ISLAMABAD: In response to complaints from foreign countries, the federal government has decided to criminalize begging by amending the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2018. The Interior Ministry has submitted the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which aims to modify the existing legislation by adding “organized beggary” to Section 3. The proposed changes come as the issue of begging has been raised by several countries with Pakistan’s diplomatic missions in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Iraq, and Malaysia. According to the draft, Pakistanis visiting these countries for Hajj, Umrah, and other religious pilgrimages have been…
Author: Web Desk
PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Junaid Akbar has announced that the party will hold a public rally in Swabi on February 8 on the directives of its incarcerated founder, Imran Khan. The day marks the first anniversary of the last general elections, which PTI claims were rigged, resulting in the alleged theft of its mandate. “A public rally will be held in Swabi on February 8 on the PTI founder’s call,” Akbar said in a statement. He was recently appointed as PTI’s provincial president, replacing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. This development comes as PTI has…
NEW YORK: Progress has been reported on the move to send skilled nursing professionals from Pakistan to the United States following an online discussion between representatives from the Pakistani embassy in Washington, the New York Consulate General, the New York State Assembly, and the American Pakistani Public Affairs Committee (APPAC), officials said. The US faces a shortage of nurses and other healthcare workers, and Pakistani professionals are being considered to help fill that gap. Tuesday’s meeting was attended by Pakistani Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Consul General Aamer Ahmed Atozai, and the Community Welfare Attaché at the New York Consulate. From…
KARACHI: An American woman, Onijah Andrew Robinson, who traveled to Pakistan in pursuit of love, has found herself stranded after the Karachi-based youth she came for abandoned her. Now, refusing to leave the country, she has made an unusual demand—$3,000 per week—and insists she wants to become a Pakistani citizen. The 33-year-old woman arrived in Karachi after falling in love with a 19-year-old, Nidal Ahmed Memon. However, under family pressure, the young man refused to marry her, leaving the American woman stranded at Karachi Airport for the past seven days. Unable to leave Pakistan due to the expiration of her…
investigation so far has revealed that the family objected to her dressing, lifestyle, and social media activities.” He added, “We have her phone, but it is locked. We are investigating all aspects, including the possibility of an honor killing.” According to Baloch, the family had returned to Balochistan recently after spending approximately 25 years in the United States. During the investigation, the suspect revealed that his daughter had started creating “objectionable” content on TikTok while living in the U.S. and continued to share videos even after returning to Pakistan. The police reported that the suspect’s brother-in-law had also been arrested…
Pakistan’s largest volunteer network, ‘MilKar,’ has won the Youth Excellence Award at the Commonwealth Asia Youth Alliance (CAYA) Summit 2025, held in Islamabad. This achievement is not new for MilKar, a public welfare organization recognized for its contributions, particularly in connecting volunteers and organizations to create a better society. Previously, MilKar has won several national and international awards, including the Commonwealth Innovation Award and P@SHA’s “Best Community Service” Gold Award. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presented the award to Ali Saif, the youngest member of the National Youth Council (NYC) and the Impact Head of MilKar, as well as the founder…
Tears, long recognized as a natural response to emotions, play a far more critical role in physical and mental health than previously understood, according to ophthalmologists and biomedical researchers. Recent studies highlight their multifaceted functions, from safeguarding vision to regulating stress and enhancing immune defenses. Eye Protection and Immune Defense Tears maintain ocular health by keeping eyes lubricated, preventing dryness, and flushing out irritants like dust or debris. They contain lysozyme, an antimicrobial enzyme that combats harmful bacteria and reduces infection risks. Additionally, tears deliver oxygen and nutrients to the cornea, ensuring optimal eye function and clarity for sharp vision.…
Reducing the intake of sugar-sweetened soft drinks in an individual’s daily diet is a health goal that deserves attention. While the negative consequences of regularly consuming soft drinks are widely acknowledged, many teenagers and young adults continue to overconsume them daily. Soft drinks (often mistakenly called “soda”) are widely loved across the globe—a fact that cannot be ignored. In 2021, the global market value of soft drinks was estimated at over $413 billion. A soft drink is essentially a beverage based on water that becomes carbonated when the liquid is infused with carbon dioxide gas. Various flavors are added to…
Pakistan’s power tariff is likely to see a reduction of Rs1.30 per unit for one month, bringing relief to electricity consumers. The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has submitted a request for a decrease in the monthly fuel price adjustment for December, which is set for review tomorrow. The CPPA indicated that the estimated fuel cost per unit of electricity in December was Rs10.63, while the actual cost was lower at Rs9.60 per unit. During December, a total of 7.516 billion units of electricity were supplied to Distribution Companies (Discos). The breakdown of power generation for December showed that 22.80%…
Asia-Pacific markets rose on Wednesday (today), driven by technology stocks and improved investor sentiment following positive trends on Wall Street. Concerns over a low-cost AI model from Chinese startup DeepSeek are easing, despite its potential to challenge U.S. dominance. The US dollar remained strong as traders shifted from safe-haven currencies like the Japanese yen, boosted by fresh tariff warnings from the Trump administration. Trading activity in Asia was muted due to the Lunar New Year holidays, which closed exchanges in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea. Japan’s Nikkei share average rose by 0.5% as of 0055 GMT,…
