyle rules. Besides polo, the festival includes folk music, dancing, and a camping village, all organized and funded by the KP government. Earlier, the provincial Secretary of…

The Pakistani rupee (PKR) reversed losses against the US Dollar today after opening trade at 278 in the interbank market. It was stable all day and closed in green against the greenback. It posted losses against most of the other major currencies during today’s session. The interbank rate stayed at 278/$ most of the day before closing at the same level. Open market rates across multiple currency counters were strictly at 278 today. The PKR appreciated by 0.04 percent and closed at 278.5 after gaining 12 paisas against the dollar today. On a fiscal year-to-date basis, the rupee has so…