Author: Ayan Achakzai

Early Voting Begins in Key States as Harris and Trump Focus on Divisive Issues Early voting kicked off in crucial states ahead of November’s presidential election, with both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump campaigning on key issues. While Harris centered her message on abortion rights, Trump raised concerns about the legitimacy of mail-in ballots. Harris Campaigns on Abortion Rights At several campaign stops, Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized the importance of abortion rights, rallying support around protecting women’s reproductive freedoms. Harris has positioned abortion as a core issue in her campaign, pointing out the growing restrictions in some states. For…

Negotiations with IPPs Progressing, Says Power Minister Awais Leghari ISLAMABAD – Power Minister Awais Leghari shared encouraging updates on ongoing negotiations with independent power producers (IPPs). Speaking to the Senate Standing Committee on Power, he noted that while relief would not be immediate, progress in talks could lead to a gradual reduction in electricity prices. Key Review of IPP Agreements The government’s task force, led by Power Minister Leghari, has been carefully reviewing public and private power projects. This review focuses on key areas like operation and maintenance (O&M) costs and the rate of return on equity (ROE). Importantly, no…

Banking Ban for Non-Filers Approved by PM Shehbaz Sharif ISLAMABAD – In a major policy shift, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved drastic measures to enforce tax compliance, including a ban on all banking and financial transactions for non-filers of tax returns. These measures are part of the FBR Indigenous Transformation Plan, which aims to tackle key challenges that have hindered revenue growth in Pakistan. FBR’s Transformation Plan and Key Measures The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), under Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial, briefed the premier on the plan’s salient features. The plan is designed to reduce the amount of cash…

Iran Summons Afghan Diplomat Over National Anthem Disrespect at Islamic Unity Conference TEHRAN – The Iranian foreign ministry summoned the acting head of Afghanistan’s embassy on Friday after an Afghan official failed to stand during the Iranian national anthem at a conference in Tehran. The incident occurred during an event on Islamic unity, leading to a “strong protest” from Iran over what they deemed “unconventional and unacceptable” behavior. For more on regional diplomatic updates, visit Ground Zero’s International Section. Afghan Official Apologizes, Cites Taliban Ban on Music The Afghan delegate, who was attending the Islamic Unity Conference, apologized following the…

Sindh Suspends Police Officers After Blasphemy Suspect’s Death in Custody KARACHI – Sindh’s Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar informed the provincial assembly on Friday that several police officials, including the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Mirpurkhas, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), the CIA team of Mirpurkhas, and the Station House Officer (SHO) of Sindhri, were suspended following the death of a blasphemy suspect in police custody. The suspect, identified as Dr. Shah Nawaz, a doctor from Umerkot district, had been accused of sharing blasphemous content on social media and had gone into hiding before the incident occurred. For more…

Donald Trump Claims Jewish-American Voters Could Influence 2024 Election Outcome Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump remarked on Thursday that Jewish-American voters would share responsibility if he loses the 2024 election to Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate. Speaking at the Israeli-American Council National Summit in Washington, Trump expressed concern over trailing Harris among American Jews. For more political updates, visit Ground Zero’s Political News. Trump’s Concerns Over Jewish-American Support During his speech, Trump cited a poll that suggested Harris had garnered 60% support among Jewish-Americans, compared to his lower share of the vote. He argued that if Jewish-American voters…

Pakistan’s Foreign Exchange Reserves Rise by $43 Million, Rupee Hits Five-Month High The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported an increase of $43 million in its foreign exchange reserves during the week ending on September 13, bringing the total to $9.509 billion. This boost brings Pakistan’s overall reserves to $14.826 billion, which includes $5.316 billion held by commercial banks. Although the SBP did not specify the source of this inflow, currency market experts believe that the central bank is purchasing dollars from the interbank market as part of its regular operations. This increase comes amid ongoing efforts to stabilize the…

Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Amendment Ordinance 2024 Signed into Law In a significant development, President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday signed the much-debated Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Amendment Ordinance 2024 into law, shortly after it received approval from the federal cabinet. This ordinance aims to revise certain procedural aspects of the apex court, particularly the power dynamics within it. Federal Cabinet’s Approval The ordinance was approved by the federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, just hours before the President’s signature. The federal cabinet adopted the ordinance “through a circulation” after it was forwarded by the Ministry…

Pakistan Passport Production Increase: Backlog Cleared, Capacity Boosted Pakistan’s passport production has seen a marked increase in recent months. Major cities like Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore have now cleared their passport backlogs, according to the Director-General of Passports. The department has also delivered over 24,000 passports to overseas Pakistanis. This surge in production comes as a response to growing demand, with daily processing capacity now boosted to 65,000 passports. To stay updated on this, visit our Pakistan News section. Why Has Passport Production Increased in Pakistan? 1. Growing Demand for Passports Pakistan’s demand for passports has surged in recent years.…

Why Pakistan is Struggling to Eradicate Polio as Cases Surge in Balochistan The recent confirmation of the 18th polio case in Pakistan, particularly in Quetta, raises concerns about the country’s struggle to eliminate this preventable disease. The resurgence, especially in Balochistan, where 13 cases have been reported this year, highlights significant gaps in the national immunization campaign and why Pakistan lags behind in the global effort to eradicate polio. For more updates on health issues, visit our Pakistan News section. Why Polio Cases Are Growing 1. Disrupted Immunization Campaigns According to Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) officials, disruptions in the immunization…