In response to demands for a significant rate cut, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced on Monday that it had decided to reduce its key policy rate by 250 basis points (bps) to 15% from 17.5 percent. The SPB released a statement stating that “at its meeting today, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to cut the policy rate by 250 basis points to 15%, effective from November 5, 2024.” The statement also stated that the Committee noted that inflation had decreased “faster than expected and has reached close to its medium-term target range in October.” It emphasized that…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
The presidential elections in the United States have reached a crescendo. The choice between a Harris or Trump presidency is similar to grasping the tail of a python or falling into a dark abyss for drained Muslim American voters who have witnessed 13 months of American complicity in the genocide in Gaza. However, regardless of one’s perspective on the situation in Gaza, it is impossible to ignore the fact that American democracy is at risk now more than ever in the past eight years. Sadly, despite how much Americans assert that their democracy is in danger, voter participation rarely reflects…
AMERICA : Reuters reported that Quincy Jones, who collaborated with Michael Jackson to reshape pop music and had a significant impact on American music through his collaborations with Count Basie and Frank Sinatra, passed away on Sunday at the age of 91. In the presence of his family, Jones gave his final breath at his residence in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles. In a statement provided to The Guardian, the family stated, “Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing.” And despite the fact that this is…
Iran: An NGO reported that Iran executed a Jewish minority member who had been found guilty of murder on Monday, at a time when tensions with Israel were rising. According to the Iran Human Rights group, based in Norway, Arvin Ghahremani was found guilty of murder during a street fight and hanged in prison in the western city of Kermanshah. IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam stated, “The Islamic republic executed Arvin Ghahremani, an Iranian Jewish citizen, in the midst of the threats of war with Israel,” adding that the legal case had “significant flaws.” Amiry-Moghaddam went on to say, “However, in…
INDIA : A government official stated that at least 36 passengers were killed and numerous others were injured when a bus in India fell into a deep Himalayan ravine on Monday. The bus’s twisted front was squashed nearly flat in photographs released by government rescue teams, which showed it in thick undergrowth. People are shown in this handout photo, which was taken on November 4 in Uttarakhand, at the scene of an accident where a bus fell into a gorge in the Almora district of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. — Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) Uttarakhand /…
US: Countries in South Asia, like those in the rest of the world, are keeping an eye on the US presidential election, looking out for their interests, and getting ready to change policies depending on who wins on November 5. According to analysts, the major nations of the region—Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan—are divided about who they think should be the next president of the United States; however, they are all still willing to interact with whoever comes out on top. On the other hand, Michael Kugelman, an authority on Washington’s relationships with South Asian nations, claims that US policies…
Pakistan’s fight to eradicate polio is being hampered by violent attacks and misinformation-based suspicion, but teams of dedicated volunteer health workers are determined to continue. The only countries where the crippling virus remains endemic are Pakistan and Afghanistan. The disease mostly affects children under the age of five and can sometimes cause paralysis that lasts a lifetime. This year, 45 cases have been reported in Pakistan, up from six in 2023 and just one in 2021. Although a few drops of vaccine administered orally can easily prevent polio, health workers in rural Pakistan risk their lives to save others. A…
Pakistan: , Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari stated that the provincial government had “no intentions” of participating in Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) highly publicized bidding process. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government said on Friday that it was ready to buy the losing national flag carrier after the failed attempt to sell it last week. A day later, Nawaz Sharif, a former prime minister, stated that his daughter, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, had sought his advice regarding whether the provincial government should acquire the PIA or establish a new airline. Nawaz suggested that the airline could also be purchased and rebranded…
Following skirmishes that were attributed to Sikh activists by some leaders, violence at a Hindu temple near Toronto on Sunday was condemned by Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, as “unacceptable.” According to reports, the Hindu Sabha Mandir was heavily guarded by local police in Brampton, about 50 kilometers northwest of Toronto, during a protest. AFP was informed by a Peel Regional Police spokesperson that there had been no arrests. Additionally, the police have declined to assign blame for the alleged violence. The violence that occurred today at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton is unacceptable. Trudeau wrote on X that…
It brought back feelings of nostalgia to see a lit-up catwalk in a packed auditorium. The media once considered the catwalk to be an essential component of the numerous fashion weeks and shows that would be scattered throughout the yearly fashion calendar. However, the local fashion industry is currently struggling with a fluctuating economy and a lack of sponsorship, so the catwalk rarely appears. The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) deserves credit for making sure that the textile-focused TEXPO 2024 included a two-day “fashion week.” The event was attended by a number of foreign buyers, most of whom came…
