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Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has refused the Federal Bureau of Revenue’s (FBR) demand to block the mobile phone SIMs of over half a million individuals who did not file tax returns in 2023, it emerged on Saturday. Earlier this week, the FBR released a comprehensive list of 506,671 non-filers, adding that their mobile phone SIMs would be promptly blocked. The PTA and other telecom providers were ordered to comply with the decision. The decision was issued in Income Tax General Order (ITGO) no 01 of 2024, which said that the mobile SIMs for these individuals would stay blocked until restored by…
OUT of nowhere, the government has launched a new cybercrime authority: the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency. This move to replace the FIA’s cybercrime wing raises substantial concerns about the motive behind it. The NCCIA is mandated to handle offences under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, which, activists allege, was used routinely by the FIA to silence dissent. Of course, conversely, bad actors use social media to spread disinformation and misinformation, necessitating oversight. But at a time when digital rights and privacy remain key issues for the state to address, the authorities have opted to forgo any meaningful dialogue with digital rights…
BERLIN: Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah has been banned for 15 years from all positions within the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over ethics breaches, the Olympic ruling body has decided. In a letter seen by Reuters, IOC Director General Christophe De Kepper informed all IOC members of the Executive Board decision to sanction the once-powerful Sheikh Ahmad over a court case in Switzerland. “The IOC Executive Board decided to confirm the seriousness of the breaches of ethical principles by Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah, including a betrayal of his IOC Members oath, as well as the seriousness of the damage to the IOCs…
MIAMI GARDENS: World champion Max Verstappen grabbed pole position for Saturday’s sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix but was far from happy with the performance of his tyres. Verstappen finished 0.108 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc with his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez third. “To be honest with you, it felt pretty terrible. Maybe that last session, it was just really difficult to get the tyres to work. I didn’t improve much on the soft but I’ll take it,” said the Dutchman, who was also fastest in the earlier practice session. “It didn’t feel enjoyable to drive —…
Eid celebrations looked pleasantly different for some Pakistani children this year. There were no new clothes, no meeting friends and family, no eidi sneakily being given by grandparents. But what they got was better than eidi; they brought home gold — literally. Five of the nation’s young squash stars topped the podium at the 2024 Australian Junior Open last month, with Pakistan’s overall haul also including a silver and a handful of bronze medals. Pakistan swept the Under-17 category, courtesy Mehwish Ali and Ibrahim Zeb, while Mahnoor Ali and Huzaifa Shahid replicated the same feat in the U-13 division. Yahya Khan bagged Pakistan’s…
KARACHI: The slogan ’Football Hoga’ (Football will happen) is back.The names of TouchSky or Global Soccer Ventures might be absent but the organisers are the ones who were involved in the afore-mentioned projects and the idea has been repackaged as the ‘Pakistan Football League’. The mooted franchise league, on similar lines as cricket’s hugely popular Pakistan Super League, apparently also, as plans show, enjoys the backing of the government. But, despite its brochures claiming it has collaboration agreements with six English Premier League clubs for six of its sold franchises, the likes of Liverpool and Crystal Palace have denied any partnership.…
LAHORE: Emphasising that winning the T20 World Cup was the primary target of the team, Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim on Saturday said his main focus was to handle pressure inside the ground. “[Fast bowler] Mohammad Amir and I have returned to international cricket [by coming out of retirement] with one clear goal and that is to win the T20 World Cup,” Imad said while taking to reporters here at the Gaddafi Stadium where the Babar Azam-led Pakistan squad started the national camp on Saturday. “Reaching the final or even semi-final is a massive achievement, no doubt. But unfortunately, the losing finalist team…
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday announced that each player of the national team would receive $100,000, approximately Rs28 million, if the Green Shirts win the upcoming T20 World Cup, to be jointly held in the US and West Indies from June 1-29. According to the cricket board, Naqvi made the remarks as he reached Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, where the Babar Azam-led Pakistan squad started the national camp on Saturday. In a post on social media platform X, the PCB said Naqvi met both players and officials during his visit. “The PCB chairman stayed with the players…
KARACHI: Two Japanese vehicle assemblers have opted to stay out of the price war triggered by a historic cut from Lucky Motor Corporation Ltd (LMCL) and Pak Suzuki Motor Company Ltd (PSMCL). Honda Atlas Cars Ltd (HACL) has said that several dealers and customers have approached it regarding recent price adjustments made by various market players. Considering these enquiries, HACL “affirms current prices to be maintained.” The company recently made price revisions for Honda City 1.2L grades. “We hold our ground on price stability with no further decrease at this given time, considering no change in forex and the cost…
