Infinity Social Updates

The Ministry of Energy (Power Division) on Friday announced the large-scale rollout of smart meters across electricity distribution companies (Discos) in the country, which it described as a “major step” towards improving customer service and operational efficiency. According to the spokesperson of the Power Division, Zafaryab Khan, metering plays a vital role as the key interface between the customer and the service provider. “In line with the ministry’s declaration of 2025-26 as the Year of Customer Service Improvement, Discos have embarked on a comprehensive digitalisation drive to modernise their infrastructure,” said a statement by the Power Division. “This initiative aims to ensure real-time data availability, transparency, and enhanced customer experience.” Recognising that the pricing of smart meters was a major impediment in this transformation, the Power Division actively intervened to rationalise costs, said the statement, adding that out of nearly 38 million electricity...

In Pakistan’s turbulent economic landscape, credibility becomes currency. And over the past year and a half, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has quietly been building it. Where once monetary policy was dismissed as toothless, the central bank has now shown that a steady hand can calm markets, anchor expectations, and restore confidence. On October 27, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to keep the policy rate unchanged at [11 per cent][1] — the fourth consecutive hold since May 2025. This came after a series of measured adjustments: from June 2023 to May 2025, the SBP [cut rates][2] cautiously from 22pc to 11pc. Each move was calculated, with pauses where necessary, resisting market pressure for a steep, one-off reduction. The strategy appeared to be deliberate. Instead of succumbing to calls for a dramatic cut, the SBP moved gradually. This paid off. The rupee remained steady. Inflation bottomed out [below 1pc][3] in April 2025. And by May, [consumer confidence surged to 4...

The inaugural Esports Olympics scheduled to be held in 2027 will no longer be hosted by Saudi Arabia, the International Olympic Committee announced on Thursday. The IOC and the Saudi National Olympic Committee “mutually agreed that they will end their cooperation on the Olympic Esports Games”, a statement said. The first Esports Games was originally slated to be held this year in Riyadh but were postponed in February. The Saudis were guaranteed the hosting of the Games for 12 years from 2025, when the agreement was first announced by the IOC in July last year. Then-IOC president Thomas Bach had been influential in the creation of the event but has since been replaced at the helm by Kirsty Coventry. Olympic Esports Series competitions, smaller virtual sports events run by the IOC, were held in 2021 and 2023. They were widely panned by gaming critics over the lack of traditional esports titles. “Recently, the two parties and the Esports World Cup Foundation sat down again a...

A promising 17-year-old Australian cricketer died on Thursday after being struck by a ball, with his family saying they were “utterly devastated”. Ben Austin was in the nets with a helmet on before a Twenty20 game in Melbourne on Tuesday when he was hit in the neck while facing a ball-throwing device. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition. “We are utterly devastated by the passing of our beautiful Ben, who died earlier on Thursday morning,” his father Jace Austin said in a statement. “This tragedy has taken Ben from us, but we find some comfort that he was doing something he did for so many summers — going down to the nets with mates to play cricket. “We would also like to support his teammate who was bowling in the nets. This accident has impacted two young men and our thoughts are with he and his family as well.” Austin was an emerging bowler and batter, considered by his Ferntree Gully Cricket Club as a “star cricketer, great leader and an awesome young man”. D...

United States President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that he had instructed the Department of Defence to immediately resume the testing of nuclear weapons on an “equal basis” with other nuclear powers, in a move that could potentially destabilise the nuclear treaty under which countries have been constrained for decades. The move has raised concerns about the threat of nuclear power being wielded by multiple countries, including the risk of the collapse of the nuclear disarmament treaty that keeps this power under strict control. Why is the US resuming nuclear testing? Trump posted on the social media platform Truth Social early this morning the news of the announcement, saying that the US had more nuclear weapons than any other country as a result of his first term in office. “Because of the tremendous destructive power, I HATED to do it, but I had no choice!” he said, adding, “Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years.” The Assoc...

Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal and his Saudi counterpart Fahad Al-Jalajel held a discussion in Riyadh related to polio eradication from Pakistan, along with talks related to cooperation in the health sector and promotion of investment, the health ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. The meeting took place a day ago on the sidelines of the Ninth Edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII9) in Riyadh, where Kamal was part of a Pakistani delegation led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Islamabad and Riyadh share long-standing diplomatic ties and, in recent years, have sought to expand and strengthen their partnership by adding greater strategic depth through enhanced cooperation in defence , economy , and health . Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic . Despite global efforts to eradicate the virus, challenges such as security issues, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation have slowed progress. ...

Despite plummeting relations between Beijing and Washington, Shanghai resident Huang is determined that her daughter will complete her costly education in the United States. Even as the two sides have spent much of this year locked in a blistering trade row, US schools and universities remain hugely popular with parents who are chasing what they see as better opportunities and an international outlook for their children. They will be among many hoping that an expected meeting between presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday — their first encounter since the former’s return to the White House — could pave the way to stabilising ties. “Even though there’s a lot of drama going on right now… this is just temporary,” Huang told AFP . “This is something I firmly believe in.” Her 17-year-old daughter has been enrolled in high school in the United States for three years and is hoping to study computer science at a university there. Trump’s mercurial nature and hi...

Politicians and journalists on Tuesday raised questions regarding the government’s reported plan of deploying troops in Gaza as part of the International Stabilisation Force ( ISF ) currently being assembled. A cornerstone of the US-brokered Gaza Peace Agreement is the establishment of the ISF, composed mainly of troops from Muslim-majority countries. According to officials close to the discussions, an announcement is expected soon from the government regarding the decision. Since the news spread, politicians and journalists alike have expressed concern and criticism over the idea, sharing their thoughts on social media. ‘Troubling’, ‘rebranded extension of occupation’ Former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar called the news “troubling”, saying, “Our ill-thought-out policies of the past are haunting us in the present.” He added, “Have we discussed and debated its pros and cons? Why is the government hesitant to take the public into confidence?” Meanwhile, Senator Allama Raja N...

A last-ditch effort is underway to salvage ongoing talks between Islamabad and Kabul, despite the Afghan Taliban’s “stubbornness”, security sources said on Tuesday. A second round of talks between the two sides had begun on Saturday in Istanbul. This followed the Pakistan-Afghanistan talks mediated jointly by Qatar and Turkiye in Doha on October 18-19 , which had resulted in a permanent ceasefire after days of intense border clashes. The Qatar talks had come after days of fighting along the Pak-Afghan border and strikes by Islamabad on Gul Bahadur group camps in Afghanistan. The agreement reached in Doha extended an initial 48-hour truce and resulted in a permanent ceasefire, as well as a commitment to reconvene in Istanbul to work on mechanisms for lasting peace and stability between the two countries. “On the third day, the talks continued for 18 hours. During the 18 hours, the Afghan Taliban delegation repeatedly agreed to Pakistan’s logical and legitimate demand for credible...

American multinational technology company Meta has officially launched Meta AI in Urdu for users in Pakistan, intending to accelerate the process of digital transformation in the country, a press release from the company said on Monday. The announcement was made during an event titled “Future in Focus: AI and Innovation”, held in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), the release said. Meta also announced the start of an experimental programme for AI education and government digital transformation in Pakistan. “These initiatives aim to accelerate the process of digital transformation in the country,” the release said. “Pakistani users will now be able to interact with Meta AI not only in English but also in Urdu.” Speaking at the event, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said, “Under the Prime Minister’s Digital Nation Vision, Pakistan is moving toward a future where technology empo...

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that Washington does not view a strike that Israel said targeted a member of a Palestinian militant group in Gaza as a violation of a US-backed ceasefire . Israel said it struck a member of the Islamic Jihad group on Saturday, accusing the individual of planning to attack Israeli troops. Islamic Jihad denied it was planning an attack. Speaking aboard President Donald Trump’s plane during a trip to Asia, Rubio said: “We don’t view that as a violation of the ceasefire.” The US top diplomat added that Israel has not surrendered its right to self-defence as part of the agreement brokered by Washington, Egypt and Qatar that saw Hamas release the remaining living hostages held in Gaza this month. “They have the right if there’s an imminent threat to Israel, and all the mediators agree with that,” Rubio said. Rubio said the ceasefire in Gaza, which remains in force between Israel and Hamas just over two years since the war began, was bas...

Two US Navy aircraft crashed into the South China Sea in separate incidents on Sunday, officials said, with no fatalities reported. The first crash involved an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, which “went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz,” according to a statement from the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet. All three crew members aboard the helicopter were recovered by search and rescue teams, the statement said. A half-hour later, according to the Navy, a Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet crashed into the South China Sea, also “while conducting routine operations” from the USS Nimitz. The Navy’s statement said both crew members aboard ejected themselves from the vessel and were safely recovered. “All personnel involved are safe and in stable condition,” the US Navy said. “The cause of both incidents is currently under investigation.” The crashes come as US President Donald Trump is in the reg...

New Zealand overcame a blitz from centurion Harry Brook to beat England by four wickets on Sunday in the opening game of their three-match one-day international series, with Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell scoring half-centuries. The hosts wobbled chasing 224, losing four quick wickets, including former captain Kane Williamson for a first-ball duck in his first match for the side since March, but Mitchell took them home with an unbeaten 78 after being dropped on 33. Bracewell also earned a reprieve early on and ran himself out for 51 to open the door for England after the initial burst from Brydon Carse (3-45), but New Zealand got back on track thanks to Mitch Santner’s 27 and prevailed in 36.4 overs. “There was still a lot in the wicket,” skipper Santner said. “We lost a couple more than we would have liked in the chase but the intent was great … Daryl and Michael’s partnership was massive for us.” England recovered from a disastrous start as captain Brook bludgeoned 13...

Three armed men shot dead in a police encounter on the outskirts of Quetta were identified as members of a kidnapping gang, police said on Sunday, adding that weapons and a vehicle used in the abductions were recovered from the scene. The incident occurred on Saturday in Quetta’s Killi Khali area, within the jurisdiction of the Brewery Police Station, where the suspects were killed during a shootout with police. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Serious Crimes Investigation Wing, Imran Qureshi, told Dawn.com that after identifying the men killed in yesterday’s encounter, an investigation was launched, which revealed that all three were involved in kidnappings. “Two accomplices of the kidnappers managed to escape during the exchange of fire, while a police constable sustained injuries,” SSP Qureshi said. “Two of the slain suspects were identified as Nawab Ali and Ahmed Sultan, while efforts are underway with the help of NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority) to f...

Lahore continued to experience dry and hazy weather on Saturday as the Met Office warned that persistent dry conditions and rising air pollution were likely to keep the city and other districts of eastern Punjab under the grip of smog. It added that continental air was prevailing over most parts of the country, bringing generally dry weather, while hilly areas were expected to remain cold during morning and night hours. Citizens were advised to take precautionary measures against the prevailing smog. Lahore was declared the world’s most polluted city earlier this week as a hazardous blanket of smog enveloped the metropolis, prompting authorities to issue a severe public health warning. Along with Karachi, the city was among the top five most polluted cities in terms of air quality, according to monitoring platform IQAir . Smog is set to intensify across Lahore and other parts of Punjab due to a combination of local emissions and pollutants carried by low-speed winds from India, f...

Two members of the Australian Women’s World Cup cricket team were reportedly “touched inappropriately” while walking in India, ABC News reported on Saturday. In a statement, Cricket Australia said the duo were walking to a cafe in Indore when they were approached by someone on a motorcycle, the news outlet added. India are one of the two co-hosts of the ICC Women’s World Cup, along with Sri Lanka. The players were reportedly walking back to the cafe on Thursday, the morning after Australia defeated England by six wickets in the Women’s World Cup. CA said the duo were harassed by a person on a motorcycle, and the team had alerted police. “CA can confirm two members of the Australian Women’s team were approached and touched inappropriately by a motorcyclist while walking to a cafe in Indore,” CA’s statement was quoted by the news outlet. “The matter was reported by team security to police, who are handling the matter.” Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotiya was ...

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi stressed on Saturday the need for further coordination between their countries on matters of mutual strategic interest. Pakistan and Egypt share long-standing bilateral relations. In May, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s desire for stronger bilateral ties with Pakistan in a phone call with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Last week, Pak­istan and Egypt agreed to enhance cooperation in the maritime and industrial sectors, aiming to foster joint ventures and promote their blue economies. The army chief is currently on a visit to the country. A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) today said the army chief held a meeting with the Egyptian president at the Itihadia Presidential Palace in Cairo. “COAS commended the Egyptian leadership for key role in the region’s peace and stability, while President el-Sisi expressed appreciatio...

Thailand’s former Queen Sirikit, the mother of the current King Vajiralongkorn and wife of the nation’s longest-reigning monarch, died late on Friday at the age of 93, the palace said. The royal family is venerated in Thailand, treated by many as semi-divine figures and lavished with glowing media coverage and gold-adorned portraits hanging in public spaces and private homes nationwide. Authorities ordered flags to fly at half-mast for 30 days, banned weddings and concerts, and instructed citizens to wear black. Former Queen Sirikit’s body will lie in state at the Grand Palace’s Dusit Thorne Hall in the capital, Bangkok, according to the palace. People react as they hold portraits of Thailand’s former queen Sirikit in front of Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok. People hold portraits of Thailand’s former Queen Sirikit as they gather in front of Chulalongkorn Hospital, where she passed away, in Bangkok on October 25. — AFP People react as they hold portraits of Thailand’s for...

Vehicles loaded with timber are a recurring sight on the roads of Jand in Attock | Photos by the writer In the early hours of an August morning, when mist still clings to the ground, the sound of axes and chainsaws echoes from village thickets across the south-western tehsil of Jand in Punjab’s northern Attock district. “By the time the sun is fully up, truckloads of timber have already left for markets far away,” says Muhammad Ramzan, a 62-year-old farmer from Kanni village, pointing toward a barren patch where a small forest once stood. “These trees took decades to grow, but only hours to fell,” he tells Eos. This is a pattern across villages in Jand and adjoining areas in Attock, where an entrenched network of illegal loggers, transporters and middlemen — called the ‘timber mafia’ — is stripping the hillsides at a pace the land cannot recover from. While data remains limited, the Punjab State of Environment Report 2024 notes that forest cover accounts for only about three per...

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is set for its biggest expansion yet, with two new teams and two additional venues expected to feature in the next edition of the tournament, PSL Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer revealed on Friday. Speaking during a podcast released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Salman said the board was “very seriously considering moving on to six venues this time,” adding that “HBL PSL 11, God willing, will be played across six venues.” He said the long-forgotten Imran Khan Stadium, formerly Arbab Niaz Stadium, in Peshawar was “almost ready,” but required some final upgrades before it could host matches of international standard. “We are certainly trying to prepare it for PSL 11,” he said. “But what we need also is for the lease agreement to take place. For us to invest significantly as the PCB in this venue, we need to have a long-term lease in place.” Salman confirmed that Faisalabad was also being lined up as the other new host city. “The other v...

Three cops were martyred as back-to-back blasts rocked Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu on Friday, according to police. KP Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed shared these details with Dawn.com , saying that the first blast targeted a police checkpost in the jurisdiction of Baliamina police station. He said no policemen were usually deployed at the checkpost, adding that some policemen were on their way to the site when a second blast took place near their vehicle. Three policemen were martyred in the second blast, which was caused by an improvised explosive device, the IG said. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi “strongly condemned” the blasts, a statement posted on his ministry’s X account said, adding that he paid tributes to the martyred police, including Superintendent of Police Asad Zubair. He also extended condolences to the families of the martyred policemen. “The sacrifice of martyred SP Asad Zubair and two other police personnel will not go in vain. The sacrifices o...