Author: yasir
Ajoka Institute marked the successful completion of its Art of Writing course with An Evening of Dramatic Readings at the Punjab Institute of Language, Art & Culture (PILAC), held in collaboration with PILAC. The event brought together writers, theatre practitioners, and literature enthusiasts to celebrate new voices in contemporary dramatic writing. A certificate distribution ceremony was also held during the event. Eminent writer Faryal Ali Gauhar distributed certificates to successful Art of Writing students Humera Bano, Nazish Zafar, Wardah Ali, Nusrat Hassan, Asif Jahania, Hassan Tirmazi, and Iman Ali. Students who supported the programme as readers included Ahmad Raza, Bareeze,…
The Little Art successfully concluded the 18th ArtBeat National Child Art Exhibition and Prize Distribution Ceremony at Islamabad Art Gallery on 17 January 2026. The exhibition marked another significant milestone for ArtBeat, Pakistan’s largest and longest running visual arts initiative for children and young people. ArtBeat 18 invited children from across Pakistan to respond creatively to three themes: Images of Nature, Spring in Pakistan, and Beyond the Stars. This year, thousands of artworks were received from over 500 schools across more than 100 cities, including submissions from public schools and children with special needs, reflecting the project’s strong commitment to…
Ajoka Theatre’s acclaimed cultural play Lo Phir Basant Aee received an enthusiastic and heartfelt response from audiences at Chandigarh’s prestigious Tagore Hall on Monday, 19 January. Written by eminent playwright and Ajoka Theatre’s Executive Director Shahid Nadeem, and directed in its Indian production by noted theatre director Karan Gulzar, the play presents the poignant story of a Lahore-based kite-maker who clings to the hope that colourful kites will once again fill the skies of Lahore. Blending emotional depth with gentle humour, the production reflects on cultural memory, resilience, and the enduring human longing for joy. In his message to Ajoka…
The Pakistan International Business Forum (PIBF) Lahore has announced the launch of the “Mayaishat Ko Istehkam Do” (strengthen the economy) movement in response to worsening economic conditions, sluggish business activity, and what it described as excessive interference by government institutions. Think Tank of the PIBF on Economy has appointed Hafiz Mahmood Malik as Convener of the movement, while Tahir Raza has been named as Co-Convener for an effective campaign. The Think Tank has outlined a five-point agenda focusing on key structural challenges faced by the economy. These include persistently high interest rates, excessive taxation, elevated electricity tariffs, a shortage of…
Lucky Investments Limited today announced the launch of Lucky Funds, its mobile investment application designed to provide investors with secure, convenient, and transparent access to Shariah-compliant investing. Available on both Apple App Store (iOS) and Google Play Store (Android), the Lucky Funds app enables investors to invest, convert, and redeem across all Lucky Investments’ mutual and pension funds, while offering real-time portfolio visibility and comprehensive fund information. Built to make investing effortless, the application allows users to explore funds, complete digital account onboarding, track performance, and stay in control of their investments anytime, anywhere. It also supports investor education by…
HBL Zarai Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of HBL, has launched a landmark rural engagement initiative titled “Khushiyan Da Mela” (Festival of Happiness), a first of its kind agriculture focused community festival designed exclusively for the farming heartland of Pakistan. The inaugural event was held in Chak 305-EB, Burewala, a complete rural setting, reflecting HBL Zarai’s commitment to engaging farming communities in the environments where they live and work. Conceived as a family friendly rural festival, Khushiyan Da Mela goes beyond a conventional agri exhibition. It offers farmers and their families a joyous and inclusive experience while introducing them…
Titled “Islamic Economy in the Digital Age: Innovation within the Framework of Compliance,” the 6th AlBaraka Forum Regional Conference was held at the Pearl Continental Hotel in Karachi, bringing together senior policymakers, financial leaders, scholars, regulators, and industry experts to examine the rapid transformation of the digital economy and its alignment with the principles of Islamic finance. Organized by the AlBaraka Forum for Islamic Economy, in collaboration with the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development, the conference provided a high-level platform for strategic dialogue on digital transformation, financial innovation, and institutional governance within the Islamic economy. Addressing the conference, H.E.…
TikTok has released its Q3 2025 Community Guidelines EnforcementReport, showcasing its ongoing commitment to creating a safe digital space for its users. The report,which covers data from July to September 2025, details the proactive steps TikTok has taken to identifyand remove content that violates its Community Guidelines, ensuring a positive experience for its globalcommunity.In Q3 2025, TikTok removed a total of 28,198,284 videos in Pakistan for Community Guidelinesviolations. Proactive removal rates in Pakistan remained high at 99.8%, with 95.9% of these videosremoved within 24 hours. As technology takes on more of these tasks, our safety teams can dedicatemore time to…
Federal Minister for Petroleum, Ali Pervaiz Malik, represented Pakistan at the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh where he participated in high-level discussions showcasing Pakistan’s immense mineral potential to the world. On the sidelines of FMF, the Federal Minister held a series of high-level bilateral meetings. These included a meeting with HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia, during which both sides discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation across the energy sector, including petroleum supply, renewable energy, energy efficiency, investment opportunities. Ali Pervaiz Malik also had a meeting with Engr. Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Investment…
The Aga Khan University graduated 461 students from 18 degree programmes at its 38th Convocation in Pakistan and formally installed Princess Zahra Aga Khan as the University’s first Pro-Chancellor. As Pro-Chancellor, Princess Zahra will guide AKU in its continuing efforts to improve quality of life. In his message, AKU’s Chancellor, His Highness the Aga Khan, noted that the Aga Khan University and its graduates carry “both an extraordinary responsibility and an extraordinary opportunity: to create, to disseminate, and to apply knowledge in ways that improve the quality of human life.” This year saw the graduation of the first cohort from the Institute for Educational Development’s Bachelor of Education programme. The programme offers a rigorous blend of academic and field-based learning that prepares graduates to teach effectively in diverse school…