ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday temporarily blocked the hugely popular online game Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) after receiving complaints it was addictive and following media reports linking the brutal, multiplayer shoot ‘em up to suicide.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority said it had received “numerous” complaints from people saying the game has a “serious negative impact on (the) physical and psychological health of the children” who play it.
The PTA said it had suspended Internet access to the game pending a high court hearing on July 9.
Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper last month reported that police in Lahore had recommended a ban after a teenaged player killed himself.
The newspaper said police believe the 16-year-old boy committed suicide after he failed to accomplish a mission.
Often likened to the blockbuster book and film series “The Hunger Games,” PUBG pits marooned characters against each another in a virtual fight to the death, and has become one of the world’s most popular mobile games.
Pakistan’s move follows similar bans in Jordan, Iraq, Nepal, the Indian state of Gujarat and the Indonesian province of Aceh.
Pakistan blocks online game PUBG over ‘negative’ impact
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Pakistan blocks online game PUBG over ‘negative’ impact
- PTA said it had suspended Internet access to the game pending a high court hearing on July 9
- Police believe the 16-year-old boy committed suicide after he failed to accomplish a mission
Pakistan stocks continue to rally on Saudi investment optimism, decline in inflation
- A 50-member delegation led by Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Minister of Investment Ibrahim Al-Mubarak arrived in Pakistan on Sunday
- Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have seen a flurry of bilateral visits in recent weeks that have fueled hopes of investment in South Asian country
KARACHI: Pakistan’s benchmark share index closed at another all-time high by registering a 1.2 percent gain as bulls celebrated the arrival of a high-level investment delegation from Saudi Arabia, analysts said on Monday.
The KSE-100 index witnessed a bullish trend, gaining an intraday high of 1,158.65 points that marked a 1.61 percent increase. It closed at 72,764.24 points, up by 1.20 percent.
Stock analysts said the major contributing factor behind the bullish close was the arrival of a 50-member Saudi business delegation in Pakistan for potential investments and a drop in inflation.
“Today’s all the bullish activity was because of the Saudi delegation visiting Pakistan to explore investment opportunities,” Sheheryar Butt, portfolio manager at Darson Securities, told Arab News.
The delegation, led by Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Minister of Investment Ibrahim Al-Mubarak, arrived in Pakistan on Sunday. It comprises representatives of some 30 Saudi companies from the fields of IT, telecom, energy, aviation, construction, mining exploration, agriculture and human resource development.
Butt said the encouraging remarks by the visiting Saudi investment minister on Monday also played a key role in keeping the market in the green zone.
Addressing an investment summit in Islamabad, the Saudi minister said Pakistan was a “high priority” economic opportunity and the Kingdom believed in the potential of Pakistan’s economy, demographics and talent as well as location and natural resources.
Speaking at the summit, Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said foreign investment was vital to macroeconomic stability in Pakistan and the visit of Saudi investors was a link in this chain.
Auzrangzeb said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s successful visit to Saudi Arabia opened the way for economic cooperation between the two countries.
“The visit of a delegation of Saudi investors to Pakistan is also a part of paving the way for this economic cooperation,” the minister said. “The government is now moving toward privatization and PIA [Pakistan International Airlines] will also be privatized.”
He said export-led growth, foreign direct investment (FDI) and excess to capital were top priorities of the government, and it was working on short, medium and long-term strategies as well as structural economic reforms.
Ali Nawaz, CEO of Chase Securities, attributed the bullish trend at the stock market to the arrival of the Saudi investment delegation.
“This news likely injected optimism into the market as it suggests potential for increased foreign investment, bolstering investor confidence,” Nawaz said.
Other factors, he said, included a decline in inflation that fueled a positive sentiment.
“Lower inflation rates typically indicate a healthier economic environment, fostering expectations of potential interest rate cuts in the future,” he added.
Pakistan stocks continue to rally on Saudi investment optimism, decline in inflation
- A 50-member delegation led by Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Minister of Investment Ibrahim Al-Mubarak arrived in Pakistan on Sunday
- Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have seen a flurry of bilateral visits in recent weeks that have fueled hopes of investment in South Asian country
KARACHI: Pakistan’s benchmark share index closed at another all-time high by registering a 1.2 percent gain as bulls celebrated the arrival of a high-level investment delegation from Saudi Arabia, analysts said on Monday.
The KSE-100 index witnessed a bullish trend, gaining an intraday high of 1,158.65 points that marked a 1.61 percent increase. It closed at 72,764.24 points, up by 1.20 percent.
Stock analysts said the major contributing factor behind the bullish close was the arrival of a 50-member Saudi business delegation in Pakistan for potential investments and a drop in inflation.
“Today’s all the bullish activity was because of the Saudi delegation visiting Pakistan to explore investment opportunities,” Sheheryar Butt, portfolio manager at Darson Securities, told Arab News.
The delegation, led by Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Minister of Investment Ibrahim Al-Mubarak, arrived in Pakistan on Sunday. It comprises representatives of some 30 Saudi companies from the fields of IT, telecom, energy, aviation, construction, mining exploration, agriculture and human resource development.
Butt said the encouraging remarks by the visiting Saudi investment minister on Monday also played a key role in keeping the market in the green zone.
Addressing an investment summit in Islamabad, the Saudi minister said Pakistan was a “high priority” economic opportunity and the Kingdom believed in the potential of Pakistan’s economy, demographics and talent as well as location and natural resources.
Speaking at the summit, Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said foreign investment was vital to macroeconomic stability in Pakistan and the visit of Saudi investors was a link in this chain.
Auzrangzeb said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s successful visit to Saudi Arabia opened the way for economic cooperation between the two countries.
“The visit of a delegation of Saudi investors to Pakistan is also a part of paving the way for this economic cooperation,” the minister said. “The government is now moving toward privatization and PIA [Pakistan International Airlines] will also be privatized.”
He said export-led growth, foreign direct investment (FDI) and excess to capital were top priorities of the government, and it was working on short, medium and long-term strategies as well as structural economic reforms.
Ali Nawaz, CEO of Chase Securities, attributed the bullish trend at the stock market to the arrival of the Saudi investment delegation.
“This news likely injected optimism into the market as it suggests potential for increased foreign investment, bolstering investor confidence,” Nawaz said.
Other factors, he said, included a decline in inflation that fueled a positive sentiment.
“Lower inflation rates typically indicate a healthier economic environment, fostering expectations of potential interest rate cuts in the future,” he added.
Pakistan’s deaf-staffed beauty salon provides economic opportunity, empowers hearing impaired
- There are seven deaf beauticians out of a total of 12 employed at Options Salon in Abbottabad
- According to the World Health Organization, deaf population in Pakistan is around 10 million people
ABBOTTABAD: Eight years ago, while offering a training class at her Options beauty salon in the northwestern Pakistani city of Abbottabad, Nighat Aftab received an unlikely application: that from a deaf girl who wanted to attend the training and join her salon.
“I didn’t have much experience working with such women and at first, I hesitated a little that how could I hire such a person whose language I don’t understand?” Aftab told Arab News in an interview earlier this month. “But then I said, ‘Come, join me’.”
Today, there are seven deaf beauticians out of a total of 12 employed at Options, which has since become a sanctuary for women with hearing and speech impairments, providing them economic opportunity, a chance to be financially independent and earn for their families, and a place where they can be part of a supportive, inclusive community.
According to the World Health Organization, the deaf population in Pakistan is around 10 million people. Pakistan has one of the lowest percentages of female labor force participation in South Asia and women with disabilities face even more impediments to employment.
“Previously, I used to work at a parlor in Islamabad where my salary wasn’t great, and I used to miss home a lot,” beautician Saima Mir told Arab News in sign language as Aftab translated for her.
“Now I am very happy. I like working here. There are many here who cannot hear and speak, it makes me happy.”
Others also said they felt a “sense of belonging” at the Options Salon.
“I have my mother and father. They are old. I feel frustrated at home as there is nobody with whom I can talk and share,” Isma Mushtaq told Arab News. “I come here and I spend time here happily.”
While many of the salon’s loyal customers are now used to communicating with the deaf staff members, that was not always the case, Aftab recalled, saying she faced criticism in the beginning by clients struggling to communicate with her workers. To bridge the gap, deaf workers were teamed up with those from the hearing community.
“The difficulties we faced [with communication] in the beginning got resolved over time,” said Sobia Khan, a beautician from the hearing community.
And the troubles had been worth it, Aftab said.
“I might have closed down the salon by now because my daughters are now married and I want to enjoy my own life but I am committed because of these young women [deaf workers] and I am unable to quit because their employment is attached to me,” she said.
“And because of them, Allah has blessed me with health. I am able to come to work daily, even though I am not that healthy, but I am happy here.”
Iran, Pakistan seek ways to complete gas pipeline project
- Both countries signed agreement to construct the pipeline from Iran’s South Fars gas field to Pakistan’s Balochistan, Sindh
- Tehran says has invested $2 bln to construct pipeline, but work on Pakistan side has been held up due to fears of US sanctions
KARACHI: Iran and Pakistan are looking at ways to complete a long-delayed gas pipeline project between the two countries, Iran’s Consul General to Pakistan, Hassan Nourian, said on Monday.
“We see political determination from Pakistan to complete the project,” he told reporters in the southern city of Karachi.
The countries signed an agreement to construct the pipeline from Iran’s South Fars gas field to Pakistan’s Balochistan and Sindh provinces in 2010, but work on Pakistan’s portion has been held up due to fears of US sanctions.
The 1,900 kilometer (1,180 mile) pipeline was meant to supply 750 million to one billion cubic feet per day of natural gas for 25 years to meet Pakistan’s rising energy needs.
Tehran says it has invested $2 billion to construct the pipeline on its territory. Pakistan, however, did not begin construction, citing international sanctions on Iran as the reason.
In 2014, Islamabad asked for a 10-year extension to build the pipeline, which expires in September this year. Iran can take Pakistan to international court, industry watchers have said.
Faced with potential legal action, Pakistan’s caretaker administration this year gave the go ahead in principal to commence plans to build an 80km segment of the pipeline.
In March, Islamabad said it would seek a US sanctions waiver for the pipeline. The US, however, said it did not support the project and cautioned about the risk of sanctions in doing business with Tehran.
Nourian on Monday said the pipeline did not come under international restrictions, and that the two countries were discussing the issue.
He did not answer a question about the potential for Iran to take legal action against Pakistan if it did not complete its side of the pipeline this year.
Pakistan, whose domestic and industrial users rely on natural gas for heating and energy needs, is in dire need for cheap gas with its own reserves dwindling fast and LNG deals making supplies expensive amidst high inflation.
Iran has the world’s second-largest gas reserves after Russia, according to BP’s Statistical Review of World Energy, but sanctions by the West, political turmoil and construction delays have slowed its development as an exporter.
ICC shortlists Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi, UAE’s Waseem for Player of the Month award
- Shaheen Shah Afridi took eight wickets in last month’s T20I home series against New Zealand
- UAE’s Mohammad Waseem smashed 56-ball century in last month’s ACC Premier Cup final
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s pace sensation Shaheen Shah Afridi and UAE batter Muhammad Waseem have been shortlisted for the ICC Player of the Month award for April 2024, the International Cricket Council (ICC) reported on Monday, after the left-arm bowler’s string of impressive performances against New Zealand last month.
Afridi led Pakistan’s pace attack against New Zealand in a home T20I series against the Black Caps in April. Pakistan failed to win the series against a second-string New Zealand squad but drew 2-2 against Michael Bracewell’s squad.
The left-arm pacer, however, played a key role in Pakistan’s victories in two of the five matches played between the teams.
The second T20I saw Afridi blitz through the Blackcaps batting lineup, taking three for 13 as Pakistan registered a dominant victory. Then, trailing in the series for the fifth and final contest, Afridi once again wreaked havoc, taking four for 30 to salvage the series draw. Eight wickets in the series at an average of 10.00 saw Afridi walk away with the Player of the Series prize.
“Shaheen picked up the only wicket in the rain-affected opening match of the series with the Kiwis and then followed that up with two eye-catching efforts in the second and fifth games of the series in Rawalpindi and Lahore,” the ICC said in a report.
“Eight wickets in the series at an average of 10.00 saw Afridi walk away with the Player of the Series prize.”
UAE’s pinch-hitter Waseem is also among the three nominees from the men’s category after scoring bulk runs at the ACC Premier Cup and helping himself to a third T20I century in April. Waseem started the month with a first-ball duck against Kuwait before the 30-year-old quickly found form at the top of the UAE batting order as he helped himself to innings of 65, 45 and 48 in three consecutive matches.
“But Waseem’s highlight of the month came in the final of the ACC Premier Cup as he smashed six fours and a whopping seven sixes in making his third T20I century from just 56 deliveries and helping UAE to an impressive 55-run triumph over Oman,” the ICC said.
Namibia’s Gerhard Erasmus is the third nominee shortlisted by the ICC for his impressive performances during the team’s tour of Oman in April.
Erasmus produced two Player of the Match performances over the course of the five-match T20I series, with his first one coming in a narrow six-run loss in the second game of the series when the versatile all-rounder hit 58 from 56 deliveries and backed that up with a spell that netted 3/7.
However, in the decisive fifth match, Erasmus smashed six sixes when scoring a quickfire 64 from 29 deliveries and then made a pair of crucial breakthroughs as Namibia clinched the series with an emphatic 62-run triumph.
Afridi, who has 81 wickets from 61 T20Is, will be Pakistan’s pace attack leader as the green shirts take on Ireland and England in two away series this month. Pakistan will then head to the US and West Indies where they are scheduled to compete in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
