The former and the present governments are least interested in improving the literacy rate, particularly in areas with lower ebb. We need to improve the literacy rate to cope with future challenges. Rapid population growth has caused the literacy rate to decrease because fewer schools are available to support a rapidly growing population. The biggest reason for the low literacy rate is political and government mismanagement of education in Pakistan. The only cause of the lower literacy rate in Pakistan is that female education is not encouraged by the village people.

The federal government’s pension system has undergone modifications to lessen the fast increasing weight of pension payments on the budget, finally authorized by the ECC after years of bureaucratic resistance. The proposed changes to the federal pension system include modifying the formula for calculating gross pension, penalizing voluntary retirements, altering the process for future pension increases, adjusting family pension entitlements, doing away with multiple pensions, creating a pension fund, and launching additional initiatives to bring savings. The biggest change being implemented is probably the implementation of the contributing pension plan for new civilian hires and active military personnel. Although numerous modifications were previously declared in this year’s budget, they were not yet put into practice. This is especially true given that the ongoing economic crisis has made the need for fiscal consolidation even more urgent.

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday questioned the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for its failure to establish the Counterterrorism Department (CTD) despite receiving Rs590 billion during the last 14 years. The prime minister said that KP people had been the frontline soldiers against terrorism which would always be remembered. He told the House that from 2010 till now, the KP province had received Rs590 billion but could not yet establish the CTD for which the funds were mainly allocated. This also needs to be looked into as why the CTD is still incomplete there despite getting such huge funds, he remarked. The prime minister also directed to formulate a strategy for giving awards to meritorious officers of the FBR.

Agriculture researchers and experts have called for the cultivation of palm oil and spreading awareness among farmers to promote this valuable crop. They stressed the need for investment in the palm oil sector to reduce edible oil imports and address the economic challenges faced by the country. Experts highlighted the importance of developing a marketing mechanism for farmers and encouraging them to cultivate palm oil. Increasing domestic edible oil production through palm oil cultivation in coastal, saline, and humid areas could significantly reduce reliance on the IMF. He mentioned successful experiments in Tando Jam and other areas, claiming that palm oil can be a game changer for farmers and significantly reduce edible oil imports.

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved $1.5 billion in financing for a second operation to help India accelerate the development of low-carbon energy. Decoupling economic growth from emissions growth will require scaling up renewable energy, especially in hard-to-abate industrial sectors. In addition, it will also significantly help to increase renewable energy capacity and support reductions in emissions by 50 million tons per year. “India has taken bold action to develop a domestic market for green hydrogen, underpinned by rapidly expanding renewable energy capacity. “The operation is helping in scaling up investments in green hydrogen and in renewable energy infrastructure.

Lupita Nyong’o personally reached out to Taylor Swift to have Shake it Off on Little MonstersDuring her appearance on the latest Hot Ones episode, the star of "A Quiet Place: Day One" talked about featuring Swift’s single at the conclusion of her 2019 film "Little Monsters" for a sing-along. Updated Jun 28, 2024

Geneva - After warning of increasing attacks on women and gender rights around the world, the UN finds itself a key arena for a war of words over how those rights are defined. UN rights chief Volker Turk has long warned of “systematic” efforts to strip women of their hard-won rights. “No country is immune from regression in women’s rights,” he said, also decrying “ongoing discrimination and exclusion on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity”. Diplomats describe growing efforts to remove references to women’s rights or to sexual orientation and gender identity that had long gone uncontested in resolutions and texts across the UN system. “What we’re seeing is a concerted effort to push back on issues related to gender and sexual orientation and gender identity in ... the work of international organisations in Geneva broadly,” said a woman diplomat based in Geneva, who asked not to be named.

National Assembly Condemns US Resolution on Pakistan Elections Emphasizing SovereigntyNational Assembly of Pakistan overwhelmingly approved a resolution condemning a recent resolution by the United States House of Representatives, which called for a probe into the February 8 elections.

Shehbaz Sharif Exposes Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Failure to Establish CTD | National AssemblyPM Shehbaz Sharif lambasted the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for its failure to establish the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), despite receiving a whopping Rs590 billion over the past 14 years.

Lupita Nyong’o personally reached out to Taylor Swift to have Shake it Off on Little MonstersDuring her appearance on the latest Hot Ones episode, the star of "A Quiet Place: Day One" talked about featuring Swift’s single at the conclusion of her 2019 film "Little Monsters" for a sing-along.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb labeled the 2024-25 budget as "Growth Budget" | NAFinance Minister Muhammad Aurangzaib unveiled the 2024-25 budget, terming it a "growth budget" with a strategic focus on economic growth.

Global cooperation is essential to finally eradicate this disease. Vaccine hesitancy in some parts of the country. Time is running out to finally eradicate polio from Pakistan. Time is running out to finally eradicate polio from Pakistan. But what’s behind the vaccine hesitancy?

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the remarks at releasing the annual State Department report on international religious freedom. In India, we see a concerning increase in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, demolitions of homes and places of worship for members of minority faith communities. “Once again, it is clear from the State Department’s reporting that India more than qualifies as a CPC,” said IAMC executive director Rasheed Ahmed. The protest, held on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, highlighted the plight of torture victims and their families. They also demanded reparations for victims and a fact-finding mission to investigate torture cases in the Indian illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Would appreciate a sanity check of some symptoms I’ve been having since starting TRT if anyone has some insight. Started TRT ~10 weeks ago. Biggest symptom was on Sunday before my next shot definitely starting to feel the drag, and had some ear pressure since starting. Been on this new dose for 3 weeks now, and a couple of symptoms that have me a little concerned:Occasionally feel slightly nauseous. Usually happens day after shot.

Senior members of the opposition in the National Assembly vehemently condemned on Friday the recent statement by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in which he “irresponsibly” declared that Pakistan would carry out cross-border strikes in Afghanistan to target terrorists. The opposition leaders included PTI’s former NA speaker Asad Qaiser, the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP), among others. “The statement by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif is not just irresponsible; it is a dangerous provocation that threatens to destabilize our region further,” Qaiser said. The opposition leaders underscored the deep and historic ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan, emphasizing that such incendiary remarks do not reflect the sentiments of the people of Pakistan. The meeting was also attended by Anwar Taj, Muhammad Iqbal Afridi, Shahid Khattak, Salim-ur-Rehman, Bashir Khan Asif Khan, Sajid Khan Mohmand, and Dawar Khan Kundi.