The year of future invasion
Listen to article This is the time for the yearender. 2024 should be remembered as the year when the future invaded our lives and when we were too busy to care or pay attention. Our choices speak volumes about these trends. It was a record election year. Nearly half of the world’s population voted this year, and […]
year of hypocrisy abroad and in Pakistan
Listen to article This piece is a personal reflection on the expedience and hypocrisy of current Western and Pakistani rulers. The latter fuming with anti-Imran Khan sentiment and complicit in moves that have defaced fundamental rights and stripped the judiciary off much of its independence. If anything the year 2024 marked a new low in (im)morality both […]
Don't fall for the 'software sizzle'
Growing enthusiasm around Pakistan's burgeoning software exports overlooks a fundamental truth about development: a country our size cannot leap into a service-based economy without first undergoing robust industrialisation. Yes, there is no doubt that software exports have grown remarkably, and the government's new forecast targets a stunning rise to $25 billion by 2029. Yet even […]
FIA arrests Karachi smuggler connected to Indian agent in trafficking plot
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) announced the arrest of Abdul Shakoor, a Karachi-based human smuggler, on Friday, accusing him of collaborating with an Indian agent to illegally send people to Europe. This arrest is part of a broader government crackdown on human trafficking, following a series of recent tragedies involving Pakistani migrants. FIA confirmed that […]
Imran Khan rejects house arrest deal, calls for remittance boycott
Former prime minister Imran Khan has reportedly rejected a proposed house arrest deal on Friday, doubling down on his call for political change in Pakistan, reported Arab News. In a social media post on Friday, Khan alleged that he had been offered a deal where he would be placed under house arrest at his Bani […]
Germany’s president dissolves parliament, calls snap elections for Feb 23
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday dissolved Germany’s lower house of parliament to pave the way for snap elections on February 23 following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-way coalition. “Especially in difficult times, like now, stability requires a government capable of acting, and reliable majorities in parliament,” which was why early elections were the […]
Human-induced climate change adds 41 days of extreme heat in 2024
Newly published research indicates that climate change added an average of 41 days of dangerous heat in 2024, harming human health and ecosystems. The joint report by World Weather Attribution (WWA) and Climate Central warns that every country needs to prepare for rising climate risks to minimize deaths and damage in 2025 and beyond. The […]
Banned outfits provided with sanctuaries, support on Afghan territory: ISPR – Pakistan
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Friday that terrorist outfits were being provided “sanctuaries, support, and are allowed unrestrained activities on Afghan territory”. The press conference took place amid heightened security concerns, with a sharp uptick in the number of attacks targeting security forces and other law […]
Benazir’s 17th death anniversary today – Pakistan
LARKANA: The stage is set at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto to observe the 17th death anniversary of former prime minister and PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto amidst extensive security measures on Dec 27 (today). People in caravans started pouring in from different parts of the country. A big pandal was established at the venue where a […]
EU issues scam alert over reports of visa fraud in Pakistan
The European Union (EU) Delegation to Pakistan has issued a public warning regarding a scam targeting Pakistani citizens about criminal organisations spreading misleading information about visa and consular appointments by creating fake embassy listings and phone numbers on Google Maps. In a statement shared on X on Friday, the delegation confirmed that several fake entries […]