Human rights group Amnesty International has raised concern over the highly hazardous air quality in Punjab. stating that government has failed to protect people. In a statement, Amnesty International said that the Air Quality Index in Lahore had reached 484 at 10am today, whereas the threshold for “hazardous” levels of air quality was 300, where people are advised to “avoid all physical activity outdoors”.
Pakistan, which ranks 142 on the World Press Freedom index, is among the 13 countries where journalists are murdered and their killers go free. the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) stated the killers go free due to “unchecked corruption, ineffective institutions, and lack of political will to pursue robust investigations”. Between September 1, 2009 and August 31, 2019, at least 16 murder cases were found in Pakistan.
The government of Pakistan has issued a commemorative coin to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji – founder of Sikh religion. The move comes after Islamabad and New Delhi last week signed an agreement to open Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib – one of Sikhism’s holiest pilgrimage sites in Narowal district of Punjab – without a visa.
Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Syed Shabbar Zaidi announced the tax returns filed per day in 2019 have increased by 127% on average as compared to last year. Tax returns filed in 2019 till October 25 stands at 918,027, as compared to 585,209 tax returns filed in the same period last year according to Zaidi’s tweet. Personal interactions between FBR employees and businessmen will not be allowed soon.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is staring at a possible flour crisis as its wheat supply has been cut down by the Punjab government. Due to a sudden disruption of wheat supply the flour prices have increased by Rs. 80 for a 20kg bag in the province. KP receives 95 percent of its wheat supply from Punjab, which has been completely cut for the past couple of days without any reason given by the Punjab government, according to Muhammad Iqbal, chairman Pakistan Flour Mills Association KP.
Maryam Nawaz also fell sick after meeting Nawaz Shareef who’s health condition worsened on Wednesday. Maryam was admitted to the hsopital later that day and was allowed to stay in a room next to the one where her father has been undergoing treatment. Few hours later, she was sent back to Kot Lakpat jail i.e. on Thursday morning without letting her complete the treatment.
As scientists estimate that the probable increase in global average temperature will be at least 3°C by the end of the 21st century, Jacobabad the hottest city in Pakistan and in Asia might become uninhabitable. With temperatures reaching as high as 51.1°C (124°F), the people of Jabocabad suffer further as electricity blackouts can last as long as 12 hours.
A team of foreign diplomats posted in Pakistan were taken to Neelum Valley in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to witness firsthand whether the Indian army had “smashed four terror launch pads” there early Sunday, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said in a tweet. The diplomats have been taken to the Nauseri, Shahkot and Jura sectors near Line of Control (LoC).
Pakistan along with Turkey, Mexico and Saudia Arabia is likely to be among the top 20 drivers of growth in 2024, according to a Bloomberg report. International Monetary Fund projections, adjusted for purchasing power parity was used by Bloomberg in order to identify these growing countries. The report stated that the global economy alarmed by tensions that obstructed the international trade, is expected to see slower growth in the next half-decade across economies.
Urdu website is launched to facilitate the taxpayers by Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Syed Muhammad Shabbar Zaidi. The Urdu website offers online facilitation and services to the taxpayers about Income Tax, Sales Tax, Custom etc. and also information related to it. The website allows the users to file a complaint as well as seek response to their queries in the national language.