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Facebook unveils social ‘newspaper’

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Facebook unveiled its new app called “Paper,” which serves as an online newspaper for viewing and sharing articles and other content from a Smartphone.

“Paper makes storytelling more beautiful with an immersive design and fullscreen, distraction-free layouts, ” Facebook said in a blog post announcing the new service.

“We ve also made it easier to craft and share beautiful stories of your own.”

The app, the first product from Facebook Creative Labs, will be available February 3 for iPhone users, Facebook said.Read More »Facebook unveils social ‘newspaper’

The institutional imperative

Article by Maleeha Lodhi published in “The News” on 28th January, 2014.

The eroding institutional capacity of the state has emerged in recent years as one of the most critical challenges facing the country. This has affected the performance of the core functions of state and is most tellingly reflected in deterioration in the delivery of basic public services to citizens. It is also indicated by Pakistan’s tumbling position in the global rankings on governance indicators. Read More »The institutional imperative

Impact of devaluation of Pakistan rupee during last 5 years

Foreign debt liability increases by Rs 1.909 trillion

January 27, 2014

The National Assembly (NA) was informed that due to devaluation of the rupee foreign debt burden increased by Rs 1.909 trillion during the last five years (2008-13).
According to the written details presented in the NA, the break-up of the year-wise impact of devaluation of rupee on foreign debt since 2008, during fiscal year 2008-09 (FY09) devaluation of rupee increased the foreign debt burden by Rs 582.194 billion, during FY10 Rs 211.200 billion, in FY11 Rs 25.807 billion, during FY12 Rs 458.738 billion, in FY13 Rs 228.224 billion and from June 2013 to October 2013 Rs 403.063 billion, making a total of Rs 1.909 trillion. Read More »Impact of devaluation of Pakistan rupee during last 5 years

Plan to establish Islamabad Industrial Park

By Noor Aftab (The News)

Ministry of Finance is giving a serious thought to a proposal for establishment of Islamabad Industrial Park near Motorway, M-2, on a land measuring 5,000 kanals at a cost of Rs13.2 billion that would have 380 developed plots of one acre each for industry and 25 acres of developed plots for commercial operations, the sources said here on Saturday.Read More »Plan to establish Islamabad Industrial Park

Sales of local car assemblers fall 22% in 2013

KARACHI: Unfavorable economic conditions and mounting inflation coupled with unavailability of affordable cars restrained Pakistanis from buying new cars during the year 2013.
Overall situation of all business sectors in the country remained middling in the calendar year 2013 (CY13), thus the auto sector which was still dominated by three Japanese auto assemblers in CY13 failed to register any noteworthy performance in terms of sales and offering new variants. Honda Atlas Cars (HCAR), Indus Motor Company (IMC) and Pakistan Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC) jointly managed to sell 125,204 units of different models of their old models and some new variants in the Jeeps segment.Read More »Sales of local car assemblers fall 22% in 2013

Basant at Changa Manga

LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced to hold Basant festival at the Changa Manga forest from February 21 to March 5, and a formal notification in this regard has already been issued.
This notification has been issued on the continued pressure from the kite-flying association of the provincial metropolis, as well as the supporters of the dying industry of kites and strings manufacturing.
Another reason for allowing the festival was to provide entertainment facilities to the kite lovers, who had been legally stopped from flying kites following a number of deaths in the city caused by metallic twines. However, the citizens are still divided over whether to celebrate the festival at the designated place or not. Read More »Basant at Changa Manga

MCB launches world’s first socially connected Mobile Wallet

LAHORE: The Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB) has launched the world’s first socially connected Mobile Wallet backed by the powerful technology giant -VISA on the eve of New Year terming it an innovative package for its clients.
The commercial launch ceremony of MCB Lite held at MCB House Lahore.  MCB President & CEO Imran Maqbool, Group Head (Retail) Ali Kazmi, Digital Banking & Business Development Head Qasif Shahid, a large number of other stakeholders and media was present on this occasion.Read More »MCB launches world’s first socially connected Mobile Wallet

Breakthrough in coal power

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Until the late 1970’s, Pakistan’s entire power generation was based on indigenous resources. Now, less than 60 per cent of power generation is from indigenous resources, which are depleting fast or getting out of use.

There are now no two opinions that after hydropower generation, domestic coal, in the long run, is going to be the cheapest source of power generation when compared with imported coal, LNG, furnace oil and high speed diesel. Domestic natural gas, although cheaper than coal, is fast becoming a scarce commodity, and is at the centre of political wrangling.Read More »Breakthrough in coal power

Afghan officials begin handing over security check posts to Taliban

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US alarmed by surprising move

December 23, 2013: In a surprising development the Afghan security officials have begun handing over several security check-posts to Afghan Taliban peacefully.

The latest action by Afghan security forces took the U.S. officials by storm and U.S. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel had to make a statement that he was concerned by “unconfirmed reports that Afghan forces turned some security checkpoints over to the Taliban.”
Read More »Afghan officials begin handing over security check posts to Taliban