Author: zerfeshan arshad

As the anticipation for the general election results grows in Pakistan, following the polls closing on Thursday, citizens encountered significant disruptions to Twitter, now known as X. Reports of the social media platform’s outage have been widespread throughout the nation, confirmed by the internet monitoring group Netblocks. From 4-6pm on Saturday, as the nation eagerly awaited updates, users found themselves unable to access X, leading to speculations and concerns about potential election interference. The timing of the outage, amidst the crucial post-election period, raised eyebrows and concerns among the public and professionals alike. Journalists and human rights advocates voiced worries…

Adam Mosseri, the leader of Instagram, has revealed a significant change in how Meta will handle political content across Instagram and Threads. The new policy aims to reduce the visibility of political posts by not actively promoting them, even though users may still see such content from accounts they already follow. Over the coming weeks, Meta will start to implement these changes, particularly affecting areas of Instagram and Threads where content is recommended by Meta’s algorithms, such as the Reels and Explore sections of Instagram, and Threads’ suggested users feature. While Mosseri did not specify what constitutes “political” content, a…

As of February 10, 2024, the financial landscape in Karachi reveals that the US Dollar’s value against the Pakistani Rupee stands at Rs 278.9 for buying and Rs 281.4 for selling in both the local and open markets. It’s essential to remember that exchange rates are not fixed across different locations or financial institutions, including Exchange Companies and banks. These rates for buying and selling currencies can fluctuate depending on various factors. Overview of Foreign Currency Rates Below is a simplified summary of the buying and selling rates for major currencies, including the US Dollar, Euro, British Pound, and others,…

On the concluding day of the trading week, Saturday, witnessed a notable decrease in gold prices across Pakistan, mirroring a downtrend observed in the global market. The Sarafa Association reported a considerable reduction in gold rates, with a decrease of Rs1,200 per tola, bringing the price down to Rs214,300 within the country. Furthermore, the cost for 10 grams of gold also saw a decrease, dropping by Rs1,028 to settle at Rs183,728. Globally, the gold market also reflected a downward movement, with the price falling by $8 to finalize at $2,025 per ounce. Comparatively, on the previous day, Friday, the gold…

In the unfolding story of the General Election 2024, independent candidates are emerging prominently, outshining major political entities such as PML-N and PPP. The latest updates from the Election Commission reveal that a significant number of these candidates, running for both national and provincial assembly seats, have succeeded. There’s a common misconception that all independent candidates fall under the umbrella of Imran Khan’s PTI. This assumption has been debunked, as not every independent candidate has ties to PTI. This confusion arose when PTI, losing its emblematic bat symbol, endorsed independent candidates who then had to adopt various lesser-known symbols for…

In the aftermath of the recent elections, the gold market in Pakistan has shown remarkable stability. On Friday, the cost of gold per tola remained steady, marking a continuation of its previous rate at Rs. 215,500. The Karachi Sarafa Association released data indicating no change in the price of 24-carat gold, which stayed at Rs. 215,500. Similarly, the cost for 10 grams of gold also maintained its position at Rs. 184,756. Internationally, the gold market echoed this trend of stability. Spot gold prices were observed to remain unchanged at $2,032.70 per ounce as per the latest update at 0755 GMT.…

In a noteworthy development during the end of the election week, the Pakistani Rupee experienced a marginal increase in its value against the US Dollar, initiating trade at an impressive 280 in the interbank market. The local currency showcased stability against the US dollar, reaching an intraday high of 279. This movement comes amidst a backdrop of significant downturns in other financial indicators such as the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), dollar-denominated bonds, and the overall public mood. Throughout the day, the interbank rate fluctuated slightly between 279 and 280, eventually settling at the same level by the day’s end. Similarly,…

The eagerly awaited unofficial and preliminary results of the 2024 general elections have begun to emerge, amidst ongoing vote tallying. Despite criticisms from various political factions regarding delays, the citizens of Pakistan actively participated in the electoral process on February 8, casting their votes for candidates in the National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies, marking a significant event in Pakistan’s democratic journey. Although the elections were largely peaceful, there were isolated incidents of irregularities and delays in the commencement of polling in certain locations. As the polling wrapped up at 5 pm on Thursday, both the political parties and…

In an eagerly anticipated electoral event, the nation with a population of 240 million witnessed its elections on February 8, after some delays, for a vast number of seats across both national and provincial levels. As the week progresses, the curtain rises on early, yet unofficial, election outcomes. Contestants and Constituencies The election saga unfolds with a mix of independent candidates and those backed by major parties across various constituencies: Northern Regions to Urban Centers – Independent candidates like Abdul Latif from Chitral (NA-1) and Amjad Ali Khan from Swat-1 (NA-2) to prominent party figures in Lahore and Islamabad showcase…

As Pakistan conducts its General Elections 2024, the excitement is palpable, with results from various constituencies arriving as the vote count progresses. Stay tuned for the latest developments and results from the electoral battleground. Current Election Highlights: Lahore’s Political Landscape NA-120 Lahore: Ayaz Sadiq from PML-N leads with 629 votes, followed by independent candidate Usman Hamza, who has gathered 146 votes. NA-127 Lahore: Bilawal Bhutto takes the lead with 1,386 votes, with Attaullah Tarar trailing at 613 votes. NA-122 & NA-129 Lahore: Latif Khosa and Afzal Khokhar are in the lead in their respective constituencies, showcasing the competitive spirit of…