Author: Rashid Mehmood

PESHAWAR – The caretaker chief minister of KP, Azam Khan died on Saturday, according to his family. Azam Khan had been rushed to the Rehman Medical Institute in Peshawar after his health took a turn for the worse. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, he succumbed to a severe stomach infection that led to cardiac arrest. Azam Khan’s political career was marked by significant contributions to both provincial and federal governments. He took the oath as interim Chief Minister in January 2023, having previously served as the KP finance minister from October 24, 2007, to April 1, 2008.…

Your assets can be viewed online if you want to know. Check your asset details through NADRA and FBR’s portals if you answered yes to the above question. You’ll find complete instructions here. Even though most people desire to know what assets are registered in their names, they have no idea how to do so. Therefore, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Federal Board of Revenues (FBR) have created an online web platform for Pakistanis to check their assets’ data. In addition, your asset’s details can be viewed and printed for future reference.   Citizens can…

ISLAMABAD – The interim government has declared November 9 as a public holiday in honor of Iqbal Day, according to an announcement made on Friday. This day is observed nationwide to celebrate the birth anniversary of Dr. Allama Mohammad Iqbal, a revered poet and philosopher. The Cabinet Division issued a formal notification stating that Thursday, November 9, will be recognized as a public holiday across the country. This year marks the 146th birth anniversary of Dr. Iqbal, who was born in Sialkot on November 9, 1877. Dr. Iqbal is celebrated for his significant contributions to inspiring millions of Muslims across…

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has officially announced the date for the forthcoming general elections in the country. The Supreme Court of Pakistan was informed that the elections are scheduled to take place on February 11, 2024. This announcement was made during a hearing related to the scheduling of the general elections within 90 days. The ECP’s legal representative also informed the Supreme Court that the delimitation process will be completed by November 30. All necessary arrangements for the elections are expected to be finalized by January 29, 2024. The decision to hold the elections on a Sunday was…

The price of eggs in Pakistan has reached an all-time high. The situation took a turn for the worse in October when the cost per dozen eggs increased by over Rs. 14. According to official documents, the average price of a dozen eggs across the country has now reached a staggering Rs. 314.59, marking a significant increase from the previous year’s average price of Rs. 240.80 per dozen. The surge in prices has been particularly severe in major cities such as Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, and Karachi. Gujranwala has the dubious distinction of having the most expensive eggs, with residents paying an…

NADRA has been officially directed to expedite the issuance of CNICs to transgender individuals. This directive was issued by the chairman of the Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC), Iqbal Detho, in response to complaints from the transgender community about difficulties they faced in obtaining CNICs. Members of the transgender community approached Detho to express their concerns about the challenges they encountered when trying to get their CNICs. In response to these complaints, Detho penned a letter to the regional head of NADRA in Karachi. He cited court rulings and laws, urging the official to ensure that transgender individuals are not…

The National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) has released the fee structure for the National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) for November 2023. The smart NICOP is designed to protect citizens’ identities and prevent identity theft. The fee structure for the new smart NICOP, as well as for modifications, duplicates, and renewals, varies based on the service type. For normal service, the fee is $39, while for urgent service, it’s $57, and for executive service, it’s $75. Notably, the renewal fee remains constant at $39 across all service types. How you can apply? Applying for the NICOP can be…

The interim government in Punjab has decided against declaring a school holiday in Lahore this Wednesday. The proposal for a weekly Wednesday holiday across all educational institutions was previously under consideration as a response to the surge in air pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Lahore, the provincial capital, has reached hazardous levels, leading to concerns about the health and safety of students. Over the weekend, the AQI soared past the 500 mark, making Lahore the most polluted city globally. A thick layer of smog has blanketed the city, home to over 20 million people, ahead of winter. Despite…

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has announced plans to construct two new dams. The decision comes after the approval of the Chairman and will involve inviting tenders under Section 42F of the PPRA rules. However, only government consulting firms such as NESPAK and Army engineering institutions will be eligible to participate in the tendering process. The proposed dams, Chiniot Dam and Shahdara Dam, are expected to significantly boost the city’s water storage capacity. The Chiniot Dam will be constructed upstream of the Simly Dam, which has seen a 33% decrease in its storage capacity over time and currently stores 6,881…

The final lunar eclipse of 2023 is set to be a spectacular celestial event, with the moon putting on a grand display in the form of a partial lunar eclipse. This event will conclude the series of remarkable sky shows that have taken place throughout October. The partial lunar eclipse will occur as the moon moves into Earth’s shadow, an event that will be visible from various parts of the world including the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica, North America, Asia, Australia, and Africa. Last lunar eclipse of 2023 in Pakistan This particular lunar eclipse is scheduled to take…

The final lunar eclipse of the year is set to grace the skies of Pakistan, marking the end of a month filled with captivating astronomical events. According to the Met Office, the Penumbral Eclipse will commence at 23:02 PKT on October 28th and conclude at 03:26 PKT on October 29th. In addition, a partial lunar eclipse will follow, beginning at 00:35 PKT and ending at 01:53 PKT on October 29th. This celestial spectacle is not exclusive to Pakistan. It will also be visible from various parts of the globe including Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, North/East South America, Pacific,…

The country’s Interim Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunications, Dr. Umar Saif, has confirmed that online payment platforms PayPal and Stripe will soon be launched in Pakistan. This announcement comes as a positive update for the nation’s burgeoning IT sector, which is home to the world’s second-largest online workforce of 1.5 million freelancers. Dr. Saif, while addressing a press conference alongside Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi, emphasized the need for robust financial tools to support the rapidly growing freelancing community in Pakistan. Despite certain apprehensions, including issues related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the minister expressed optimism about…

On October 24, 2023, the official website of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was reportedly compromised by a cyber attack. The website insaf.pk when searched on Google, displayed the description of a dating website, “Badoo: Best Free Online Dating Site & App – Friends, Chat, Flirt,” instead of its usual content. Upon opening the website, users were greeted with a warning message stating that the site contained harmful programs. The message further cautioned that attackers on www.insaf.pk might attempt to trick users into installing programs that could negatively affect their browsing experience. This could include changes to their homepage or the display…

The city administration of Lahore has given the green light to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to conduct a public rally in the NA-123 Kahan area on October 22, 2023. This decision comes after an initial refusal by the administration to allow the political party, led by Imran Khan, to hold a gathering at Liberty Chowk, Lahore. PTI had filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the city administration’s decision. During a hearing held last week, the high court made a remark that if PTI was not permitted to hold the rally, then no one else would be allowed…

The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P) has announced new working hours for passport offices across Pakistan. The change in schedule comes into effect immediately and will continue until further notice. The DGI&P office will now be operational from 08:30 AM to 04:30 PM from Monday to Friday. During this period, employees will be given a half-hour break for lunch and prayers from 01:00 PM to 01:30 PM. Meanwhile, regional passport offices, executive passport offices, and service counters have also seen a change in their working hours. These offices will now process passport applications and deliver passports from 09:00…