Infinity Social Updates

Medicine prices have increased by an average of 15 per cent since the government announced the deregulation policy in February 2024 instead of 32pc as claimed by the authorities recently, the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) said on Wednesday. In a statement, the association said that the figure of 32pc represents the cumulative increase over the past two years, not just after deregulation. “The actual increase of 15pc includes around 2.5pc growth in production units and new product introductions, meaning the real impact on existing medicines is closer to 13.5pc,” the statement highlighted. Citing the latest IQVIA report, considered the most reliable global source for pharmaceutical sales and pricing data, the PPMA said the overall price increase stood at only 16pc over the last 12 months. “Before deregulation, Pakistan’s pharmaceutical sector was facing a severe crisis due to strict price controls, unprecedented rupee depreciation, and record inflation of ...

Indian police are investigating if there is a link between this week’s car blast in Delhi and the earlier arrest of a group of seven men from occupied Kashmir with arms and bomb-making material, three sources familiar with the probe said on Wednesday. The blast on Monday evening, outside Delhi’s historic Red Fort, killed eight people and wounded at least 20, the first such explosion in the heavily guarded city of more than 30 million people since 2011 . Indian authorities are investigating the blast under a stringent anti-terrorism law and have said that all angles are being probed. They have not named anyone or made any arrests in connection with the explosion. Two doctors arrested Hours before the blast in Delhi, police in Indian occupied Kashmir said they had arrested seven men, including two doctors, in connection with a separate anti-terror probe and searches in the region and in the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh that border Delhi. Police found two pistols, two assault...

The Foreign Office (FO) issued a statement on Wednesday in response to clarifications issued by the Court of Arbitration on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), saying that Pakistan had taken note of the decision and calling the clarifications “helpful”. The Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) had issued its Award on Issues of General Interpretation of the IWT on August 8. On September 19, Pakistan initiated an arbitration against India under the provisions of the IWT, which India suspended unilaterally following a four-day conflict between the two countries in May. The PCA on Saturday issued clarifications on its decisions surrounding the treaty in response to the request, which concerned the interpretation and application of the IWT to certain design elements of run-of-river hydroelectric plants (HEPs). The FO statement added that Pakistan had also taken note of the procedural order issued in parallel with the decision. In response to a Procedural Order also issued in light ...

It has become nearly impossible for people to tell the difference between music generated by artificial intelligence and that created by humans, according to a survey released on Wednesday. The polling firm Ipsos asked 9,000 people to listen to two clips of AI-generated music and one of human-made music in a survey conducted for France-based streaming platform Deezer. “Ninety-seven per cent could not distinguish between music entirely generated by AI and human-created music,” said Deezer. The survey came out as a country music song featuring a male singer’s voice generated by AI reached the top of the US charts for the first time this week. “Walk My Walk” by Breaking Rust — an artist widely reported by US media to be powered by generative AI technology — made it to the top spot on Billboard magazine’s chart ranking digital sales of country songs, according to data published on Monday. Deezer said more than half of the respondents to its survey felt uncomfortable at not being able...

Lawyers, journalists, and political figures have condemned the attack in Islamabad earlier today, likening it to the “2000’s wave of terror” and demanding accountability. At least 12 people were killed and 36 injured in a suicide blast outside the district and sessions court building in Islamabad’s G-11 area. The incident occurred as international events were being hosted in the capital, including the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference and the 6th Margalla Dialogue, while a cricket match between the Greenshirts and Sri Lanka was also being held in Pindi. The United States embassy in Islamabad said it “stands in solidarity with Pakistan in the struggle against terrorism” in a post on X. “Our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in today’s senseless attack,” the post stated. “We wish a swift recovery to those injured. We condemn this attack and all forms of terrorism and remain committed to supporting the Government of Pakistan’s efforts to ensure peace an...

The United States Senate on Monday approved a compromise that would end the longest government shutdown in US history, breaking a weeks-long stalemate that has disrupted food benefits for millions, left hundreds of thousands of federal workers unpaid and snarled air traffic. The 60-40 vote passed with the support of nearly all of the chamber’s Republicans and eight Democrats, who unsuccessfully sought to tie government funding to health subsidies that are due to expire at the end of the year. While the agreement sets up a December vote on those subsidies, which benefit 24 million Americans, it does not guarantee they will continue. The deal would restore funding for federal agencies that lawmakers allowed to expire on October 1 and would stall President Donald Trump’s campaign to downsize the federal workforce, preventing any layoffs until January 30. It next heads to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where Speaker Mike Johnson has said he would like to pass it as...

Former Pakistan One-day International captain Mohammad Rizwan voluntarily decided to take a step back and let Shaheen Shah Afridi take charge as his successor when the country’s cricket board was mulling the decision, the latter revealed on Monday. Shaheen was appointed in the role last month in what seemed like an abrupt development with Rizwan being stripped off captaincy despite spending only five ODI series and an ICC Champions Trophy campaign in charge. While the wicket-keeper-batter had a disastrous show at the Champions Trophy, he lead Pakistan to series wins in Australia and South Africa last year and against the West Indies this year. According to multiple media reports, Rizwan was at loggerheads with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) when he was removed as captain – reportedly turning down the central contract. Shaheen, however, seems to have cleared the air, stating in the press conference on the eve of Pakistan’s three-match ODI series opener against Sri Lanka in Rawalpi...