Tech and Telecom

Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) announced the final national men’s squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier Round 2 matches against Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan. Pakistan will face Saudi Arabia at the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad on June 6 followed by an away fixture against Tajikistan on June 11 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan with Diaspora (D) players already joined the team. Seven Diaspora players have joined the team including the likes of Otis Khan, Yousuf Butt, Mohammad Fazal (D), Abdullah Iqbal (D), Rahis Nabi (D), Imran Kayani (D), and McKeal Abdullah. Some young players have been included in the squad…

A recent study by the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), titled ‘Impact of Taxation on the Cigarette Sector in Pakistan’, has uncovered a pressing issue that demands immediate the impact of tax policies, particularly Federal Excise Duty (FED) adjustments, on Pakistan’s cigarette industry which is causing more loss to government in revenues loss than in revenue collection. The study, led by the experienced Kashif Zaheer Malik, Associate Professor of Economics at LUMS, reveals that the frequent and substantial increases in FED have had a profound effect on the cigarette industry. The LUMS study highlights the critical need for a…

U Microfinance Bank (U Bank) has inaugurated its first Islamic Banking Window in its branch in Karachi. This will be followed by the availability of Islamic Banking Windows across all 28 of its branches in the metropolitan city. The launch marks a significant milestone in U Bank’s mission to provide accessible and Shari’ah-compliant banking services to its customers. The inaugural ceremony of the first Islamic Banking Window was held at U Bank’s Clifton branch and was graced with the presence of Mr. Mohamed Essa Al Taheri, President & CEO – U Bank, Mr. Syed Irfan Ali, Executive Director Financial Inclusion…

Pakistani legend Rashid Latif has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for hosting a meet and greet with the players during the T20 World Cup 2024. The 2024 ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA has begun. While all the big teams are hard into their training sessions, studying the pitch conditions ahead of their games, the ‘Men in Green’ are busy attending rodeo shows, and filming cowboy theme promos in Dallas, Texas. These events have raised a few eyebrows, especially as the team prepares for its crucial opening match against co-hosts USA on June 6. Adding…

The presentation of Federal Budget 2024-25 is facing big uncertainty as many issues remain unresolved. The budget is scheduled for presentation in parliament on Monday, June 10. This could get delayed as the authorities have yet to convene the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting to review the current economic situation and next year’s economic agenda. Compounding the delay, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb are in China for the next 4 days. This leaves June 8 as the earliest possible date for the NEC meeting. Meanwhile, the Annual Plan Coordination Committee (APCC) continued its deliberations on Monday, without…

Drop in pitch from Adelaide or a test day 5 pitch from Jamaica? So far this World Cup, we’ve talked more about the pitches than the actual cricket played on them. We all have the IPL to blame for spoiling us with those sky-high scores, making us think that’s all T20 is about now. But that New York pitch? Tricky, to say the least. Or as Faf du Plessis put it, “spicy.” Test match purists might’ve loved that recent Sri Lanka vs. South Africa game, but it probably wasn’t the ideal intro to cricket for American audiences. Yesterday’s game at…

Allied Bank Limited (PSX: ABL) has expanded its money market offerings with two new listings on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, namely the ‘ABL Islamic Money Market Fund’ and ‘ABL Money Market Fund’, two separate notices on the main bourse revealed on Tuesday. “Pakistan Stock Exchange Limited has approved the formal listing and quotation of the units of ABL Islamic Money Market Fund, an Open-end Mutual Fund on the Exchange w.e.f. Wednesday, June 05, 2024,” one filing stated. Another filing revealed, “Pakistan Stock Exchange Limited has approved the formal listing and quotation of the units of ABL Money Market Fund, an…

The provincial government of Sindh has decided to acquire a fleet of high-end vehicles for hundreds of its officials, despite widespread poverty and unemployment plaguing the province. According to details, the Sindh government plans to utilize current financial year funds to procure a fleet of vehicles for its officials. It includes 1300 cc Toyota Yaris cars worth Rs. 4.9 million (per car) for urban areas’ Assistant Commissioners. Furthermore, Rs. 10 million worth (per car) of Toyota Hilux 4×4 Double Cabin Standard Edition will be purchased for officers working in rural areas. In addition to this, Deputy Commissioners in the province’s…

Nothing has teased something on its official social media accounts. The teaser image only offers a glimpse at a corner of a device with a screw on a surface that appears to have a sandstone finish. The image below was captioned “3, 2, 1”, which suggests we will get the Nothing Phone (3) soon. The “2, 1” in the caption may be a reference to the Nothing Phone (2) and Nothing Phone (1) that came before. The timing of this teaser further adds to the speculation about Nothing Phone (3) since Nothing Phone (1) and (2) both launched in July,…

Crescent Bahuman Ltd. proudly welcomed Federal Minister Romina for Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam to its plant, highlighting CBL’s unwavering commitment to sustainability and innovation. Guided by AVP Treasury and Banking Mr. Ehsan S. Assad, the tour showcased the transformation of barren land into a green hub and the significant leap in solar energy utilization, now contributing over 20% of the plant’s power needs. Naurin Muzaffar, joining from the USA, along with Dr. Abdul Wahab and Adnan Ahmad emphasized CBL’s pioneering eco-friendly initiatives, including the first biological wastewater treatment plant in Pakistan, established in 1994. This facility has played a…