Author: Moin Ullah Shah

By Moin Ullah Shah KARACHI: Pakistan witnessed a historic rise in gold prices this year, with the per-tola rate reaching a record Rs470,000 by December, marking an increase of Rs190,000 since January 2025, when it was Rs280,000. The surge was driven by the US dollar’s strong performance and rising global gold prices, although the relative stability of the Pakistani rupee helped moderate the increase. Similarly, the price of 10 grams of gold rose by Rs162,895, closing the year at Rs402,949. Globally, gold traded at USD2,622 per ounce in January 2025, rising by USD1,835 to USD4,457 per ounce by the end…

By Moin Ullah Shah KARACHI: Commissioner of Karachi Syed Hassan Naqvi has taken action against professional beggars operating at busy intersections and markets across the city. Following his directives, Deputy Commissioner East Nasrullah Abbasi and Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khoso launched coordinated operations in their districts, reporting the results directly to the commissioner. The operations, carried out on Saturday with the support of local police, saw Assistant Commissioner Gulraz e Hajri Irfan Nizamani leading the East district effort, while Assistant Commissioners Ahmed Murtaza and Rana Sofiyan managed the South district. According to official reports, a total of 84 beggars…

By Moin Ullah Shah KARACHI: Police in Karachi have intercepted a major drug shipment, seizing 96 kilograms of cannabis with an estimated value of more than Rs14.4m and arresting two suspects. Acting on intelligence, Keamari district police carried out a raid in the Sher Shah area, foiling what officials described as a large narcotics consignment intended for distribution in the city and other parts of Sindh. Senior superintendent of police Keamari, Amjad Ahmed Sheikh, said the drugs were recovered from a Toyota Hilux near the Lyari Expressway interchange. The two suspects, identified as Amjad and Naseer, were taken into custody…

By Moin Ullah Shah KARACHI: The Karachi Press Club elections have become mired in controversy as all results have been halted following disputes over vote counts. A request for a recount has been submitted to the Election Committee amid claims of irregularities. According to preliminary results, Aslam Khan was elected as Club Secretary by a margin of just three votes. The results for the Governing Board were as follows: Abdul Jabbar Nasir – 629 votes, Akhtar Soomro – 577, Sheema – 573, Faryal Arif – 571, Javed Saba – 512, Farees Alam – 459, and Javed Mahar – 426. The…

By Moin Ullah Shah KRACHI: Former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Shamshad Akhtar, has passed away due to cardiac arrest. She was the first woman to hold the position of Governor at the central bank. Shamshad Akhtar assumed office as the 14th Governor of the State Bank on 2 January 2006. Her funeral prayers are scheduled to be held tomorrow after Zuhr in Karachi. Born in Hyderabad, Akhtar received her early education in Karachi and Islamabad. She earned a BA in Economics from Punjab University in 1974 and an MSc in Economics from Quaid-i-Azam University. She later completed…

By Moin Ullah Shah KARACHI: PFUJ and IFJ figures urge members to vote for Shaher Bano and team in polls scheduled for December twenty seven. Senior figures from Pakistan’s leading journalists’ bodies have appealed to members of the Karachi Press Club to support the Green Panel in the club’s upcoming elections, due to be held on Saturday, December twenty seven. In a joint appeal issued in Karachi, the signatories included G M Jamali, member at large of the International Federation of Journalists’ Federation of Asia Pacific Journalists and a member of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists’ federal executive council,…

By Moin Ullah Shah KARACHI: In the 2026 annual elections of the Karachi Club, the Progressive Group secured a decisive victory, winning all available seats and cementing its position within the prestigious institution. The results, formally confirmed by Election Commissioner Saeed Soomro and Deputy Commissioner Hafeez Ghaziani, marked a significant moment for the club’s governance, signalling widespread support for the Progressive Group’s agenda among its members. Muhammad Aslam Rangoonwala was elected President, taking the helm of the Karachi Club at a time when members are anticipating renewed focus on development and community engagement. Abdul Wahid Abdul Qadir Jetal Surwala was…

By Moin Ullah Shah KARACHI: Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar has said that several call centres operating in Karachi have become centres of organised crime, carrying out large-scale international fraud. The suspects were accused of running sophisticated scams that targeted citizens with fake investment opportunities in cryptocurrency and forex trading, exploiting social media platforms to reach a wide audience. According to Sindh Interior Minister Zia Lanjhar, the perpetrators presented victims with counterfeit login screens and fake portals, creating the illusion of legitimate financial services. The scams, he said, had defrauded numerous individuals across the country, highlighting the growing threat…

By Moin Ullah Shah KARACHI: Journalists’ organisations, including the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, the Karachi Union of Journalists and the Green Panel, have expressed deep sorrow over the death of the sister of Moinullah Shah, a member of the PFUJ’s Federal Executive Council. In separate condolence statements, Green Panel group head Syed Hassan Abbas, former PFUJ president G M Jamali, current vice-presidents Ghulam Akbar Jaffery, Ghazala Faseeh and Khazan Shehr Bano, assistant secretaries general Rafi Hussain Farooqi and Shamaila Nawaz, members of the Federal Executive Council, KUJ president Ijaz Ahmed, general secretary Lubna Jarrar Naqvi, members of the KUJ…

By Moin Ullah Shah KARACHI: In a historic first, the Green Panel has nominated a woman as its presidential candidate for the Karachi Press Club elections. On Wednesday, at the club’s terrace, Green Panel group head Syed Hasan Abbas announced the nomination of senior journalist Shehr Bano from the English daily The News (Jang Group) for president, alongside Saeed Jan Baloch from Daily Aman as vice president for the 2026 elections. The panel also announced nominations for the governing body, including Ajaz Jamali (24 News), Akbar Ali (365 News), Mahmood Riaz (freelance), and Syed Muhammad Hamza Khalid. The announcement was…