Pakistan has finally issued a citizenship certificate for Sumaira, a woman languishing in an Indian detention centre after marrying an Indian in Qatar. Sumaira married an Indian boy who took her to India without a visa. Later, Sumaira was arrested and subsequently sentenced to three years in prison. Two months later, she gave birth to a baby girl.
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.
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.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has said reports by the United States and western media about the treatment of Muslims in the far western Chinese region of Xinjiang presented a “completely different” picture than what had been observed by Islamabad’s envoy in Beijing during a visit. The prime minister was responding to a question during a CNN interview, broadcast on Sunday.
An overseas Pakistanis investment group has developed the world’s largest and fastest speedboat to promote adventure tourism in Pakistan. The world’s fastest boat arrived in the country last week as increased tourism opportunities within the country have piqued the interest of investors. The speedboat is light-weighted but strong with the ability to move fast in shallow waters of lakes and rivers.
Student unions have been revived in the country after Sindh assembly passed a “landmark bill” on Friday. The bill lifted a ban on student bodies that was imposed across the country by former military ruler Gen. Muhammad Ziaul Haq 38 years ago. The law will come into force after receiving approval from the Sindh governor.
Winter Olympics 2022 will be seeing only one participant from Pakistan- 26-year-old Muhammad Karim from Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistan’s lone soldier will represent 220 million countrymen in the Alpine Skiing Slalom event on Feb 16. Pakistan’s four-member contingent left for Beijing on Tuesday from Lahore and will reach Beijing on Wednesday.
The Pakistan Air Force’s latest jets equipped with near-stealth features, can easily dodge India’s advanced tracking system. The PAF expects to add 50 JF-17 fighter jets built jointly with China to replace old aircraft and upgrade capability against India’s missile defense system. A rollout ceremony was held in December and the new JF-17 jets will fly at the national day military parade on March 23.
Australia’s first visit to Pakistan since 1998 has received a final all-clear. The tour, which comprises three Tests, three ODIs and a T20I, has been on the cards since November 2021. Both boards have been making steady progress towards the series going ahead, and now after a final pre-trip security briefing Cricket Australia has given its full endorsement.