Despite considerable improvement in security situation in Pakistan, some foreign cricketers have refused to play the entire fifth season of Habib Bank Limited (HBL) Pakistan Super League in Pakistan. Reportedly, franchises want to hold half season of next year’s PSL5 in United Arab Emirates (UAE), since they feel that it is currently not feasible to hold entire edition in Pakistan.
An engineer by profession, Kulsoom Abdullah is a Pakistani-American Ph.D. scholar and is the first Muslim woman in the world to compete in an international weightlifting event while wearing Hijab. Kulsoom has made Pakistani proud by being the only woman to represent Pakistan in multiple weightlifting championships across the globe and that too while not compromising her family life.
Noshaba Zafar, the daughter of a truck driver, has scored the highest marks in Punjab University’s history of 173 years. Noshaba, who hails from district Chakwal’s tehsil Talagang, is a BSc student from VIP Girls Degree College – an affiliate of Punjab University and has become the first student ever to score 714 marks out of 800 in BA/BSc Examination.
The government has announced a four-day holiday on accounts of Eidul Azha and Independence Day. According to the Interior Ministry notification issued on Wednesday, August 12 to 15 (Monday to Thursday) have been declared public holidays. Last month, Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry had announced this year’s dates for Eidul Azha and the beginning of the month of Muharram, based on scientific evidence.
PTI leader and former finance minister Asad Umar has said that according to his assessment inflation rates would peak in next two to four months. While speaking on a local news channel, Umar said that after few months, slowly inflation rate would start going down, which would be reflected in monetary policy and hence, interest rates would also go down.
A special delegation of over 500 Indian Sikh pilgrims have been allowed to visit Nankana Sahib for the celebrations of the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion. The pilgrims crossed through Wagah border and will commence celebrations in connection with Baba Guru Nanak’s 500th birth anniversary from his birthplace in Nankana Sahib on Thursday,
Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services, Murad Saeed has said that Pakistan-issued driving licenses will be accepted in Dubai after signing of MoU. A team will be visiting the Gulf state in coming week for this purpose. Once MoU is signed, job opportunities for Pakistani expats will increase significantly, as there will be no need to get UAE license.
In order to come to a final conclusion to the Afghan war, Pakistan will soon extend a formal invitation to representatives of Afghan Taliban to visit Islamabad. The meeting will hope to convince the insurgents for a permanent ceasefire. The Taliban spokesperson has already indicated that the group’s representatives would be willing to travel to Islamabad if given a formal invitation.
In another positive development, the United States has assured Pakistan that it will soften its travel advisory, enabling Islamabad to attract foreign investors. Adviser to PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood while talking to media said US was going to soften the travel advisory. Removal of travel advisory would mean both countries can engage in business activities.
An alarmingly high rate of HIV/AIDS cases in Pakistan has raised concern globally, resulting in United Nations labelling the country among 11 countries with highest ratio of the disease. Newly released report states that sharp increase in cases in Pakistan, despite grant of “massive funding” by international health partners, has proved to be a severe blow to global efforts to curtail HIV/AIDS.