Wholesale prices increased in December, with inflation measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) rising to 0.83%. This marks the second consecutive month of upward movement after two months of deflation, official data released on Wednesday showed. The return to positive inflation came after wholesale prices contracted in October and November, when WPI inflation stood at (-) 1.21% and (-) 0.32%, respectively. In the same month last year, wholesale inflation was higher at 2.57%. According to the industry ministry, the increase in December was driven by a rise in prices across several segments. “Positive rate of inflation in December 2025 is primarily due to an increase in prices of other manufacturing, minerals, manufacture of machinery and equipment, manufacture of food products, and textiles, etc.,” the ministry said. Food articles remained in deflation, but the pace eased significantly. Deflation in this category narrowed to 0.43% in December from 4.16% in November. Vegetable prices also continued to see negative inflation, although the contraction reduced sharply to 3.50% in December compared with 20.23% a month earlier. Prices of manufactured products showed further strengthening, with inflation rising to 1.82% in December, up from 1.33% in November 2025. Non-food articles recorded an inflation rate of 2.95% during the month, higher than the 2.27% seen in November. The fuel and power segment continued to remain in deflationary territory. Prices in this category fell by 2.31% in December, slightly more than the 2.27% decline recorded in the previous month. Retail inflation also moved higher during the month. Data released earlier this week showed that consumer price inflation increased to 1.33% in December from 0.71% in November, largely due to rising food prices. Against the backdrop of subdued inflation, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has lowered policy interest rates by a cumulative 1.25 percentage points so far in the current financial year. Last month, the central bank revised its inflation forecast for the year downward to 2% from 2.6%, citing rapid disinflation in the economy. The RBI, which uses retail inflation as its primary benchmark for monetary policy decisions, reduced the key policy rate by 25 basis points last month to 5.25%. At the time, it described the economy as being in a “rare Goldilocks period” of strong growth alongside low inflation. The central bank has also raised its GDP growth estimate for FY26 to 7.3%, up from an earlier projection of 6.8%. India recorded economic growth of 8.2% in the September quarter and 7.8% in the June quarter.
PCB announces schedule for Australia’s T20I tour of Pakistan
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday announced the schedule of Australia’s tour of Pakistan, comprising three T20 internationals (T20I) matches set to be played towards the end of this month.
All three matches will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on January 29, January 31 and February 1. Australia’s T20I squad will arrive in Lahore on January 28, the cricket board announced.
The PCB said that toss for each match will take place at 5:30pm (local time), with play set to begin at 6pm.
“The series serves as crucial game time for both sides ahead of the all-important ICC Men’s T20I World Cup 2026, where Pakistan are placed in Group A and Australia in Group B,” it added.
This will be Australia’s third tour of Pakistan since March-April 2022, when they played Tests, ODIs and a T20I in the country. The side also played three matches of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan. Their only previous T20I at the Gaddafi Stadium came on April 5, 2022, when they won by three wickets.
PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmed Syed said the board was looking forward to hosting Australia in Lahore.
“We are excited and look forward to hosting Australia for the three-match T20I series here in Lahore. The tour marks a blockbuster beginning of the year for Pakistan cricket fans, and I urge them to turn out in numbers during the series to support both the teams as they put the final touches to their T20 World Cup preparations,” he said.
He added that the Gaddafi Stadium has become a familiar venue for Australia, having hosted a Test, five ODIs and a T20I involving the visitors since March 2022.
Series schedule:
1st T20: Thursday, January 29 — 6pm
2nd T20I: Saturday, January 31 — 6pm
3rd T20I: Sunday, February 1 — 6pm
Pakistan announces women squads for South Africa tour – SUCH TV
The Pakistan Cricket Board has unveiled the ODI and T20I squads of the Pakistan Women’s team for the upcoming tour to South Africa, starting February 10 in Potchefstroom.
Fatima Sana will continue to lead the side in both formats as Pakistan build towards the ICC Women’s T20I World Cup 2026 in June.
Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, and Tasmia Rubab are part of both the squads, while uncapped batter Saira Jabeen and right-arm fast bowler Humna Bilal have earned their maiden T20I call-ups.
Opening batters Ayesha and Gull, along with left-arm pacer Tasmia and wicketkeeper-batter Najiha Alvi, have been called up to the 15-member ODI squad after missing out on the ODI World Cup selection.
Diana Baig, Najiha, Sadaf Shamas and Syeda Aroob Shah are just part of the 50-over squad, while Humna, Saira, Tuba Hassan and Eyman Fatima are in the T20I squad only.
During the tour, mentor Wahab Riaz will be assisted by a seasoned set of coaches, including Imran Farhat (batting coach), Umaid Asif (fast bowling coach), Abdur Rehman (spin bowling coach) and Abdul Majeed (fielding coach).
The T20Is will be played in Potchefstroom, Benoni and Kimberley from February 10 to 16, with all being day-night fixtures.
Pakistan will warm up for the ODI series with a 50-over game at Kimberley, followed by the three ODIs at Bloemfontein, Centurion and Durban from February 22 to March 1.
The second ODI will begin in the afternoon and will also be played under lights, while the warm-up, first and third ODIs will be day games.
T20I squad:
Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza (wicket-keeper), Humna Bilal, Muneeba Ali (wicket-keeper), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadia Iqbal, Saira Jabeen, Sidra Amin, Tasmia Rubab, and Tuba Hassan
ODI Squad:
Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wicket-keeper), Najiha Alvi (wicket-keeper), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah and Tasmia Rubab
Pakistan Women’s tour of South Africa Schedule:
1st T20I – February 10 – JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom (day/night)
2nd T20I – February 13 – Willowmoore Park, Benoni (day/night)
3rd T20I – February 16 – Kimberley Oval, Kimberley (day/night)
50-over warm-up match – February 19 – Kimberley Oval, Kimberley (day)
1st ODI – February 22 – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein (day)
2nd ODI – February 25 – SuperSport Park, Centurion (day/night)
3rd ODI – March 1– Kingsmead Stadium, Durban (day)
‘A sore throat led to a cancer diagnosis – I didn’t think I’d see my kids grow up’
A mother of two, who once feared she would not live to see her children grow up after a persistent sore throat led to an incurable blood cancer diagnosis, has expressed profound gratitude to be alive 16 years later.
Deb Gascoyne, 50, from Hagley, West Midlands, was just 34 when a precautionary blood test in July 2009 detected smouldering myeloma, an early form of blood cancer.
Mrs Gascoyne, who shares her home with husband Nick, 50, and their children, Rebecca, 21, and Sam, 19, credits a nurse‘s last-minute decision to take blood samples that day with an early diagnosis that potentially saved her life.
Despite experiencing two relapses over the years, Mrs Gascoyne has celebrated numerous significant family milestones.
She has also dedicated herself to fundraising, aiming to raise £250,000 to support research into new treatments and ultimately, a cure.
So far, she has raised £248,100 for the charity Myeloma UK and she is preparing for her final fundraising challenge in May, a cycle from London to Paris, to reach her target.
Prior to her diagnosis, in 2009, Mrs Gascoyne was an active mother-of-two who worked in Human Resources (HR). Her children were two and four at the time.
It was only when she started experiencing a persistent sore throat that everything changed.
“It felt like a golf ball in my throat and I was wiped out from it every month, so I went to the GP,” she said.
“The nurse said, ‘We’ll do a throat swab and if that comes back negative and you’re still having the sore throats, we’ll send for bloods’.
“Then, just before I left, she said, ‘Actually, do you know what? We’ll just send your bloods off now anyway’.”
Mrs Gascoyne said this split-second decision to take bloods that day led to an “early diagnosis that (she) might not have had otherwise”.
After further testing, including scans and a bone marrow biopsy, it was confirmed in July 2009 that Mrs Gascoyne had smouldering myeloma – an early form of the blood cancer – aged 34.
Feeling “totally shellshocked”, as doctors initially told her she was “too young” to be diagnosed with the condition, she started doing her own research and came across life expectancy statistics.
“At the time, there wasn’t much information from the UK, most of it was from the US, but it was saying two to five years’ life expectancy,” she said.
“So, then there was that whole fear and emotion of not seeing your children grow up, not getting old with Nick – all the things that we had plans for and were a no-brainer in our heads were suddenly up in the air.”
About a year later, Mrs Gascoyne’s myeloma progressed to active cancer and she was put on the Myeloma XI trial in 2010, which included chemotherapy.
However, during that year, Mrs Gascoyne threw herself into fundraising and she first completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks with her family and friends.
She also connected with other patients via Myeloma UK’s support network which helped change her perspective.
“There were two women in particular who, sadly, aren’t with us anymore,” Mrs Gascoyne said.
“But at the time, they were really instrumental in helping me realise that I could still have a life and have myeloma, that I could still have a number of years ahead of me.”
Mrs Gascoyne received her first stem cell transplant in July 2011 and was then placed on maintenance chemotherapy, which she said kept her in “partial remission” for eight years.
While there was the “fear in the back of (her) head” about relapsing, Mrs Gascoyne continued to focus on fundraising, organising events such her ‘40 pubs in 40 hours challenge’.
According to Myeloma UK, myeloma follows a relapsing-remitting pattern, where successful treatment can bring the myeloma into remission, but it is likely it will come back again.
For Mrs Gascoyne, she said she relapsed in 2019 and underwent her second stem cell transplant in September 2020, before relapsing again in November 2024.
She was given a new maintenance treatment in December 2024, which she is still receiving. While she has had some “blips” and hospital admissions along the way, she is still continuing with fundraising.
She is currently preparing for her second London to Paris cycling challenge in May, where she will be joined by family, her consultant, two of her clinical research nurses, the wife of a patient who recently died and other patients and friends.
During this time, she is also hoping to enjoy quality time with her family.
“My husband’s about to take some time out so that we can make some memories and not wait until it’s too late,” she said.
Mrs Gascoyne said she has had lots of time to “reflect” since her diagnosis, and she often wonders what might have happened if that blood test did not take place.
However, as she approaches 17 years since her diagnosis in July, she feels “grateful” as she did not think she would “have this much time”.
“If I think about the friends I’ve lost along the way, and what their families have missed out on, I am remarkably lucky to have a slower and less aggressive form of myeloma,” Mrs Gascoyne told PA Real Life.
“I’ve seen my kids hit their major birthdays, I’ve watched my son with his girlfriend and my daughter becoming a paramedic, and you just think, those were things I could only have dreamt of when I first got that diagnosis.
“I am really lucky and really blessed to have seen them through all of that.”
She wants to continue raising awareness of myeloma and to encourage others to “listen to (their) body and be their own advocate”.
“I’d say to others, try and think positively where you can, because no matter what you read, I like to think that stories like mine show that there is always hope.”
To find out more or to donate, visit Mrs Gascoyne’s latest fundraising page at ride.myeloma.org.uk/deb-gascoyne or visit Myeloma UK’s website at www.myeloma.org.uk.
The world’s largest beaver dam is so big that you can see it from space | World News – The Times of India
Wood Buffalo National Park, in Canada, which spans northern Alberta and parts of the Northwest Territories, contains the largest beaver dam ever recorded. The structure lies deep within the park, far from roads, towns, or marked trails, making it largely inaccessible by foot. Its size is so vast that it is visible in satellite images taken from space. The dam measures roughly 775 metres along its front edge and covers an area of about 70,000 square metres, holding back a significant volume of water. It was first identified in 2007 through satellite imagery rather than ground exploration. Further analysis showed the dam did not exist before 1980, suggesting it was built over several decades by successive generations of beavers working in the same location.
A beaver dam hidden in Canada is clearly visible from space
Wood Buffalo National Park lies across northern Alberta and parts of the Northwest Territories. It is the largest national park in Canada and one of the largest protected areas in the world. The beaver dam sits deep within it, far from roads, towns, or marked trails.Reaching the site on foot would take days. The landscape is difficult and slow. Wetlands stretch for long distances. Muskeg gives way under weight. Boreal forest closes in thickly. Most people who have seen the dam up close did not walk there. They arrived by private sightseeing flights, looking down rather than approaching on the ground.
The actual size of the beaver dam is impressive
According to Parks Canada, from end to end, the front of the dam measures roughly 775 metres. That is close to seven football fields laid side by side. The entire perimeter of the dam area approaches 2,000 metres. Its surface area covers about 70,000 square metres.The pond created behind the dam is thought to be around one metre deep. That would place the volume of water at roughly 70,000 cubic metres. Another way to see it is through scale. A standard dump truck carries about 10 cubic yards. By that measure, the dam holds back the equivalent of more than 90,000 dump trucks of water. Seen as ice, it would fill around 1,600 hockey rinks.
This beaver dam was discovered from space
According to BBC Wildlife, no explorer stumbled across this dam by chance. No ranger logged it during patrol. It was first noticed in 2007, not on the ground, but in satellite imagery. The structure was large enough to be visible from space.Further images, including those provided by NASA, showed that the dam did not exist before 1980. That suggests it could be up to 45 years old. Over that time, it grew slowly, piece by piece, shaped by water flow and repeated work rather than a single effort. The location helped keep it hidden. With no nearby access routes, there was little reason for people to pass through.
Why beavers build on this scale
Beavers are often described as ecosystem engineers. They change landscapes by design, even if that design follows instinct rather than a plan. By felling trees and packing wood, mud, stones, and vegetation together, they redirect water and create ponds.In the case of this dam, multiple generations of beavers worked on the same structure. Each added material where it was needed. Over time, the dam expanded and strengthened, holding back runoff from the Birch Mountains at the southern edge of the park. The result is not just a barrier but an entire water system shaped by animals rather than machines.
What the dam means for the wider park
Wood Buffalo National Park is known for more than its size. It supports wood bison, whooping cranes, and the Peace Athabasca Delta, one of the largest inland freshwater deltas in the world. The beaver dam fits quietly into that setting.It supports wetlands, slows water movement, and creates habitat for other species. It does not draw crowds or require fences. It simply exists, doing its work out of sight. Even now, most people will never see it directly. The dam remains where it was built, surrounded by forest and water, changing its corner of the park a little at a time.
Evan Peters reveals what brought him back to ‘American Horror Story’
Evan Peters is all set to reunite with Ryan Murphy for the forthcoming beloved horror series, American Horror Story.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday, the 38-year-old actor has finally revealed what brought him back to the anthology series.
“First of all, it’s working with Ryan [Murphy] again, but second of all, he’s assembled the cast from all the different seasons,” said Evan.
“It’s sort of an alumni, and we’re all getting back together to do this greatest-hits season. So we’ll see what he writes and what it brings. But just the chance to be able to work with Sarah [Paulson], Jessica, Kathy [Bates], Angela [Bassett] again and everybody involved,” continued the Monster star.
Evan, who has appeared in nine seasons of the anthology series, added that “I’m interested to see what the scenes are and how it all plays out.”
When he asked if he was surprised to learn that Jessica was returning, Evan replied, “Yes! Yeah.”
“Ryan knows how to have those dinners. He will get you in a second. I was definitely shocked, but thrilled, honestly,” the actor said.
For those unversed, the filming for season 13 is expected to begin early next month.
50 years later, Behroze Sabzwari is still the Qabacha we love | The Express Tribune
Evergreen actor Behroze Sabzwari marked 50 years in the entertainment industry with a tribute that brought together artists, diplomats and close friends, reflecting both the length of his career and the relationships he built along the way. A special ceremony was organised by the Lifestyle Journalists Association, attended by senior and younger figures from film and television, as well as diplomatic representatives.
Among those present were Javed Sheikh, Bushra Ansari, Saleem Sheikh, Rubina Ashraf, Shabbir Jan, Nabeel, Shehroz Sabzwari, Sadaf Kanwal, Shehzad Nawaz, Dr Rafia Rafiq, Amjad Shah, Dr Farooq Sattar and Saleem Javed. The Consul Generals of Thailand, Russia and Australia were also in attendance. Sabzwari cut a cake to mark the milestone, while a showreel tracing his 50 year artistic journey was screened for the audience.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Sabzwari’s son Shehroz reflected on his father’s influence beyond acting. “My love for cars and watches came from my father, and I’ve always learned from him that one should always appreciate good things and good work,” he said. Shehroz added that his father had always emphasised honesty, noting that their similar tastes and values had been lessons he continued to carry with him.
Long time colleague Javed Sheikh described Sabzwari as both an artist and a deeply dependable person. “Behroze Sabzwari is a true artist and a remarkable human being; he stands by his fellow artists in their times of pain and difficulty,” he said. Recalling their years of friendship, Sheikh added that Sabzwari was someone who would respond immediately if called upon, regardless of the hour. He spoke of their shared involvement in the car business and praised Sabzwari as a devoted father, husband and friend, adding that such qualities were rare.
Bushra Ansari described him simply as a beloved figure, saying, “Behroze has won all our hearts; he is a beloved artist.” Rubina Ashraf shared a more personal memory, recalling how Sabzwari supported her during illness. “When I had Covid, Behroze Sabzwari took me to the hospital on a wheelchair,” she said. She added that with much of her family based in Lahore, Sabzwari had become her strongest support system in Karachi, whether it was during moments of illness or everyday decisions.
Film star Saleem Sheikh also congratulated Sabzwari, noting that completing 50 years in the industry was no small achievement. “We have worked together in many films and dramas; completing fifty years is no small achievement, and I congratulate him,” he said.
Reflecting on the milestone himself, Sabzwari acknowledged the honours he had received over the years, including the Pride of Performance in 2009 and the Sitara e Imtiaz in 2023. He said these awards belonged not to him alone but to his teachers. He also spoke candidly about the practical realities of sustaining a career in entertainment, recalling that he sold cars for nearly 30 years when income from television dramas was not enough. He credited Javed Sheikh for his support during that period, saying he would never forget that favour and would always stand by him.
Sabzwari noted that while he had worked in numerous dramas and films, it was the character of Qabacha that became his lasting identity. He entered show business while still a school student, initially hoping to become a pilot before continuing in acting. He began his career at Radio Pakistan as a radio presenter and achieved wider recognition through the PTV play Khuda Ki Basti in 1974, based on Shaukat Siddiqui’s work, where he played the character of Noushay. Earlier, in 1967, he had appeared in his first drama Nana Jan Dada Jan.
Roles such as Mangu in Mera Naam Hai Mangu and Qabacha in Haseena Moin’s classic Tanhaiyaan brought him widespread fame, with Qabacha remaining closely associated with his name. His television career went on to include projects such as Ankahi, Professor, Hanste Baste, Chhote Baray Log, Mandi, Zarb e Taqseem, Sach Gaya Bach, Awazain, Sachay, Seth and Company and No Paisa No Problem among many others.
Beyond television, Sabzwari also earned praise for his work in radio and theatre, particularly his performance in the stage production Mirza Ghalib Bandar Road Par. He appeared in dozens of films, largely in comedic roles, with notable titles including Dilwale, Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein, Naseeb, Hullchal, Chief Sahib, Mushkil, Ek Aur Love Story, Khilay Aasman Ke Neechay, Chalay Thay Saath, Punjab Nahi Jaungi and the more recent Neelofar, in which he played the character Fakhru.
Five decades on, the celebration reflected not just the longevity of Behroze Sabzwari’s career, but the enduring affection and respect he has earned across generations of Pakistani entertainment.
Saks Global files for bankruptcy
The company that owns the iconic luxury retailer Saks Fifth Avenue filed for bankruptcy late Tuesday.
The move comes after Saks Global struggled with debt it took on to buy rival Neiman Marcus, lagging department store sales and a rising online market.
It’s one of the largest retail collapses since the Covid-19 pandemic, and casts further doubt over the future of luxury fashion.
The retailer, which also owns Bergdorf Goodman, said early Wednesday its stores would remain open for now after it finalized a $1.75 billion financing package and appointed a new CEO.
The court process is meant to give the luxury retailer room to negotiate a debt restructuring with creditors or sell itself to a new owner to stave off liquidation. Failing that, the company may be forced to shutter.
Former Neiman Marcus CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck will replace Richard Baker, who was the architect of the acquisition strategy that left Saks Global saddled with debt.
The company also appointed former Neiman Marcus executives Darcy Penick and Lana Todorovich as chief commercial officer and chief of global brand partnerships at Saks Global, respectively.
Saks Fifth Avenue, the retail arm of Saks Global, listed $1 billion to $10 billion in assets and liabilities, according to court documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston, Texas.
A retailer long loved by the rich and famous, from Gary Cooper to Grace Kelly, Saks fell on hard times after the pandemic, as competition from online outlets rose, and brands started more frequently selling items through their own stores.
The original Saks Fifth Avenue store, known for displaying the likes of Chanel, Cucinelli and Burberry, was opened by retail pioneer Andrew Saks in 1867.
The new financing deal would provide an immediate cash infusion of $1 billion through a loan from an investor group, Saks Global said.
A host of luxury brands were among the unsecured creditors, led by Chanel and Gucci owner Kering at about $136 million and $60 million respectively, the court filing said. The world’s biggest luxury conglomerate, LVMH, was listed as an unsecured creditor at $26 million. In total, Saks Global estimated there were between 10,001 and 25,000 creditors.
In 2024, Baker had masterminded the takeover of Neiman Marcus by Canada’s Hudson’s Bay Co, which had owned Saks since 2013, and later spun off the U.S. luxury assets to create Saks Global, bringing together three names that have defined American high fashion for over a century.
The deal was designed to create a luxury powerhouse, but it saddled Saks Global with debt at a time when global luxury sales were slowing, complicating an already difficult turnaround for CEO and veteran executive Marc Metrick.
Saks Global struggled last year to pay vendors, who began withholding inventory, disrupting the company’s supply chain and leaving it with insufficient stock.
The thinly stocked shelves may have driven shoppers away to rivals like Bloomingdale’s, which posted strong sales in 2025, compounding pressure on Saks Global.
“Rich people are still buying,” Morningstar analyst David Swartz said last month, “just not so much at Saks.”
Running out of cash, Saks Global last month sold the real estate of the Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills flagship store for an undisclosed amount. It had also been looking to sell a minority stake in exclusive department store Bergdorf Goodman to help cut debt.
On December 30, it failed to make an interest payment of more than $100 million to bondholders.
Aurangzeb admits some companies quitting Pakistan due to high taxes – SUCH TV
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Aurangzeb has said that the government is fully aware of the challenges facing the economy, admitting that some companies are leaving the country due to high taxes and expensive energy.
Addressing the Pakistan Policy Dialogue in Islamabad on Wednesday, Senator Aurangzeb, however, said there were 20 new foreign investors who have entered the Pakistan market during the last 18 months.
These new foreign investors included Google, Aramco, Wafi Energy, Turkishm Petroleum and others, he added.
The finance minister also revealed that the government will hand over 24 more state units to the Privatization Commission for offloading after the successful sale of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
Aurangzeb said that foreign remittances would cross $41 billion during the current fiscal year as compared to previous year’s $38 billion.
He said handling of tax policy has been delegated to the Finance Division as the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is focused on collection of taxes.
Aurangzeb said the circular debt is gradually decreasing due to reforms in the energy sector.
The minister said “There are firms which are also leaving that is true .. if the taxation is high or the energy cost is high or its financing cost is always moving in the right direction those have been real issues.”
Aurangzeb said high taxes and high energy cost remain “real problem for businesses,” adding the government has begun reforms to reduce the burden on the national exchequer and bring economic stability.
“But those firms which have been able to look at business models because it takes two to tango, what the government has to do, and what the private sector has to do, and if you have wedged into their business models for the last 50 years it’s not going to work in the New World Order,” he maintained.
The minister said some of the multinational firms switched to local sourcing “because of their margins are fine and they are now able to export, therefore they stay.” And If another firm has not been able to do that, then that’s something we know they need to think through, he added.
Aurangzeb said structural reforms were underway across the country and that the transformation process of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is continuing. “Compliance and enforcement are essential to ensure implementation of tax laws,” he added.
The finance minister said over Rs1,000 billion are wasted by state units every year. “Utility Stores, PWD and PASSCO were shut down due to losses,” he added.
“Increasing duties is harmful for the country. We have introduced major reforms in tariff and drop in tariffs will automatically spur exports and industrial production,” he remarked.
Aurangzeb remained optimistic about the broader economic landscape, pointing to the government’s ongoing reform efforts aimed at addressing critical issues.
“We are in the process of introducing structural reforms across various sectors, and a transformation of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is already underway,” he said.
These reforms, he explained, are designed to ease the burden on businesses and strengthen the country’s financial systems.
In addition to fiscal reforms, the minister underscored the importance of improving tax compliance and enforcement.
“For tax laws to be effective, proper implementation is crucial. We are focusing on compliance and enforcement to ensure that the reforms are successful,” he said.
Despite the current economic pressures, the Finance Minister expressed confidence that these measures would pave the way for more sustainable growth and attract additional foreign investments in the long run.
Grammy-nominated musician John Forté found dead in his home
John Forté, who collaborated with groups like the Fugees and Refugee Camp All-Stars, passed away at the age of 50.
The Grammy-nominated musician was reportedly found dead in his Chilmark, Mass. home on Monday afternoon, January 12.
The Martha’s Vineyard town’s police chief Sean Slavin issued a statement following the recording artist’s death claiming there were no signs of foul play or a “readily apparent cause of death.”
However, as the case is currently being investigated by the state medical examiner’s office, further details will come to light soon.
Breathing his last just 17 days before his 51st birthday, Forté was best known for his writing and production work on the Fugees’ second and final album, The Score.
The 1996’s multi-platinum bestseller received widespread critical and commercial acclaim and led to the music producer’s Grammy nomination at the age of 21.
The late musician also worked as a part of the ’90s music collective Refugee Camp All-Stars.
He landed his expertise on songs as Fugees member Wyclef Jean’s We Trying to Stay Alive, the first single off of his debut solo album The Carnival, and Rumble in the Jungle, also featuring Busta Rhymes and A Tribe Called Quest.
The Brooklyn-born released his solo debut album titled Poly Sci, which featured vocals from DMX, Fat Joe and Fugees member Pras.
Forté is survived by his wife, the photographer Lara Fuller, and two children.