Noor Muqaddam’s murder case has dominated headlines for over six months now. The counsel for Zahir Jaffer, the main accused has now said that it was possible that she (Noor) may have been killed for honour as she had a “living relationship” with Zahir. Sikandar Zulqarnain Saleem, the counsel for Zahir Jaffer, stated that the police did not quiz the only brother of the victim.
Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Shibli Faraz on Wednesday has advised the public to use “as little fuel as possible”, in order to avoid getting effected by the recent hike in fuel prices. Speaking to journalists at the Parliament House, the minister said that it would’ve been a different case if Pakistan made its own petrol or if the country had oil wells.
The United States State Department has appointed Pakistani-American businessman and entrepreneur Dilawar Syed the new Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs. The special representative is responsible for advancing trade, commercial, and economic policies for America’s workers and the middle-class to help create well-paying jobs and strengthen American communities. During Barak Obama’s administration, Syed played important role in promoting State Department’s Global Entrepreneurship Program.
Journalist Mohsin Baig who was detained in a raid has claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to torture him. Baig is currently in police custody and was held for making ‘derogatory and demeaning’ remarks on a news channel last week about the premier and Minister of Communications Murad Saeed.
A team led by Pakistani scientist, Yasir Siddique, has developed a promising solar cell technology that sets two new world records of efficiency in the lab. The approach could help foster clean energy initiatives to combat the global warming issue. Siddique has designed and fabricated solution-processed Copper Indium Sulphu Selenide (CISSe) solar cells. The cell falls in emerging trend of Tandem solar technology and is now most efficient in its category.
River Ravi, flowing through Punjab’s capital, Lahore has been found to be the world’s most polluted. The river contains active pharmaceutical ingredients posing a ‘threat to environment and human health’. A study on pharmaceutical pollution of the world’s rivers conducted at the University of York detected pharmaceutical particles including paracetamol, nicotine, caffeine and epilepsy and diabetes drugs in the river.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday launched Raast, Pakistan’s first person-to-person payment system for instant digital transactions. Addressing the launch ceremony in Islamabad, he said it would create ease for the masses, especially those who were afraid of going to banks, and it will also bring them into the fold of formal economy.
Police thwarted an enraged mob’s attempt to lynch a man accused of blasphemy in Muzaffargarh, arriving just in time to take the victim to a secure, undisclosed location. The man was allegedly spotted burning pages of the Holy Quran in front of a mosque. The complainant in the case confronted the man before locking him in a room and calling police.
In a shocking turn of events, the Lahore High Court (LHC) acquitted the prime suspect and brother of model Qandeel Baloch in her murder case. The LHC’s Multan bench cancelled life imprisonment of the accused after witnesses deviated from their statements in the trial court and Qandeel’s mother submitted a reconciliation agreement stipulating parental pardon.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has asked the prime minister to reconsider a reported move to grant domestic flying rights to Air Arabia. Reportedly, PIA along with local stakeholders disputed the move as it would have serious ramifications for domestic airlines which are already struggling for survival. Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCCA), however, has championed allowing Air Arabia to set up Fly Jinnah.