ISLAMABAD: The month of March saw a new round of increased prices of consumer items as inflation edged up to 9.1 per cent from 8.7pc in February, showed data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Thursday. On a month-on-month basis, inflation increased by 0.36pc mainly due to an increase in prices of cooking oil, sugar, wheat, pulses, …

KARACHI: The federal cabinet’s decision to defer the Economic Coordination Committee’s (ECC) decision of allowing the import of cotton and cotton yarn from India through land and sea routes has annoyed the textile sector. Pakistan Apparel Forum chairman Jawed Bilwani on Thursday said the federal cabinet’s decision had disappointed the textile export industry. He described Commerce Adviser Abdul Razak Dawood’s recommendation to …

KARACHI: The Roshan Digital Account (RDA) has started picking up pace as it has crossed $800 million in six months, with the highest amount of $212m received in March, reflecting the rising trend of inflows. “A big thanks to our Overseas Pakistanis! #RoshanDigitalAccount deposits have crossed $800m, after an inflow of $212m in March. Inflows have been accelerating every month …

KARACHI: The State Bank on Thursday issued regulatory instructions to all banks for deploying toll-free numbers at their call centres and ensure that these are displayed prominently at the banks’ premises and websites. Recently, the SBP conducted a thematic review of call centre management at banks. In the light of the findings, banks have been told to bring ease in …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s trade deficit has ballooned by 97.6 per cent in March, growing to $2.968 billion from $1.502bn over the corresponding month of last year, Ministry of Commerce data showed on Thursday. On a month-on-month basis, the trade deficit grew by 17.77pc. The trade gap has been widening since Dec 2020. In February, it swelled by 23.93pc to $2.52bn as …

Makers of “Kurulus:Osman” on  Thursday announced that the latest episode of the historical series has made a new record in viewership. The new episode of the Turkish TV series  broadcast on Wednesday and it instantly became the “most watched production” in Turkey and several others countries. “Kurulus Osman” episode 52 at the top of Wednesday!,” read a statement issued by …

Chet Hanks, son of Oscar winner Tom and singer Rita Wilson, claimed that his ex-girlfriend Kiana Parker attacked him with a knife as he shared a disturbing bloody video on social media. The 30-year-old rapper took to social medial and shared a video of himself dripping in blood, claiming his ex-girlfriend attacked him with a knife, which she denied. Chet …

Pop singer Justin Bieber has recently responded to his critics who reacted to his decision to include Martin Luther King Jr interlude in his new successful album “Justice.” With grown maturity, the pop singer accepted that he did wrong when he made some insensitive jokes while he was just a kid. He confessed the wrong and said that coming from …

Faryal Makhdoom, wife of British boxer of Pakistan-origin Amir Khan, became emotional during a therapy session as she opened up on online abuse about her husband’s previous infidelity scandals. The 29-year-model, in conversation  with psychologist Emma Kenny, discussed nasty comments she has to deal with, saying: ‘Someone posted, “oh you’re on your high horse you look so happy. Don’t forget …

American singer and actress Bella Thorne wants women to raise their voice as, according to her, people have open ears and they are willing to hear it in this “most important time.” The 23-year-old singer also set the example through her music as an independent artist who has a lot to say especially about women’s emancipation. Though the ‘The Babysitter’ …