While Prime Minister Imran Khan envisions Pakistan to be a hub of global tourism, a study released by the World Bank has warned that tourism in the country is placing increasing stress on the local environment. The study suggests that tourism in the mountainous regions is leading to increased pollution, natural habitat loss and pressure on endangered species.
Manisha Mal from Jacobabad, has made history by becoming the first Hindu lady to take the office of the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Sindh. Mal passed the competitive CCE examinations and as per the merit list issued by the Sindh Public Service Commission office in Hyderabad, had stood 16th in the merit list for the commissioned positions in the provincial government.
Forces in Pakistan are on a high alert after powerful clerics have called for a shutter-down strike across Pakistan today, Monday, in support of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). The former head of the moon-sighting Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s Fazlur Rehman both announced their support Sunday night. TLP was banned by the government for outbreaks of violence and protesting last week.
Despite the government’s efforts to reform status of the Pakistani passport, Henley Passport Index has ranked the country’s passport as fourth weakest in the world, behind only war-torn Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. The index assesses the travel documents based on how many countries citizens can access without a visa, as well as, using information from the International Air Transport Association.
The federal government has deferred approval of Rs192 billion worth of Hyderabad-Sukkur motorway project due to proposed changes in its financing model. The project now seeks Rs76 billion from the budget compared to the original plan of constructing the road with private sector funding. The project was initially expected to be completed at a cost of Rs165 billion, which has now increased to Rs191.5 billion.
Pakistan saw an increase of 26% in remittances, with a record run of above $2 billion in remittances for the 10th consecutive month in March, the State Bank of Pakistan said Monday. Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) continued to maintain the top spots as key contributors of remittances to Pakistan for the fiscal year 2021, central bank data showed.
Pakistan is set to become the world’s 23rd biggest economy by 2040 based on its predicted gross domestic product (GDP) rank which currently sits at 39th position, according to a United States intelligence report. The assessment was included in this year’s Global Trends report by US National Intelligence Council (NIC). The NIC is issued every four years.
PTI lawmaker and Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice Barrister Maleeka Bokhari has been selected as the World Economic Forum (WEF) ‘Young Global Leader’ for five years. Bokhari is the only representative from Pakistan, chosen as a Young Global Leader this year. She currently serves as Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Law and Justice in Pakistan and is responsible for legislative business in parliament.
Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that the government plans to open registration for Covid-19 vaccination for all citizens after Eid. While speaking to senior journalists, Umar said so far 14,000 people had received vaccination through the private sector, while 1.1 million were inoculated as part of the government campaign.
Visually impaired Pakistani student, Khansa Maria, will be pursuing a Masters in evidence-based policy intervention and social evaluation at the Oxford University next fall, as Pakistan’s 2021 Rhodes Scholar-elect. Khansa currently attends Georgetown’s Qatar campus where she is pursuing a Bachelor’s in foreign service, with a concentration in culture and politics. Owing to her visual impairment, Khansa had to face many struggles while studying in Pakistan.