A wise person learns from the mistakes of others, while a fool repeats those same mistakes, as the saying goes in Urdu. However, some seem perpetually incapable of learning, much like those in charge of Pakistan, who seem intent on endlessly repeating their self-destructive habits without ever understanding the consequences. The subject in question is Pakistan’s repeated missteps with internet management. Even a decade into this obsession, those in power are as determined as ever to repeat their blunders, now on a grander scale. Whether it’s due to willful ignorance, bold arrogance, or plain incompetence remains unclear. What is clear…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has recently intensified efforts to implement long-awaited reforms aimed at reducing the cost of doing business and encouraging investment. Addressing the challenges of simplifying and rationalizing regulations to cut bureaucratic red tape and compliance costs, a former president of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation acknowledged that while substantial, these challenges can be overcome with strategic actions. He emphasized that addressing the cost of doing business requires a coordinated effort from both public and private sectors, warning that sustained high costs could lead to economic stagnation. Despite this, critics, burdened by previous failures, remain skeptical…
ISLAMABAD: In an effort to stage a major demonstration in the federal capital, PTI founder Imran Khan has instructed party members to begin preparations for a gathering this week. Adviser to the KP Chief Minister on Information, Barrister Mohammad Saif, announced at a press conference in the KP House on Sunday that the PTI’s power show is scheduled for August 22 in Islamabad. However, Saif expressed concerns that the Islamabad district administration might once again block the event. For several months, PTI has faced obstacles in securing permission for public meetings in Islamabad. In March, after multiple unsuccessful attempts to…
KARACHI: One of Pakistan’s major payment gateways has refuted circulating social media reports suggesting that ATMs will be closed for two to three days due to a cyberattack. 1LINK Limited, a consortium of major banks operating the largest inter-bank network in the country, issued a statement clarifying that the rumors of a ransomware attack causing ATM closures are unfounded. The false information, shared widely on social media and WhatsApp, also warned against conducting online transactions during this supposed outage and claimed that BBC Radio had reported the incident. BBC Urdu, the local branch of the British broadcaster, has debunked these…
GILGIT: Pakistan Army helicopters successfully airlifted two Russian climbers stranded on Gasherbrum IV (7,925 meters) a day after an avalanche struck their group. The avalanche hit on August 5, affecting five mountaineers who were attempting to climb the sixth-highest peak in Pakistan. One climber was reported dead, while two others sustained injuries and were awaiting rescue in critical condition. The group included Sergei Nilov, Mikhail Mironov, Alexy Bautin, Sergei Mironov, and Evgenii Lablokov, who had begun their ascent on August 4. The avalanche struck at 6,400 meters elevation. According to Shigar Deputy Commissioner Waliullah Falahi, Sergei Nilov is missing, and…
RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has mandated that all incoming flights provide a passenger manifest before arrival, as the country increases its vigilance following the detection of its first mpox case. In response to a World Health Organization (WHO) warning issued on August 14, the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) released a national advisory recommending preventive measures. The government has instructed the PCAA to oversee flights arriving from regions where mpox cases have been reported. In a directive issued on Sunday, the aviation regulator instructed airlines and ground handling service providers to implement preventive measures against mpox.…
KARACHI: Karachi Zoological Gardens has welcomed the birth of a pair of lion cubs, marking the first such occurrence at the zoo in over 12 years. Previously, the zoo recorded a lion birth in 2011 when a pair of lions produced four cubs. Tragically, three of those cubs were found dead in their enclosure, and the fourth went missing within a week. According to a zoo official, the newborn cubs are healthy and being cared for by their mother. To ensure the cubs’ safety, the male lion was separated from the family shortly after the birth, which occurred three days…
DERA ISMAIL KHAN/LAKKI MARWAT: On Sunday, two soldiers were martyred and three others injured in an attack on a security forces convoy in Kulachi tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan district. In a separate incident, a police constable was killed and three others were injured in an ambush on a police van in Lakki Marwat district. According to police sources, militants targeted a convoy of security forces and elite troops near the Maddi area in Kulachi tehsil, within the jurisdiction of the Kulachi police station. This attack resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and injuries to others. The deceased soldiers…
YouTuber Aun Ali Khosa, who was reportedly abducted on August 15, has safely returned home, according to his lawyers on Monday. The Lahore High Court (LHC) had instructed the Lahore police to recover Khosa by August 20. Prior to this, his wife, Binish Iqbal, had filed a petition claiming that her husband was being held unlawfully by law enforcement authorities. She expressed concern for his safety and suspected he had been subjected to enforced disappearance. The petition detailed that Khosa, a digital content creator, writer, and comedian with a substantial following of 137,000 YouTube subscribers, was taken from his apartment…
On Monday, seven laborers working at the Diamer Bhasha Dam were killed and one was critically injured when their vehicle plunged into a ravine near the Karakoram Highway, according to police. The Diamer Police Control Room reported that the eight workers were traveling in a Mazda vehicle when it lost control and fell into the ravine. Shoukat Riaz, in charge of Diamer Rescue 1122, stated that five workers died at the scene, while the remaining three were injured. Two of those injured later succumbed to their injuries. “Diamer Rescue dispatched every mortuary vehicle and ambulance available,” Riaz added. A list…
