Pakistan

Record heat
thehighasia

Last year broke heat records – will 2025 be more similar?

Roughly a quarter of the global population grappled with at least 30 days of dangerous heat this year, while the planet hit its hottest day on record in July. In 2024, there were 24 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters from January to November 2024 – a total second only to the 28 annual disasters experienced in 2023. Among them, the US logged one of its deadliest hurricanes as the furious storm Helene roared across the south-east and swept through Appalachian mountain towns.

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B2B Collaboration
thehighasia

Call for increased partnership between Pak-Saudi businesses

Saudi Arabia has been a major investor in Pakistan investing in various sectors such as energy, infrastructure, and agriculture. Saudi Arabia pledged $3 billion in aid and loans to Pakistan, with $1.5 billion deposited in Pakistan’s central bank.

Saudi Arabia has shown keen interest in investing in various sectors notably nearly 1 billion dollars in the Reko Diq Mining Project. The construction of one of the largest oil refineries in Pakistan is underway, aimed at boosting local energy production and reducing dependency on imported oil.

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thehighasia

Sustainable designs: artists showcase climate-conscious sculptures

In an inspiring collaboration, a husband-and-wife architect duo, Syeda Hafsah Fatima and Syed Warris Hussain and visual artist Amelia Ilyas came together to create sustainable designs and sculptors that address the pressing issue of climate change. The exhibition highlighted the intersection of architecture, art, and environmental responsibility, showcasing how creativity can lead to impactful solutions for our planet.

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New-Great-Game
thehighasia

Tajikistan’s top court bans six Pakistani religious bodies, 23 others

Quoting reports from the Khovar news agency, the website detailed the Supreme Court’s declaration of 29 religious parties, groups, associations, and websites as “terrorist and extremist organisations” in Tajikistan. The court’s ruling led to the prohibition of their activities within Tajikistan’s territory. Additionally, the websites associated with these banned entities have been blocked, and the import of their literature has been prohibited. Among those listed are Pakistan’s Jamaat-i-Islami, Lashkar-e-Taeba, Hizbut Tahrir, Tablighi Jamaat, and the Taliban

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Palestine Solidarity Campaign
thehighasia

Progressive student bodies launch pro-Palestine campaign

organized a protest rally and press conference at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) in Islamabad on Monday, demanding immediate ceasefire and expulsion of ambassadors of the US, Germany and France for supporting Israel’s policies and occupation of Gaza.
They endorsed the Boycott Divestment Sanctions campaign, and advocated for closer alliances with anti-imperialist countries and opposed diplomatic relations with Israel.

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thehighasia

Faysal Bank posts strong financial results for Q1

Faysal Bank profit after tax doubled to Rs6.5 billion as compared to the corresponding period in 2023. Earnings per share increased from Rs2.12 to Rs4.29.

The total assets reached a new high of Rs1.5 trillion, with deposits increasing to Rs1.050 trillion and loan book exceeded Rs603 billion. Advance-to-Deposit Ratio (ADR) was at a healthy 55%, while its Capital Adequacy Ratio stood at 18.57%, well above the regulatory requirement.
 
The sound financial performance and the strong balance-sheet footing is reflective of the bank’s solid business fundamentals coupled with prudent risk management practices. 

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