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  • Yasir Sultan Shines with Bronze at Asian Throwing Championship

    Yasir Sultan Shines with Bronze at Asian Throwing Championship

    Arshad Nadeem’s injury hasn’t stopped Pakistan from earning another medal in javelin, with Yasir Sultan clinching bronze at the Asian Throwing Championships in South Korea with his best performance of the season.

    The 27-year-old, Pakistan’s sole representative at the event, delivered a clutch performance when it mattered most. On his sixth and final attempt, Sultan hurled the javelin 77.43 metres—a season-best effort that secured him a place on the podium ahead of China’s Zhu Kai Zhu. His earlier throws included 75.79m, 72.57m, and 72.88m, while two attempts were declared foul.

    Sri Lanka’s Pathirage Rumesh Tharanga took gold with an impressive 82.05m, while Japan’s Gen Naganuma won silver with a 78.60m effort, underlining the stiff competition at the event.

    2025 has been a breakout year for Yasir who has firmly established himself as one the country’s premier athletes.

    Yasir Sultan’s achievement comes at a time when Pakistan’s athletics community eagerly awaits the return of Arshad Nadeem, the country’s Olympic hero. Nadeem, who captured global attention last year with his historic gold medal at the Paris Olympics, is currently recovering from calf muscle surgery in Cambridge. Although he has resumed light training, he will miss the upcoming Diamond League events in Poland (August 16) and Switzerland (August 27) as part of his rehabilitation.

    Yasir Sultan’s bronze in South Korea is another encouraging sign that Pakistan’s javelin scene is no longer reliant on a single star. With the right support and infrastructure, athletes like him can ensure Pakistan continues to feature prominently in world athletics.


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  • The Role Graphene Can Play in Brain Organoid Growth

    The Role Graphene Can Play in Brain Organoid Growth

    Original story from the University of California – San Diego (CA, USA).

    A safe, non-genetic method for expediting brain organoid growth aids disease research and prosthesis development.

    Researchers from University of California San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute (CA, USA) have collaborated with scientists at NeurANO Bioscience and Nanotools Bioscience (all CA, USA) to develop and utilize a novel method to stimulate and mature human brain organoids using graphene, a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon. The study introduces Graphene-Mediated Optical Stimulation (GraMOS), a safe, non-genetic, biocompatible, non-damaging way to influence neural activity over days to weeks. The approach accelerates brain organoid development – especially important for modeling age-related conditions like Alzheimer’s disease – and even allows them to control robotic devices in real time.

    “This is a game-changer for brain research,” commented co-corresponding author Alysson Muotri. “We can now speed up brain organoid maturation without altering their genetic code, opening doors for disease research, brain–machine interfaces and other systems combining living brain cells with technology.”

    A smarter way to grow the brain in a dish

    Brain organoids – three-dimensional, stem cell-derived models of the human brain – are valuable for studying neurological diseases, but they usually mature slowly, limiting their usefulness for conditions that develop over decades. Until now, stimulation methods either required genetic modification (optogenetics) or direct electrical currents, which can damage fragile neurons.

    GraMOS works by using graphene’s unique optoelectronic properties to convert light into gentle electrical cues that encourage neurons to connect and communicate. This stimulation mimics the environmental input real brains receive, driving development without invasive techniques.

    “Using graphene and light, we were able to nudge the neurons to form connections and mature more rapidly, without traditional optogenetic tools,” explained Elena Molokanova, co-corresponding author and chief executive officer and inventor of GraMOS technology at NeurANO Bioscience. “It’s like giving them a gentle push to grow up faster – essential for studying age-related diseases in a dish.”

    Key study findings include:

    • Faster development: Regular use of GraMOS helped brain organoids form stronger connections, better organized networks and more advanced communication between neurons – even in models made from Alzheimer’s patients.
    • Safe and biocompatible: Graphene did not harm neurons or organoid structure, even over long periods.
    • Enhanced disease modeling: Early-stage Alzheimer’s organoids revealed functional differences in network connectivity and excitability when stimulated.
    • Robotic integration: Graphene-stimulated organoids were linked to a simple robot in a closed feedback loop, enabling it to respond to visual cues.

    Liver cells self-organize to form vascularized liver organoid

    A novel 3D cell culture method has been developed that encourages liver progenitor cells to self-organize and form blood vessel networks for the first time.

    From the lab to Alzheimer’s research and beyond

    Because stimulation accelerates neural maturation, researchers can study disease progression sooner and in a more physiologically relevant context. This could improve drug testing timelines and provide new insight into how diseases like Alzheimer’s alter brain circuitry.

    “Our technology bridges a critical gap in organoid research,” said Alex Savchenko, co-senior author and chief executive officer of Nanotools Bioscience. “It offers a reliable, repeatable way to activate neurons, which can transform both fundamental neuroscience and translational studies.”

    Brain meets machine

    Brain organoids interfaced with graphene become responsive to their environment and can change their neuronal networks in response to light. This acquired neuroplasticity offers a huge advantage over computer chips in future AI applications by improving the ability of AI systems to solve complex, unforeseen problems and offering greater fault tolerance and reliability in critical applications.

    In a striking proof-of-concept, the team connected graphene-interfaced brain organoids to a robotic system equipped with sensors. When the robot detected an obstacle, it sent a signal to stimulate the organoid, which then generated a neural pattern triggering the robot to change course – completing the loop in under 50 milliseconds.

    While still far from conscious machines, this integration hints at future neuro-biohybrid systems where living neural tissue and robotics work together for advanced prosthetics, adaptive interfaces or even new forms of computation.

    This study is a major step toward unlocking the potential of graphene in neuroscience, nanotechnology and neuroengineering. The technology could lead to new ways of connecting increasingly complex brain-like tissues to each other – and even to the brain itself. The ability to control and accelerate brain organoid development opens the door to using them as powerful models for testing therapies for neurodegenerative and developmental brain disorders, where damaged connections can disrupt the brain’s ability to process and respond to information.

    Beyond disease research, the approach could be adapted for tissue engineering, offering a noninvasive, precise way to stimulate other types of lab-grown tissues. And by linking living neural networks to machines, researchers may discover how the brain’s adaptability and learning could enhance computers and robotics – with possible future applications in AI.

    “This is only the beginning,” said Muotri. “The combination of graphene’s versatility and brain organoid biology could redefine what’s possible in neuroscience, from understanding the brain to creating entirely new technological paradigms.”

    This article has been republished from the following materials. Material may have been edited for length and house style. For further information, please contact the cited source. Our press release publishing policy can be accessed here.

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  • Camila Cabello’s onstage wardrobe mishap sends her in panic mode

    Camila Cabello’s onstage wardrobe mishap sends her in panic mode

    Camila Cabello sent in panic mode as corset pops open onstage

    Camila Cabello is the recent celebrity to encounter an onstage wardrobe malfunction.

    The Senorita singer, 28, was performing in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on August 14 when her corset popped open.

    A fan-captured video has been circulating on TikTok, showing the Fifth Harmony alum holding on to her corset when it came undone.

    Despite briefly entering panic mode, Cabello kept her composure, pressing her arms tightly to her sides until a crew member rushed in to secure the corset as she moved closer to the crowd.

    Once fixed, the pop star playfully pointed to her back, reassuring fans that she was back on track.

    “Kaohsiung!!!!!! what a way to start the asia leg of the yours, c tour!! i love you and thank you i love you and thank you i love you and thank you!!!!!!!! Forever,” she wrote on social media after the show.

    Later, she addressed the slip on Instagram Stories, posting a selfie in the outfit with the caption:

    “My corset fully popped open during that therefore the panic during ‘Chanel No. 5’ but that was fun love you so much.”

    Her custom corset was designed by Heather Picchiottino (@allthreeheathers), the stylist behind stage looks for Olivia Rodrigo and Katy Perry—both of whom have also dealt with recent wardrobe mishaps.

    Cabello’s video comes amid a wave of onstage wardrobe mishaps faced by musicians since 2024, including Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Tate McRae, Doja Cat, Taylor Swift, and Nicki Minaj.

    McRae lost her shoe twice during separate shows in Edmonton while Lopez’s skirt fell off mid-performance earlier this year.

    In 2024, Doja Cat ripped her bodysuit at Coachella, Swift’s gown tore during her Eras Tour; and Nicki Minaj’s bustier strap snapped at a festival set.


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  • Blue plaque for reggae pioneer ‘Daddy Vego’ Barrington Von Adams

    Blue plaque for reggae pioneer ‘Daddy Vego’ Barrington Von Adams

    One of London’s reggae pioneers is due to receive a blue heritage plaque ahead of this weekend’s Notting Hill Carnival.

    Barrington Von Adams, better known as Daddy Vego, founded his People’s Sound System and People’s Sound Record Shop in Notting Hill after arriving in the UK from Jamaica in 1956.

    After playing for seven years at the Roaring Twenties Club in London’s West End, he became a central force in the country’s emerging reggae scene.

    The plaque is being awarded by the Nubian Jak Community Trust which says it is “the only commemorative plaque and sculpture scheme focused on memorialising the historic contributions of black and minority ethnic people in Britain and beyond”.

    The west London shop set up by Mr Von Adams, who died in 2016 aged 74, is now run by family and friends.

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  • Red Bull’s best and worst moments from 2025 so far and driver head-to-heads

    Red Bull’s best and worst moments from 2025 so far and driver head-to-heads

    Following one of the most dominant seasons of all time in 2023, and a stellar start to 2024 that set up Max Verstappen for a fourth consecutive Drivers’ title, it’s hard to comprehend where Red Bull find themselves – fourth in the 2025 Teams’ Standings and a whopping 365 points behind leaders McLaren. While the team still have Verstappen’s magic in their armoury, car performance hasn’t been consistent and reliable point scoring from the second seat remains absent. With Red Bull also making the call in July to promote Laurent Mekies into the role of Team Principal in place of long-time boss Christian Horner, there’s plenty of change afoot at the Milton Keynes operation. Here is their half term report for 2025…

    Best finish

    Max Verstappen – 1st in Japan and Emilia-Romagna

    If ever you needed visual evidence that Verstappen was still performing at the top of his game in 2025, then look no further than his victories in Japan and Imola.

    The former result came about following a truly special pole lap in Qualifying that stunned both the paddock and Verstappen himself. His 1m 26.983s effort was the fastest lap in Suzuka history and sparked debate as to whether it was the best pole lap of his entire F1 career – it was that good. That set him up for a stellar Sunday performance as he went on to take Grand Prix victory ahead of the McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

    In Imola we got to witness even more ‘Max magic’. Starting second on the grid, Verstappen executed a truly sublime pass on Piastri through the Tamburello chicane on the opening lap before going on to seal his second Grand Prix victory of the season.

    Without a doubt, Verstappen is still operating at the levels of a champion even if Red Bull’s performance dip has stopped him adding even more to his Grand Prix victory tally.

    Qualifying head-to-head

    Verstappen 12-0 Tsunoda
    Verstappen 2-0 Lawson

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the trouble Red Bull have had with their second seat, Verstappen has dominated the Qualifying head-to-head statistics against both Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson, with the New Zealander dropped back down to Racing Bulls after the first two rounds of the season.

    It continues a trend that has existed long before this current campaign. Sergio Perez was outqualified by Verstappen 20-2 in 2023, and was also on the wrong side of the 2024 head-to-head 23-1.

    While Tsunoda has displayed some signs of progress in the run up to the summer break, his best Qualifying result in 2025 remains his P5 in Australia – when he was a Racing Bulls driver.

    His best Qualifying finish with the senior team was his P7 in Belgium, but the subsequent “miscommunication” on race day left him unable to score points in a Grand Prix where he had the potential to do so.

    Race head-to-head

    Verstappen 11-1 Tsunoda
    Verstappen 2-0 Lawson

    The Verstappen domination continues in the race head-to-heads too, with Tsunoda only coming out on top once – after the four-time World Champion had to retire from the Austrian Grand Prix following a collision with Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli on the first lap. Tsunoda went on to finish a lowly 16th in Spielberg, which marked a desperately disappointing day for Red Bull at their home race.

    However, to further demonstrate the gulf between Verstappen and his team mate, you only need to look at the Drivers’ Standings. Verstappen sits third with 187 points while Tsunoda lies down in 18th with 10 points (three of which were scored when he was a Racing Bulls driver).

    For Verstappen’s former team mate Lawson, he now lies 15th in the standings with 20 points – all scored following his return to the sister team after China.

    Best moment

    Verstappen’s pass on Piastri in Imola is certainly a worthy moment to note, but we’re going to go for his victory in Japan.

    It was the perfect weekend for the Red Bull man, with his stonking Saturday pole lap setting up his run to victory on the Sunday. It also cemented him as a candidate at the head of the Drivers’ Championship alongside the McLaren duo, even if that gap has widened in recent weeks as Red Bull struggle to get the maximum out of their package.

    Worst moment

    The Hungarian Grand Prix before the August break was a challenge for everyone at Red Bull, with Verstappen only able to finish ninth while Tsunoda came home in 17th, but the team’s Austrian Grand Prix trumps it.

    As home events go, this year’s race in Spielberg could hardly have gone any worse. Verstappen was punted out into retirement in his aforementioned collision with Antonelli, while Tsunoda trailed home as last of the runners amid four DNFs across the grid that day.

    That point-less round intensified the scrutiny on Red Bull’s drop off in performance, and illustrated what could happen without Verstappen’s magic behind the wheel.

    Going forward

    After 20 years with Horner at the helm, Red Bull’s new era with Mekies as CEO and Team Principal is still in its infancy. But, while the former Racing Bulls boss beds in, much of the squad’s to-do list remains the same.

    One item can at least be ticked off – securing Verstappen for the immediate future. Much was said about Mercedes boss Toto Wolff’s interest in the Dutchman over the last couple of months – rumours that were heightened when George Russell suggested that the Silver Arrows had been having “conversations” with the World Champion – but Verstappen put those to bed in Hungary when he confirmed he was staying.

    Attention now turns to the two other pressing items on the agenda; rediscovering performance with 2026 on the horizon and sorting out the second seat.

    Tsunoda is the latest driver to struggle alongside Verstappen, though it appears the Japanese driver will have until the end of 2025 to prove he deserves another shot, but his results are indicative of a wider problem. For whatever reason, unless you’re a certain four-time World Champion, drivers are struggling to deliver with the Red Bull car – and you can’t win a Teams’ title without two cars scoring.

    While there was a hint of progress for Tsunoda in the run up to the August break, the team’s efforts for the rest of the year need to be geared towards helping him improve further – otherwise there could be another addition to the club that already includes Lawson, Perez, Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly.

    More generally, Red Bull need to get back to fighting for wins and titles. It’s where the team expect to be and nothing short of that will do.

    Mekies acknowledged as much when speaking exclusively to F1.com last month, saying: “There is only one desire at Red Bull. And it goes from the board to anybody at Red Bull F1. They are here to fight for the wins, to fight for the championships.”

    Time will tell as to what Red Bull’s rebuild can deliver…

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  • CSP WEEKLY UPDATES (August 16-22, 2025)

    Ø  SBP Weekly Data Report
    http://www.sbp.org.pk/ecodata/index2.asp

    Ø  Pakistan’s GDP growth to reach 3.5% by 2027: Fitch

    https://www.geo.tv/latest/619353-pakistans-gdp-growth-to-reach-35-by-2027-fitch

    Ø  Govt’s plan to settle Rs1,257bn debt hits snag as Chinese IPPs ‘unwilling’ to waive LPS

    https://www.geo.tv/latest/619585-govts-plan-to-settle-rs1257bn-debt-hits-snag-as-chinese-ipps-unwilling-to-waive-lps

    Ø  AGP uncovers Rs375tr ‘irregularities’ in federal finances

    https://www.dawn.com/news/1933514/agp-uncovers-rs375tr-irregularities-in-federal-finances

    Ø  Micro enterprises drive Pakistan’s economy

    https://www.dawn.com/news/1933219/micro-enterprises-drive-pakistans-economy

    Ø  Telecos under scrutiny for mismanagement

    https://www.dawn.com/news/1932169/telecos-under-scrutiny-for-mismanagement

    Ø  CORPORATE WINDOW: What’s holding Pakistan’s SMEs back?

    https://www.dawn.com/news/1931611/corporate-window-whats-holding-pakistans-smes-back

    Ø  Misconceptions about domestic growth

    https://www.dawn.com/news/1931523/misconceptions-about-domestic-growth

    Ø  ADB to provide $410m package for Reko Diq mine

    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2562528/adb-to-provide-410m-package-for-reko-diq-mine

    Ø  ‘More mosques than factories’

    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2562526/more-mosques-than-factories

    Ø  Moody’s upgrades deposit ratings of Pak banks

    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2562157/moodys-upgrades-deposit-ratings-of-pak-banks

    Ø  IMF seeks changes to SBP Act

    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2561969/imf-seeks-changes-to-sbp-act

    Ø  Has Quaid’s economic vision been ignored?

    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2561863/has-quaids-economic-vision-been-ignored

    Ø  Rethinking our industrial strategy

    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2561861/rethinking-our-industrial-strategy

    Ø  Centre plans to trim provinces’ NFC share

    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2562522/centre-plans-to-trim-provinces-nfc-share

    Ø  Oil rises 1% on stalled Russia-Ukraine peace talks, strong US demand

    https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/oil-rises-1-stalled-russia-ukraine-peace-talks-strong-us-demand-2025-08-21/

    Ø  Urban flooding in Karachi is neglect, not climate change

    https://www.brecorder.com/news/40379094/urban-flooding-in-karachi-is-neglect-not-climate-change

    Ø  Battling climate change

    https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1337645-battling-climate-change

    Ø  To close the climate finance gap, let vulnerable nations use carbon markets

    https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/8/20/to-close-the-climate-finance-gap-let-vulnerable-nations-use-carbon-markets

    Ø  Climate change can potentially exacerbate militancy in Pakistan’s conflict-hit areas

    https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2612586

    Ø  Islamic Relief: Pakistan floods driven by climate change 

    https://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/islamic-relief-pakistan-floods-driven-by-climate-change/

    Ø  The rot in the Ravi

    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2561723/the-rot-in-the-ravi

    Ø  Green initiatives set to draw investment

    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2562330/green-initiatives-set-to-draw-investment

    Ø  Corporate farming — a troubling new era on the rise

    https://www.dawn.com/news/1931518/corporate-farming-a-troubling-new-era-on-the-rise

    Ø  Public not satisfied with NDMA performance: audit

    https://www.dawn.com/news/1933430/public-not-satisfied-with-ndma-performance-audit

    Ø  Agriculture: Reviving and developing the livestock sector

    https://www.dawn.com/news/1931519/agriculture-reviving-and-developing-the-livestock-sector

    Ø  A sobering climate shock

    https://www.dawn.com/news/1931601/a-sobering-climate-shock

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  • Starlink satellite emissions interfere with radio astronomy – Physics World

    Starlink satellite emissions interfere with radio astronomy – Physics World






    Starlink satellite emissions interfere with radio astronomy – Physics World


















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  • Scientists detect first-ever supernova caused by black hole

    Scientists detect first-ever supernova caused by black hole

    Astronomers have observed the calamitous result of a star that picked the wrong dance partner. They have documented what appears to be a new type of supernova, as stellar explosions are known, that occurred when a massive star tried to swallow a black hole with which it had engaged in a lengthy pas de deux.

    The star, which was at least 10 times as massive as our sun, and the black hole, which had a similar mass, were gravitationally bound to one another in what is called a binary system. But as the distance separating them gradually narrowed, the black hole’s immense gravitational pull appears to have distorted the star – stretching it out from its spherical shape – and siphoned off material before causing it to explode.

    “We caught a massive star locked in a fatal tango with a black hole,” said astrophysicist Alexander Gagliano of the US National Science Foundation’s Institute for AI and Fundamental Interactions, located at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, lead author of the study published this week in the Astrophysical Journal.

    “After shedding mass for years in a death spiral with the black hole, the massive star met its finale by exploding. It released more energy in a second than the sun has across its entire lifetime,” Gagliano added.

    The explosion occurred about 700 million light-years from Earth. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).

    “The gravitational pulls of the two objects were actually similar because we think they had similar masses. But the star was much larger, so it was in the process of engulfing the black hole as the black hole pulled material off of it. The star was large but puffy, and the black hole was small but mighty. The black hole won out in the end,” Gagliano said.

    The researchers are not certain of the exact mechanism that caused the supernova.

    “It’s unclear if the distortion triggers an instability that drives the collapse of the star, and then the leftover stellar material gets rapidly eaten by the black hole, or if the black hole completely pulls the star apart before it goes supernova,” said Harvard University astrophysicist and study co-author Ashley Villar.

    “The star has been pulled and morphed by the black hole in complex ways,” Villar added.

    The binary system started out with two massive stars orbiting each other as cosmic companions. But one of the two stars reached the end of its natural life cycle and exploded in a supernova, and its core collapsed to form a black hole, an extraordinarily dense object with gravity so strong that not even light can escape.

    “This event reveals that some supernovae can be triggered by black hole companions, giving us new insights into how some stars end their lives,” Villar said.

    Stars that are at least eight times as massive as the sun appear destined to end their lives with a supernova. Those with a mass at least 20 times that of the sun will form a black hole after the explosion.

    An artificial intelligence algorithm designed to scan for unusual explosions in the cosmos in real time first detected the beginnings of the explosion, providing an alert that enabled astronomers to carry out follow-up observations immediately. By the time the explosion was completed, it had been observed by numerous ground-based and space-based telescopes.

    “Our AI algorithm allowed us to launch a comprehensive observational study early enough to really see the full picture for the first time,” Gagliano said.

    Observations of the star dating to four years before the supernova revealed bright emissions that the astronomers believe were caused when the black hole guzzled material sucked off the star. For instance, the star’s outer hydrogen layer appears to have been ripped off, exposing the helium layer below.

    The researchers observed bright emissions in the explosion’s aftermath as the black hole consumed leftover stellar debris. In the end, the black hole became more massive and more powerful.

    Systems grouping two or more companions are quite common. Some of these multiples have a black hole as one of the companions.

    “Our takeaway is that the fates of stars are incredibly impacted by their companion – or companions – in life. This event gives us an exciting window into how dramatically black holes can impact the deaths of massive stars,” Gagliano said.

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  • The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will visit Japan – The Royal Family

    1. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will visit Japan  The Royal Family
    2. Prince Edward to hand down King’s colours to PNGDF’s infantry regiment  The National | Your Number One Daily!
    3. Purpose over pageantry: How Sophie has become the Crown’s most effective diplomat  Royal Central
    4. King Charles gives crucial task to Edward, Sophie as William, Kate step back  The News International
    5. Two major royals set to travel abroad as palace issues statement  Daily Express

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  • PM inaugurates first-ever business facilitation centre

    PM inaugurates first-ever business facilitation centre

    ISLAMABAD  –  Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday inaugurated the first-ever Business Facilita-tion Centre (BFC) here with a vision to promote ease of doing business and attract in-vestment in Pakistan by providing a one-stop solution to investors and entrepreneurs. 

    Established by the Board of Investment, the BFC will facilitate the business community by providing a wide range of services, including guidance on regulatory requirements and facilitating business registration, licensing, and permits. 

    It will serve as a one-stop service, reducing hurdles and facilitating efficient interaction be-tween businesses and government entities.

    The prime minister, who was briefed on the center’s functioning, including the investors’ guidance, application for special economic zones, licensing and payments procedures with drastically reduced timelines, also unveiled the plaque of the project, vowing to repli-cate it across the country if it fulfills the desired objectives. 

    He thanked the Minister for Board of Investment Qiaser Ahmed Sheikh, Secretary BOI, and their team for establishing the country’s first-ever facilitation center and particularly for recruiting a highly talented and competent workforce who were engaged in dealing with customers as the prime minister spoke to the gathering.

    The prime minister urged all the relevant departments to efficiently run the center to make it a success by facilitating and guiding the investors or people from other sectors, just like other countries.

    “Otherwise, this will be nothing more than brick and mortar. That is not my vision… We should welcome customers with a smiling face combined with genuine support without any delay, not even for a second,” he advised.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz called for making the facilitation center attractive and popular in other countries and establishing it as a model, paving the way for its replication in other parts of the country.

    In his remarks, BOI Minister Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh called the establishment of the center a breakthrough in investment facilitation.

    He said that earlier, the investors had to visit various departments to accomplish the re-quired procedures for setting up their businesses; however, the BFC will reduce this has-sle, besides remarkably reducing the timelines.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz, who also visited different desks of the facilitation center, was told that the investors would be able to submit their applications for setting up special econom-ic zones or other projects at the center, by answering different queries such as the nature of the business, loan and equity structure, target market, export potential, expected em-ployment generation, and utility requirements. 

    The system will reflect all attached documents as well as an activity log, besides enabling the applicant to track their application, who will also be timely informed about any short-comings on their part. Federal Ministers Attaullah Tarar, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Ahad Cheema and Dr Musadik Malik, and senior government officers also attended the event.

    Also, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reached out to the leaders of different political parties and assured them of the cooperation and support of the federal govern-ment and its institutions to handle the situation caused by the heavy monsoon rains and consequent floods. The prime minister telephoned Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bi-lawal Bhutto Zardari and expressed grief over the loss of lives caused by the torrential rains and urban flooding in Southern Sindh, particularly Karachi. He offered full support from the federal government to assist the Sindh government in addressing the emergency situation.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz directed the National Disaster Management Authority Chairman to stay in close coordination with the Sindh government, provide all possible assistance to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, and ensure the early warnings to the peo-ple about potential risks.

    The prime minister also spoke with Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman and Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.

    Discussing with the Jamaat-e-Islami chief the damages caused by recent rains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and ongoing relief activities, Prime Minister Shehbaz appreciated Al-Khidmat Foundation’s proactive role in rescue and relief operations.

    He also discussed with Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui the recent rains and flood situation in Sindh, as well as potential risks from expected rainfall, assuring full cooperation from NDMA and other federal institutions to address any emergency situation.


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