Mercantile Pacific, Singapore, a leading mobile phone distribution company, has been appointed as the official regional distributor in Pakistan and Afghanistan by Apple. Mercantile, in order to expand its network has signed up with Airlink Communication. Due to the strict tax policies the prices will be a litter higher relatively but users will get a full Apple product experience, which was lacking in Pakistan.
Aqsa Kausar, an engineering graduate from the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) became the first Google Developer Expert (GDE) in machine learning i.e.the application of Artificial Intelligence. Organising different workshops in various events was one of her contributions in the field including Google’s Machine Learning Train-the-Trainer session recently held in Singapore. Aqsa is currently working with a Software firm Red Buffer which she believes had an immense role in her journey to become a GDE.
Pakistan avoids The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) blacklist on Friday. FATF decided to keep Pakistan on the grey list as Islamabad failed to fully implement the 27-point Action plan. Pakistan’s efforts on the agreed five action points were appreciated but it’s position on other points were partially acknowledged or rejected by the global body, providing the country another four months to complete the remaining actions.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Pakistan, expected on 23rd October has been postponed. Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal confirmed the news, hours after a Turkish diplomat tweeted about the matter. The FO spokesperson added that a new date for the visit is yet to be determined but did not state any reasons for the postponement of the visit.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has threatened that his government will stop water flowing to Pakistan and divert it to Haryana state. Addressing an election rally in Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, Modi said, “For 70 years, the water which belongs to India and the farmers of Haryana flowed to Pakistan. I will stop this water and bring it to your houses.”
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has decided in a meeting in Paris that Pakistan will remain on its grey list till February 2020, according to local news channel. The meeting on Tuesday reviewed Islamabad’s measures to control money laundering and terror financing but observed that further steps need to be taken. The FATF directed Islamabad to take ‘extra measures’ for ‘complete’ elimination.
Uzma Nawaz, one of the few female car mechanics in Pakistan belongs to Dunyapur, a small town of South Punjab grew up with a passion for cars and completed her degree in mechanical engineering. Uzma followed her passion and degree against all the odds, started a job at Toyota Motor’s workshop in Multan later she was promoted to general repairs with determination and hard work.
Pakistan is aiming to export it’s JF-17 Thunder fighter planes to four countries, according to various reports. The country is looking for numerous perspective buyers across the globe including Myanmar, India’s neighbor and traditional defense partners of New Delhi i.e Nigeria. Myanmar has already bought four JF-17’s, furthermore, Pakistan hopes to sell them to Malaysia and Azerbaijan as well.
Pakistan’s Rabia Shahzad won a gold medal for the country in the Hampshire Weightlifting Championship. Rabia Shahzad, aged 21, IBA student and younger sister of the badminton sensation Mahnoor Shahzad emerged undefeated with 144.9 Sinclair points in her category. Earlier, she claimed the silver medal in the 49-kilogram female category in the Welsh Open Weightlifting Championships. Rabia beat eight other weightlifters in the competition.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has agreed to share details of properties owned by 500 non-Iqama holder Pakistani nationals. The data will provide valuable information to the tax machinery as it remains unable to effectively utilise previous offshore information. Both countries also agreed to renegotiate Pak-UAE avoidance of double taxation treaty that would also help remove irritants in cooperation in areas of taxation.