Top Stories
‘Won’t resign on opposition’s demand’, PM tells senior journalists
F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has categorically said that he would not give in to the opposition’s demand for him to step down. “Let me be very clear that I will not resign on opposition’s demand,” the premier told a select group of journalists at the PM Office on Wednesday. He said it…
Nawaz’ health deteriorates again as platelets drop to 7000
F.P. Report LAHORE: Health condition of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has deteriorated again as his platelet count has dropped again to 7000. As per details, platelets of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif reached 29000 yesterday after receiving medical care in Lahore’s Services hospital. The doctors had said that health condition of Nawaz Sharif is satisfactory…
Government to allow JUI-F’s ‘Azadi March’ to go ahead as long as it remains peaceful
F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday decided to let the opposition’s ‘Azadi March’ protest in Islamabad proceed as long as parameters laid out by courts for lawful protest are not breached. The decision was made after a team delegated to negotiate with the opposition presented its recommendations to the prime minister. It was decided…
President urges Japan to play role in restoration of fundamental rights of Kashmiris in IOJ&K
F.P. Report TOKYO: President Dr. Arif Alvi has urged Japan to play its role for restoration of fundamental human rights of the Kashmiri people in Indian occupied Kashmir. He was talking to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo. The President briefed the Japanese Prime Minister about the worsening situation of human rights in the…
Police use water cannons to disperse teachers’ protest in Islamabad
F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: Police used water cannons to disperse Basic Education Community Schools (BESC) teachers on Wednesday at D-Chowk. The BESC teachers were protesting over non-payment of salaries. They also demanded the government to upgrade their status as permanent employees. When the government called on the teachers to end their protest, they started marching towards…
Pakistan to attend Afghan peace talks in Moscow
F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will participate in upcoming four-party talks on the Afghan peace process in Moscow, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said on Wednesday. Addressing a weekly briefing, Dr Faisal said Pakistan will attend the talks and the additional secretary for Afghanistan and West Asia will represent Islamabad. “Pakistan had participated in the…
Global
UK police discover 39 bodies in truck, arrest driver
GRAYS (Reuters): British police found the bodies of 39 people inside a truck believed to have come from Bulgaria at an industrial estate near London on Wednesday, and said they had arrested the driver on suspicion of murder. The discovery of the bodies – 38 adults and one teenager – was made in the early…
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Trump hails ‘big success’ on Turkey-Syria border
ANKARA (AA): U.S. President Donald Trump hailed two major deals Turkey reached with Washington and Moscow to establish a planned safe zone on the Turkey-Syria border. “Big success on the Turkey/Syria Border. Safe Zone created!” Trump tweeted Wednesday. Turkey agreed with the U.S. on Oct. 17 to pause its Operation Peace Spring, launched Oct. 9,…
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Russian military police arrive in Syria’s Ayn al-Arab
MOSCOW (AA): A column of Russian military police arrived in the Syrian city of Ayn al-Arab (Kobani), located near the Syrian-Turkish border, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. “In accordance with the agreements reached by the presidents of Russia and Turkey on October 22 in Sochi, today, at 12 o’clock, a column of Russian…
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Afghan foreign minister resigns
KABUL (AA): Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani resigned suddenly from his post on Wednesday. In his resignation letter addressed to President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, Rabbani said working space in the National Unity Government was not desired from the very early days of this government in 2014 until now 2019. “During this time, I’ve seen that…
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British PM could target election as EU mulls Brexit extension
LONDON (AFP): British Prime Minister Boris Johnson could pivot towards a general election as the EU mulls granting a Brexit deadline extension on Wednesday, after a fresh twist to the divorce saga cast doubt over his hopes of leaving on October 31. In tense parliamentary votes on Tuesday, Johnson won initial backing for the divorce…
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Hong Kong officially withdraws extradition bill
ANKARA (AA): After months-long protests, the government in Hong Kong officially withdrew the extradition bill as the session of Legislative Council resumed on Wednesday, local media reported. Earlier this month, Carrie Lam had announced to withdraw the bill which sought to legalize extradition from Hong Kong to countries — including mainland China — triggering unrelenting…
Read MorePakistan
PM Imran directs to complete establishment of SEZs on war footing
F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday directed to complete establishment of special economic zones (SEZs) on war footing. Chairing a high-level meeting in Islamabad to review progress on establishment of special economic zones across the country, PM Imran Khan said that all the initiatives for establishment of SEZs will be spearheaded by…
Will topple Imran Khan and his facilitators: Bilawal
F.P. Report ISLAMKOT: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari vowed to bring down the ‘puppet’ government of Prime Minister Imran and install a ‘people’s government’ in its place. The Bhutto scion was addressing a rally in Tharparkar District’s Islamkot. Bilawal said that everywhere he looked, he saw difficulties for the people of Pakistan.…
Govt committed to resolve complaints of masses at their doorsteps: Azam Swati
F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Khan Swati said that Pakistan Citizen Portal was working efficiently and successfully in the redressal of public grievances. Addressing a news conference along with Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan, the federal minister said the government was committed to resolve complaints of the masses…
NEPRA jacks up power tariff by Rs1.66 per unit
F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Wednesday raised power tariff by Rs1.66 per unit. According to a notification issued on Wednesday, consumers will pay an additional Rs20 billion in the next month. On Tuesday, the Central Power Purchase Agency Guarantee Limited (CPPA-G) had sought Rs2.97 per unit increase in power tariff…
Governor Punjab calls Shehbaz Sharif to inquire about health of Nawaz
F.P. Report LAHORE: Governor Punjab Muhammad Sarwar on Wednesday contacted PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif to inquire about the health of former premier Nawaz Sharif. Shehbaz was in hospital so he could not attend the call but Governor Punjab assured full support for Nawaz’ health on behalf of PM Imran Khan to Ayyaz Sadiq. Sarwar told…
Kartarpur Corridor: Pakistan, India set to sign agreement on Oct 24
F.P. Report LAHORE Both, Pakistan and India, are likely to sign an agreement related to the historic opening of Kartarpur corridor on Thursday (October 24). At his weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Wednesday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said it is our effort to get the agreement signed tomorrow. The spokesperson said a…
Afghanistan
Who bears responsibility for Nangarhar massacre?
F.P. Report KABUL: On the blessed day of Friday as the Muslims gathered to perform the Friday prayer, an attack was carried out by Daeshi militias on common Muslims inside a mosque in Haska Mena district of Nangarhar province which left sixty prayer-goers martyred and dozens wounded. This horrific crime was perpetrator by ruthless criminals…
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Pentagon chief hints at draw down of forces
Monitoring Desk ANKARA: Pentagon chief Mark Esper has indicated that the US might drawdown its forces stationed in war-torn Afghanistan if a peace deal is reached. On his maiden visit to Kabul on Sunday, US Defense Secretary Esper told reporters accompanying him that they can “get a peace agreement at some point, a political agreement”,…
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Baghlan women uninterested to work in media
Monitoring Desk PUL-I-KHUMRI: There is no female journalist in the field in northern Baghlan province owing to economic and security issues, media directors said. Media officials say due to economic problems and insecurity, a limited number of female journalists work in local media outlets. Ferozan Sadat, a news director at Adib local radio station in…
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Airstrikes, armed clash leave 9 Taliban dead & hurt in Balkh, Faryab
Monitoring Desk BALKH: A series of aristrikes and armed clashes left at least 9 Taliban militants dead or wounded in northern Balkh and Faryab provinces of Afghanistan. The 209th Shaheen Corps said in a statement the security forces conducted airstrikes amid ongoing clashes in Chaqmaq Village of Pashtun Kot district in Faryab province of Afghanistan.…
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Afghanistan struggles to find housing for returning refugees
Monitoring Desk PENANG: Housing millions of refugees returning to Afghanistan is one of the biggest challenges facing the country as it attempts to meet the basic needs of its people amid the world’s longest-running war, a senior government official said. There are more than 2.6 million registered refugees in the world from Afghanistan, the highest…
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Pelosi make secret trip to Afghanistan
Monitoring Desk KABUL: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a congressional delegation have concluded an unannounced visit to Afghanistan, Pelosi’s office said Sunday evening. The secret trip was made as Pelosi led the high-level congressional delegation to Jordan this weekend, where her office says they discussed Middle East peace and Syria with members of the country’s…
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Business
Amid US-China trade war, Apple begins assembling iPhones in India
Monitoring Desk WASHINGTON: United States-based technology giant Apple has begun manufacturing its flagship product, the iPhone, in India, according to a report published by American business news outlet CNBC. The company has started assembling and selling the iPhone XR in India, and is aiming to boost sales globally by marketing the relatively low-priced product to…
European stocks mostly dip amid Brexit saga
Monitoring Desk LONDON: Europe’s main stock markets mainly fell in opening deals on Tuesday, ahead of parliamentary votes on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s withdrawal agreement bill. Investors kept one eye on Asia, which rose on growing hope that China and the US could sign a partial trade deal next month. In initial European trade,…
Asian markets rise on China-US trade hopes, pound edges down
Monitoring Desk HONG KONG: Asian markets rose Tuesday on growing optimism that China and the US will sign a partial trade deal next month, while the pound dipped slightly as dealers await another key Brexit vote in Westminster. Donald Trump reinforced hopes Monday that he and Xi Jinping will be able to put pen to…
Bestway Group acts as bridge between Pakistan, UK
F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: Zameer Choudrey, CBE, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Chief Executive Bestway Group has been appointed to the House of Lords by Her Majesty the Queen, in recognition of his contributions to Britain’s domestic and foreign trade, his philanthropic work both in the UK and abroad, and his role as Chairman of the Conservative Friends of Pakistan.…
Weekly inflation goes up 2.36%
F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation for the week ended on October 17, 2019, for the combined consumption group, increased by 2.36 percent as compared to the previous week. The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 129.45 points against…
Gold price decreases Rs300, traded at Rs86,900/tola
F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: The price of 24 karat gold decreased by Rs 300 on Tuesday and was traded at Rs 86,900 per tola compared to Rs 87,100 the previous trading day. Likewise, the price of 10 gram gold decreased by Rs 257 was traded at Rs 74,503 against the price of Rs 74,760, Karachi Sarafa…
Sports
Akhtar warns against writing off Pakistan ahead of Australia tour
KARACHI (Monitoring Desk): Pakistan’s legendary former pacer Shoaib Akhtar, in a Youtube video, has warned against writing Pakistan off ahead of their tour of Australia. The former pacer believed that the Men in Green had the ammunition to cause an upset down under. Akhtar claimed that an attacking mindset could tip the balance towards the…
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Shah, Amina represent Pakistan in Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2019
ISLAMABAD (APP): Japan-based judoka duo Shah Hussain Shah and Amina Toyoda will represent the country at Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2019, commencing on Thursday. “The competition is also a test event for 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Both Shah and Amina have reached Abu Dhabi in pursuit of their ultimate dream to earn a spot in the…
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World cricketers´ group backs Bangladesh strike
DHAKA (AFP): Cricket´s global players´ representative group has lent its support to Bangladesh players in their unprecedented strike over pay and benefits. The walk-off began on Monday and includes several members of the national squad, casting doubt on Bangladesh´s tour of India due to start in early November. The Federation of International Cricketers´ Associations praised…
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Ex-captain Sourav Ganguly appointed BCCI president
MUMBAI (Agencies): Former captain Sourav Ganguly was unanimously elected on Wednesday as president of India’s troubled cricket board, the sport’s most powerful body. Cricket’s massive popularity in India has helped the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) become by far the wealthiest of all of the sport’s national boards, netting massive money from…
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Postponed Clasico set for December 18 but La Liga could appeal
MADRID (Agencies): The rearranged Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid will be played on December 18 despite opposition from La Liga, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed on Wednesday. Spain’s most prestigious fixture, which was due to take place at Camp Nou on Saturday, was postponed last week because of violent pro-independence protests in Catalonia.…
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Shahbaz wants Pakistan to surprise Netherlands by giving their best
ISLAMABAD (APP): Former Olympian Shahbaz Ahmed Senior has urged Pakistan team to give the best against Netherlands in the hockey qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, saying he expects Green-shirts to surprise the Dutch in the games. The qualifiers would take place in Amsterdam on October 26 and 27. “It would be tough for the…
Read MoreFashion & Movies
Brad Pitt wrote ‘romantic notes’ for Angelina Jolie while married to Jennifer Aniston
Hollywood’s once power couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt after parting ways left many of their fans heartbroken as well, who can’t help but cling on to every detail from their past relationship. As per the latest buzz about their love, the duo had begun their love story through some romantic notes that they penned…
Khilari Kumar will not be a part of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2
Monitoring Desk ISLAMABAD: Ever since the news of Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani starring in the sequel of the 2007 blockbuster Bhool Bhulaiyaa was confirmed, fans have been waiting for updates on Akshay Kumar’s return in the film. Rumour had that the superstar will be making a special appearance in this horror comedy, reprising his…
Nicki Minaj walks down the aisle in a surprise wedding ceremony
Monitoring Desk LOS ANGELES: Nicki Minaj revealed that she has taken the plunge and tied the knot with Kenneth Petty in a surprise wedding. An excited Minaj took to Instagram to reveal that she has said ‘I do’ to rapper and boyfriend Petty after they successfully obtained a marriage license at a Beverly Hills Courthouse…
Akshay Kumar reveals the first look of his character from Housefull 4
Monitoring Desk KARACHI: Now that Housefull 4 is just a few days away from its release, makers of the film are continuing to surprise fans with interesting updates. Starring Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Bobby Deol, Kriti Sanon, Kriti Kharbanda and Pooja Hegde in lead roles, the comedy-drama is one of the most anticipated films this…
Film ‘Forced labour under largest democracy’ released
F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: A documentary titled, “Forced labour under the largest democracy” was released at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on the occasion of a programmed organized to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people. According to Kashmir Media Service, during the release of the film, the director of the film, Shafkat Raina briefed the audience about…
Junoon enthralls audience in US during world tour
NEW YORK (Monitoring Desk): Pakistan’s legendary rock band Junoon after making their striking comeback are now taking the United States of America by storm and flaring up fans who are travelling from all across the globe to witness the magic firsthand. The super trio have been captivating the audience seven seas across and are getting…
Science & Technology
Amid US-China trade war, Apple begins assembling iPhones in India
Monitoring Desk WASHINGTON: United States-based technology giant Apple has begun manufacturing its flagship product, the iPhone, in India, according to a report published by American business news outlet CNBC. The company has started assembling and selling the iPhone XR in India, and is aiming to boost sales globally by marketing the relatively low-priced product to…
Scientists dramatically extend the lifespans of mice in a genius new telomere study
Monitoring Desk BARCELONA: Scientists are experimenting with all kinds of ideas to extend lifespan and give us a few extra years of existence, and now a mouse study has produced some intriguing results: a longer life thanks to hyper-long telomeres. Telomeres are repeated sequences of DNA material sitting at the tips of each and every…
NASA’s InSight lander can finally dig a hole for its Mars heat probe
Monitoring Desk WASHINGTON: NASA’s InSight lander was supposed be digging a hole so a probe (above) could measure the heat escaping from Mars’ interior, but it hasn’t made much progress since work got started in February — it hadn’t even finished burying itself. At last, it’s making some headway. The agency has revealed that the…
SBS Distribution marks 10-year of excellence in IT sector
F.P. Report KARACHI: The Syed Business Solutions (SBS) Distribution on completion of 10 years of its successful operations in IT sector held a grand celebration. The company unveiled their new product line on this occasion which will be available for Pakistan’s IT & Security market. The new products include SuperMicro, Pivot3, Nexenta, Commvalut, Mobotix and…
NASA astronauts to perform first all-women spacewalk
Monitoring Desk ANKARA: US astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir of NASA are set to make a history by performing all-women spacewalk on Friday. The duo will begin their venture outside of the International Space Station (ISS) at 7:50 a.m. (1050 GMT) on Friday to replace a failed power controller, also known as a battery…
Galaxy S10 fingerprint flaw: Samsung to deploy software patch
Monitoring Desk SEOUL: A flaw with Samsung’s top-end Galaxy S10 fingerprint system that allows the smartphone to be opened by a third party will soon be fixed, the tech giant said Thursday. A user in the UK told the Sun newspaper earlier this week her Samsung device could be unlocked by someone else simply by…
Health
Breast Cancer signs, symptoms and treatment
Dr. Neelam Siddiqui Breast cancer may be a devastating disease but it is potentially curable. Although in majority of cases with breast cancer, it is difficult to tell what exactly triggered the beginning of cancer, certain factors have been identified which can make a woman more prone to develop breast cancer than others. The following…
Class 10th student died of dengue fever in Shangla
F.P. Report SHANGLA: Yet another youth died of dengue fever which has become pandemic across the country including Khyber Pakthunkwa here on Monday. Atta-ur-Rehman, a student of class 10 belonged to Mir BalaManzai area and was admitted to a local hospital four days back after being diagnosed with dengue fever. Because of lack of facilities,…
Honda Atlas Cars (Pakistan) organizes free medical camp at Koradi near Khoshab
F.P. Report LAHORE: In continuation with the efforts for social uplift and welfare of the people of rural and less privileged areas, one-day free medical camp was arranged by Honda Atlas Cars (Pakistan) Limited at Village Koradi, near Khushab on September 29th, 2019. A total of 575 patients were examined and given free medicines. The…
Govt dissolves PMDC, establishes Pakistan Medical Commission
F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Sunday dissolved the existing body of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and established a new organization, Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC), to regulate medical profession in the country. According to an official of the ministry of national health services, President Dr Arif Alvi signed a new ordinance titled…
Mindfulness may reduce opioid cravings, study finds
Monitoring Desk NEW JERSEY: People suffering from opioid addiction and chronic pain may have fewer cravings and less pain if they use both mindfulness techniques and medication for opioid dependence, according to Rutgers and other researchers. The study, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, examined the effects of mindfulness and methadone therapy on…
Another child hit by polio in Lakki Marwat, toll mounts to 54 in KP
F.P. Report PESHAWAR: The infuriated polio virus has left another child disabled for life as National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad on Friday notified a new polio case from Tehsil sarai Norang Lakki Marwat as the total count of polio cases jumps to 54 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to the details, one wild polio virus…
Travel
Antalya hosts more than 14 million tourists
Monitoring Desk ANTALYA: Antalya, one of Turkey’s top tourist hotspots, has welcomed a record 14 million foreign tourists this year, data from the provincial directorate of culture and tourism showed. Foreign visits to the city, which hosted a total of 13.6 million international holidaymakers in 2018, stood at a little more than 14 million between…
Uluru climb ban raises tourists’ questions
Monitoring Desk MELBOURNE: Among some of the tourists rushing to Uluru before climbing it is banned this Saturday, there is bemusement as to why local Indigenous traditional owners would discourage tourist dollars. The nearby Ayers Rock Resort in the desert oasis town Yulara that was opened in 1984 has been full for most of this…
Qantas completes test of longest non-stop passenger flight
Monitoring Desk SYDNEY: Australian carrier Qantas has completed a test of the longest non-stop commercial passenger flight as part of research on how the journey could affect pilots, crew and passengers. The Boeing 787-9 with 49 people on board took 19 hours and 16 minutes to fly from New York to Sydney, a 16,200-km (10,066-mile)…
Finland’s ‘Be more like a Finn’ campaign joins growing list of tourism pledge initiatives
Monitoring Desk FINLAND: Finland has become the latest destination to introduce a tourism pledge, asking visitors to the country to promise to respect its nature, culture and inhabitants. Forming part of a wider sustainability drive that focuses on Finnish values and traditions, such as embracing the outdoors, foraging and recycling, the pledge requires visitors to…
Overrun by Tourists, American Cities Are Taking Aim at Hotels
Monitoring Desk CAROLINA: Peggy Malaspina, a resident of Charleston’s French Quarter neighborhood, is comfortable living among the hordes of tourists flocking to this charming South Carolina city of horse-drawn carriages, lush private courtyards, and 18th century churches. Every so often, she’ll spot someone peering into the windows of her home, assuming it’s a restaurant. If…
Nur-Sultan hosts UN urban tourism summit
Monitoring Desk NUR-SULTAN: Nur-Sultan hosted Oct. 9-10 the United National World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Summit on Urban Tourism. More than 700 delegates from 30 countries gathered to explore the definition of smart cities and smart destinations and the role of tourism in the development of cities. The two-day event, which also included the adoption of…
Articles
Deteriorating governance & issues of poverty and unemployment
Asmatullah Khan Good governance based upon patriotic zeal plays a very vital and productive role in raising standard of living, industrial productivity. Good Governance certainly increases the efficiency of the government by enhancing amenities of life, curtailing poverty and creating employment opportunities. Good Governance is a managerial tool to raise efficiency, productivity and efficacy of…
Kashmir Conflict: A Test Case for the UN
Iqbal Khan After failing to restore normalcy in Indian occupied Kashmir, Indian authorities have issued a jacket advertisement in local newspapers, trying to persuade the people to end the self-imposed continued shutdown. According to Kashmir Media Service, in the first of the series of advertisements, the occupation authorities have tried to tell the people about…
Boris Johnson has his marketing campaign slogan prepared
Therese Raphael There was very practically a bedtime Brexit story that went one thing like this: And so, lastly, the porridge was excellent, Parliament ate up Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal after which, glad, went to mattress. The Finish. After all, lawmakers didn’t eat up and this interminable story isn’t over. Saturday’s parliamentary session as a…
War on psyche
Ruhail Andrabi Warfare has witnessed significant transformation over the decades. In the modern era of warfare, states openly confront rivals by bombing, missile attacks and heavy use of armed forces. Such as in the case of Syria by the Assad regime, in Vietnam and Afghanistan by the US. The unprecedented use of mass weaponry or…
An analysis of Tunisia’s electoral results
Hafijur Rahman Tunisia’s historical parliamentary election was held on Oct. 6, 2019, the third election after the Arab Spring. Just three weeks after the first round of the presidential race, this election was crucial for political parties due to the loss of support reflected in the votes in the presidential election. The second round of…
The Muslim ‘Euro’
Fauzia Mubarik Prime Minister Imran Khan seems keen to develop strong ties with the Muslim countries and appears cautiously looking towards creating favourable monetary deals with the Islamic economies. This reminds one about the concept of ‘Euro’. Euro is the authorized and regulated tradable currency operationalized exclusively and unanimously by 19 of the European countries.…
Editorial
Ban on wheat shipment
The government of Punjab has imposed ban on shipment of wheat through private parties to Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. Purchase of wheat by whole sale distributors keeps flour mills running in the province. Chairman All Pakistan Flour Mills Association Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Chapter, Mohammad Iqbal has described this decision violation of the constitutional provisions that ensures basic rights…
CPEC joint ventures
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of 1320 megawatt coal fired Hub thermal power plant at Lasbella in Baluchistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed the desire for joint ventures between Chinese and Pakistanis companies in the overall framework of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPRC). He emphasized the need for the utilization of locally available raw material in…
Schools’ census
The Independent Monitoring Unit of Elementary and Secondary Education are conducting a census of government schools next month to collect data about the lack of certain basic facilities. A prescribed profarma shall be distributed among 800 plus schools through District Education Officers. The enrolment of greater number of students has made the existing infrastructure and…
PMDC dissolution
Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) have been dissolved by a Presidential Ordinance and new doctors’ registration and Medical Colleges Accreditation body shall be established in its place under the nomenclature of Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC). The Ministry of National Health Services has taken over the possession of the building and record of PMDC and…
Escalating tension on LOC
Ceasefire violations of the Line of Control by India are on the rise as almost every day its forces target both military posts and civilian population by hevy shelling. In a midnight firing by Indian army on Saturday one soldier of Pakistan Army and six civilian were martyred while two soldiers and nine civilizations were…
Nip evil in the bud
The federal government has decided to ban Ansar-ul-Isalm, a baton laden subordinate organisation of Jamiate-ul-Isamam (F). The leadership of the party claims that it is a volunteer force, which is hard to justify if the, drill, march past and salute given to Maulana Fazalu Rehman and subsequent motorbike rally a few days ago in Peshawar…
Arts and Literature
62nd Children’s Literature Festival to be held in Islamabad
F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: The two-day 62nd Children’s Literature Festival (CLF), a flagship program of civil society organization Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA), will be held on October 23 and 24 at LokVirsa, Islamabad. The event will be open to all from 9am to 4pm on both the days. At least 70 sessions have been planned for CLF Islamabad…
Olga Tokarczuk and Peter Handke win Nobel Prize for Literature for 2018 and 2019
Monitoring Desk LONDON: Polish author Olga Tokarczuk and Austria’s Peter Handke have been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Two winners were named – one for 2019 and one for 2018 – because the prize was not awarded last year. The Swedish Academy, which oversees the prestigious award, suspended it in 2018 after a sexual…
Iran, Pakistan to boost joint cultural artistic and literary programs
F.P. Report LAHORE: At a meeting with Head of Sufi Tabassum Academy, Director of Iran’s Culture House in Lahore, Pakistan stressed on boosting cultural, artistic and literary cooperation between the two parties. According to IBNA correspondent, quoting from the public relations department of Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, Ali Akbar Rezaei-Fard, Director of Iran’s Culture…
Lit & Luz Festival unites U.S. and Mexican cultures across borders, art genres
The day after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit Oaxaca in February 2018, the streets of Pilsen were quieter, more tense than usual for a winter day. That’s how photojournalist Sebastián Hidalgo remembers the day, after seeing the pouring out of family members checking in on their relatives on the other side of the border using social…
Event on translation of Perveen Shakir’s poetry held in Jeddah
F.P. Report JEDDAH: Oxford University Press organized an event for its publication, Defiance of the Rose: Selected Poems by Perveen Shakir translated from Urdu by Naima Rashid, in Jeddah. The event was held at Medd Café and Roastery, in partnership with four communities— Jeddah Reads, Jeddah Cultural Exchange Company, Joy of Urdu, and Medd Café—which…
KUAF Arts Beat: Born to Pakistani Immigrant Parents in London She Now Paints Her Culture in Arkansas
Monitoring Desk LONDON: How does a London native born to Pakistani immigrants end up moving to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to create detailed portraits adorned in elaborate duptta scarves painted in tribute to her rich cultural history? Find out, in this conversation with painter Shabana Kauser. “If you’d said to me 15 years ago, you’re going to…
