Author: aqdas

The first confirmed case of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) has been detected in Lahore, health officials announced on Thursday. The individual, 48-year-old Rehmat Ali, a resident of the Cantt area of Lahore and originally from Kot Radha Kishan, Kasur, was admitted to Lahore General Hospital on September 16 with strong symptoms consistent with mpox. Initially classed as a suspected case, his diagnosis was later confirmed via testing at the provincial public health reference laboratory. Hospital authorities say Rehmat Ali has been placed in isolation and is receiving treatment under strict medical supervision. Local health teams have also begun contact…

Maryam Nawaz chaired a four-hour review meeting, receiving detailed briefings from eight major departments. She also ordered the speedy completion of the Cath Lab project and directed health officials to expand data collection, with 32,000 households already surveyed in a pilot phase. She especially directed the Special Education Department to formulate a project for the welfare of special people along with their education. The chief minister applauded the Health Department for its response during recent floods, noting that 1.15 million people were treated in affected areas. Officials told her that 174 snakebite cases had been reported, but all patients survived…

Rawalpindi: Two Pakistan Army soldiers, who had lost their eyesight, had their vision restored following a cornea transplant donated by the wife of a retired senior officer of the Pakistan Army. The transplant was performed using corneal tissue donated by the late Wasima Askari, wife of Major General (retd) Syed Zafar Mehdi Askari, after her passing on October 3, 2025. The procedure took place at the Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology (AFIO) in Rawalpindi. The soldiers, 30-year-old Ali and 26-year-old Falak Sher, had lost their sight due to injuries sustained during anti-terrorism operations. The corneal tissue was successfully transplanted into…

ISLAMABAD (APP) – The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) has announced that the national anti-polio campaign will be conducted across the country from October 13 to 19. According to NEOC, during the week-long campaign, more than 45 million children under the age of five will be administered oral polio vaccine (OPV) to protect them from the crippling disease. An additional dose of Vitamin A will also be given to children during the campaign to help strengthen their immune systems. More than 400,000 trained polio workers will take part in the campaign across the country to ensure every eligible child receives…

ISLAMABAD (APP) – President Asif Ali Zardari has reaffirmed his commitment to making mental health a national priority, urging all segments of society to join hands in eliminating stigma and promoting compassion for those facing psychological challenges. In his message on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, the president called on citizens to become “ambassadors for kindness and understanding,” emphasizing that speaking up against stigma and supporting those in need is essential for building a healthier and more inclusive Pakistan. “If you are struggling, know that seeking help is an act of strength, not weakness,” the president said, stressing…

PESHAWAR (Zeeshan Kakakhel) – In a significant late-night meeting, the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) expressed full confidence in Sohail Afridi as their nominee for the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Following the unanimous decision, a session of the provincial assembly has been called for today. According to sources, the extraordinary meeting took place at the Speaker’s House and was attended by PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja, former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, KPK Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, provincial president Junaid Akbar, and a large number of party lawmakers.Sohail Afridi also participated in the meeting, where the party…

The index closed at 164,530.81 points, compared to 165,266.75 points from the previous trading session. Trading activity remained high despite the negative sentiment. Around 1,570,375,438 shares were traded during the session, up from 1,274,692,822 shares in the previous day. However, the total share value dropped to Rs50.52 billion, down from Rs61.13 billion a day earlier. Out of 481 companies that traded their shares, 184 recorded gains, 264 faced losses, and 33 remained unchanged. Among the most traded stocks, K-Electric Limited led the volume chart with 278,930,151 shares traded at Rs6.92 per share, followed by WorldCall Telecom with 193,587,358 shares at…

Under the new tiered volumetric approach, the tax will be assessed according to graded bands determined by the total amount of sugar per 100 millilitres of beverages falling within each bracket. This replaces the current flat-rate system, which imposes a fixed 50 percent selective tax on the retail price of sweetened beverages subject to the tax. In line with this decision, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) published proposed amendments to the Implementing Regulations of the Excise Goods Tax Law on the Public Consultation Platform Istitlaa. The amendments outline the tax provisions for transitioning to the new volumetric model,…

Susana Martinez-Conde and Stephen Macknik, professors at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, New York, told the court, in a proposed class action on Thursday that the tech company used illegal “shadow libraries” of pirated books to train Apple Intelligence. A separate group of authors sued Apple last month for allegedly misusing their work in AI training. TECH COMPANIES FACING LAWSUITS The charge is one of many high-stakes cases brought by copyright owners such as authors, news outlets, and music labels against tech companies, including OpenAI, Microsoft and Meta Platforms, over the unauthorized use of their work in AI…

HONG KONG (AP) — China has hit US-owned vessels docking in the country with tit-for-tat port fees, in response to the American government’s planned port fees on Chinese ships, expanding a string of retaliatory measures before trade talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Vessels owned or operated by American companies or individuals, and ships built in the US or flying the American flag, would be subjected to a 400 yuan ($56) per net ton fee per voyage if they dock in China, China’s Ministry of Transport said on Friday. The fees would be applied on…