Tech and Telecom

The government has invoked the Pakistan Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1952 for the next six months at Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to allow it to discipline employees who defy orders. This step, ordered by the Ministry of Interior on Wednesday, aims to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of the airline. It allows the airline to penalize employees who fail to follow lawful instructions, incite others to disobey, abandon their jobs without valid reasons, skip work, refuse duties, or leave assigned areas without authorization. Offenders may face up to one year in prison and fines. It bears mentioning that PIA announced in…

Turkish-fintech unicorn, Papara has successfully acquired Pakistan-based Electronic Money Institution (EMI) SadaPay. The fintech unicorn has expanded into South Asia through the 100% purchase of SadaPay. Founded by Brandon Timinsky in 2019, SadaPay quickly became one of the fastest-growing Electronic Money Institutions globally, reaching 1m users in record time. Today, SadaPay, with a range of features including P2P money transfers, debit cards, and payment products, processes $1.5 billion in annual payment volume. It was also the first institution to introduce a numberless debit card in the Middle East and Asia (MEA) region in collaboration with Mastercard. This and other innovations…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has directed Pakistan to end subsidies for exporters. Sources said that the lender has asked Pakistan to end subsidies for exporters or link them with the actual exports after confirmation from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). The IMF during the recent talks also held discussions with Ministry of Commerce (MoC) officials on subsidies to exporters as well as reducing tariffs on imports. Sources said that the IMF was pressing the Pakistani side to ease restrictions on imports. They have a point of view that Pakistan should open imports for all kinds of items. Sources…

Days before Eid ul Adha, the theft of sacrificial animals has started in Lahore. A disturbing video circulating on social media depicts a group of robbers stealing sacrificial animals at gunpoint from a young boy. The footage shows the perpetrators stopping their vehicle next to the boy walking with goats, assaulting him, and forcibly taking the animals while brandishing a pistol to deter any resistance. After swiftly seizing the animals, the robbers hastily flee the scene, leaving the boy shocked and panicked. Netizens expressed outrage over the CCTV footage, highlighting the citizens’ vulnerability to criminals and criticizing the lack of…

Pakistan is set to face England in the fourth T20I at The Oval, London on May 30, following the abandonment of the third match due to heavy rain at Sophia Gardens on Tuesday. A washout in the third match of the four-game series due to heavy rain means that Pakistan will have to win the last match to level the series considering a victory will hold significant importance for the Men in Green as they seek to gain momentum before the T20 World Cup. Skipper Babar Azam is expected to anchor the batting lineup from the crucial one-down position. His…

A ceremony for the destruction of a massive quantity of illicit/smuggled/counterfeit cigarettes was held by the Jhelum Zone of the Regional Tax Office, Rawalpindi. The ceremony was organized today for the destruction of about 2,700 packrites of illicit cigarettes including non-duty paid and smuggled cigarettes at Chak Barahm, Jhelum. The total value of destroyed illicit cigarettes approximated about Rs. 202 million on which the total value of duty evaded comes at Rs. 147.15 million. Tehmina Aamer, Chief Commissioner, RTO, Rawalpindi graced the occasion as Chief Guest. The ceremony was also attended by the Commissioner Jhelum Zone Walayat Khan and officers…

The Pakistan Hajj Mission (PHM) on Tuesday advised Pakistani pilgrims to take all necessary precautions against heatstroke during the Hajj days, following a severe heat warning from the Saudi National Centre for Meteorology. This year’s Hajj is scheduled for June 14 to June 19, coinciding with peak summer temperatures, raising concerns for the well-being of millions of pilgrims in Makkah. “We urge Pakistani pilgrims to avoid sun exposure, especially during the five Hajj days in Mashair from 8-12 Zilhaj. Drink plenty of water, preferably Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), use umbrellas, and stay in air-cooled or air-conditioned tents and shaded areas,”…

The cut-off yields on Treasury Bills (T-Bills) went down by up to 60 basis points (bps) in the auction of the paper held on Wednesday. According to the data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the government raised Rs. 501 billion against a target of Rs. 360 billion in the auction. Official data indicates that the cut-off yield for the 3-month T-Bills went down by 60 bps to 21.0001 percent. The cut-off yield for the 6-month T-Bills went down by 29 bps to 21.0000 percent while the cut-off yield for the 12-month T-Bills declined by 31 bps to…

The Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) announced a black day protest on May 30 (Thursday) at all universities nationwide, in response to the federal government’s significant budget cuts for the Higher Education Commission (HEC). The federal government has reduced the HEC’s budget for the 2024-25 financial year from Rs65bn to Rs25bn, limiting funds to only federal area universities and excluding provincial universities, which were previously included. The HEC had originally requested Rs126bn for over 160 public universities. FAPUASA’s executive council, led by President Dr. Amjad Abbas Magsi and General Secretary Dr. Muhammad Uzair, held an emergency…

The Punjab government has ordered the suspension of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. Fazalur Rehman, along with another official, following the death of children due to measles. Reports indicated that 10 children died from measles in Khanewal and Kasur, prompting the government to launch investigations. Five children each died in Kabeerwala, Khanewal, and Pattoki, Kasur. Health authorities have sent separate teams of senior medical teachers and public health officers to the two districts to investigate the measles deaths. Sources claimed that health authorities were concealing the measles outbreak in Punjab, focusing instead on development projects…