Bollywood king Shah Rukh Khan’s love for cricket is well known and well documented around the world. King Khan is often seen in the stadium supporting his team, usually in the company of his youngest son, AbRam Khan.
Recently, the Bollywood star praised the Pakistan-born Australian cricketer, Fawad Ahmed for his exceptional performance during Caribbean Premier League.
Due to his outstanding performance, Trinbago Knight Riders lifted the second title of Caribbean Premier League which took place on Sunday.
The cricketer took to his twitter account and acknowledged the love and support of his family and fans. He wrote:
That’s why u play. Thanks allot to all my family, Friends and Fans all over the world for the Amazing support, prayers & Wishes. Congratulations to all the TKR Family.
Fawad Ahmed made his debut to CPL this season and was the leading wicket-taker as well. His performance devastated St Kitts & Nevis Patriots chase to put defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders back in the CPL final with a 20-run win at the Brian Lara Stadium.
Have something to add to the story? Let us know in the comments section below.
For more updates and details, stay tuned to Brandsynario.
In the world of media and advertising, one of the hardest tasks is to create content for children! They need to be hooked on to engaging content or they lose interest immediately. They are also brutally honest when it comes to their likes and dislikes.
When it comes to ads, a child will switch the channel or be least interested if the advert does not have all the elements needed to create an engaging commercial. Music, vibrant colours, artistic designs and cartoons, is what captivates and engages them on-screen.
One brand that has successfully broken the barrier between themselves and their target audience is Peek Freans RIO. The cream-filled biscuit sandwich is the most popular biscuit across Pakistan.
Munching on a New Concept
By consecutively producing successful campaigns and connecting to their mass audience, there was still a missing piece of the puzzle. To fill in the gap, the brand rolled out an out-of-the-box campaign with the introduction of the “Obos“.
Obos are fictional characters created by the brand team to relate to children and provide the emotional bonding with the product. Keeping the characteristics of their audience in mind, each Obo was given a unique personality.
Obos are very playful, full of mischief, creative, enjoy pulling pranks, and most of all, will do anything for their favourite snack, Peek Freans RIO! Whether it be climbing up the mountain or going on a safari hunt in the tropical forest, even the desert cannot stop them from getting their hands on the yummy biscuits.
Painting Social Media Blue
In order to create pre-hype on social media for their latest work, the brand rolled out a small clip titled, ‘The Curious Case of the Missing RIOs’.
The brand creatively used many different components to intrigue their audience. From creating massive hype on social media by the inclusion creativity and of course, the element of mystery and surprise.
To build more hype and create even more curiosity amongst the audience, the brand gave a sneak peek of what is in store for them!
Voila! The Obos were then introduced to the world. Soon, Peek Freans RIO rolled out their first commercial with these little creatures and a magical world of creativity and imagination where the Obos can do anything for the snack.
Brand’s Creativity + Children’s Curiosity = Formula for Success!
Not only did EBM stir away from the cliched campaign ideas, they created a new platform and a new world of fun. Keeping the same objective, yet narrating it through various stories, that RIO is irresistible to young and adult alike!
The campaign reflects all the elements the brand stands for, fun, the perfect snack, enjoyable, shareable, and more. Time and time again the brand has proved to be indeed children’s favourite be it their product or ads.
The Pakistani Academy Selection Committee, chaired by two-time Academy Award and Emmy winning documentary filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, has selected “CAKE” to be submitted for Oscar consideration in the ‘Foreign Language Film Award’ category at the 91st Academy Awards.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will choose the final nominees for all award categories including Best Foreign Language Film in January 2019. The complete and final list of Oscar nominees will be announced on 22nd January 2019 with the presentation show for the 91st Academy Awards scheduled to take place on 24th February 2019.
Set in one of the world’s biggest metropolitan city, Karachi. “CAKE” follows the lives of two sisters, one of whom lives abroad and the other is ‘left’ behind. Burdened with guilt and resentments, the sisters confront old secrets and realize that sometimes the only way for a family to move on, is by finding a way back. At its core, “CAKE” is a film about the passage of time seen through the eyes of one family and offers a heartfelt look at the realities of life, of past and present, of choices and consequences. The film stars leading Pakistani actors, Sanam Saeed, Aamina Sheikh and Adnan Malik in pivotal roles and is the debut feature for writer/director Asim Abbasi. It is produced by Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari.
The committee is chaired by two-time Academy Award and Emmy winning documentary filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and includes Kamila Shamshi [Novelist], Saira Kazmi [Actress and Director}, HM Naqvi [Novelist], Hadiqa Kiani [singer, song writer, and philanthropist], Ali Sethi [Singer and writer]. Zoe Viccaji [Singer, Song-writer, and musical actress], Nadeem Farooq Paracha [Journalist, author, and cultural critic], Nabila Maqsood [Haistylist and entrepreneur], Khalid Malik [Actor and Radio Jockey] and Faisal Qureishi [Actor].
Speaking about the selection of ‘CAKE’:
Asim Abbasi [Writer/Director – CAKE]:
“I am extremely honoured to have ‘CAKE’representing Pakistan this year, and grateful to the selection committee for considering it worthy. My deepest gratitude for my ‘CAKE’ family, who worked so hard and with so much belief to bring this film to the audiences. 2018 is proving to be a great year for Pakistani Cinema. May it continue to grow and may we always find the courage and the vision to tell our stories our own way.”
Hadiqa Kiani [Committee Member]
“Brilliantly showcasing the importance of responsible parenting and communication, ‘CAKE’shows viewers that Pakistani films possess quality and substance. Every actor was immersed in his/her role, each shot was taken beautifully and the viewer never loses sight of the film’s themes and message. ‘CAKE’ sets the bar for Pakistani films in 2018.”
Kamila Shamsie [Committee Member]
“Beautifully filmed, acted and written, ‘‘CAKE’ is both layered and affecting – and it’s even better on second viewing.”
Saira Kazmi [Committee Member]
“‘CAKE’ explores the depth & and complexity of human relationships.”
Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue, and Economic Affairs Asad Umar presented a mini-budget 2018-19 on Tuesday in the National Assembly that will be a game-changer for the ongoing financial year.
Shahid Afridi is often in the news for his controversial yet hilarious antics!
Social media is still not over Boom Boom’s ‘naswar-eating’ video that went viral like wildfire. However, what was funnier than the clip was the cricketer’s response to the whole drama.
Now yet another video of Lala is trending on social media in which he is spotted working out with the movie and drama actress, Sana Fakhar.
Well, who knew the Lollywood diva is his gym buddy?
Seems like Sana was filming her gym routine for her fans and was instructing them about the exercises.
And Lala, being the funnyman he is, trolled Sana by video-bombing her workout!
Yeh Sub Ghalat Bata Rahi Hain
The actress, amused at his hilarious jibe, trolled him back!
Yeh Real Superhero hain. Yeh kuch bhi keh saktay hain
Watch the complete video here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAzlBWGv0cs
Sana Fakhar is quite a gym freak and often shares her fitness routines with her fans on social media. She seems to be on a mission to reset body goals and inspire Pakistani women out there who love to sweat into good shape.
Apple revealed not one or two but three new iPhones this past week worldwide. Several Apple fans are eager to get their hands on the new Apple iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.
However, we would advise you to do your homework before you drill a hole in your pocket. You can now purchase these new iPhone in Pakistan from reliable retailers at reasonable prices.
iPhone XS Price in Pakistan
iPhone XS’s lowest available price in Pakistan is Rs 1,74,999.
There are websites offering the iPhone XS, which is the successor to iPhone X in the market for up to Rs 2,90,999, which is an unacceptable price.
iPhone XS Max Price in Pakistan
iPhone XS Max’s lowest available price in Pakistan is Rs 1,89,999.
The ‘Max’ edition of the XS is being offered to Pakistanis at a ridiculous price of Rs 2,50,999 by some sellers.
The iPhone XR’s lowest price-tag in Pakistan is fixed at Rs 1,29,999.
The Apple iPhone XR comes with the same bezel-less notch-full design of the iPhone X but with slightly thicker bezels. It is similar to its predecessors iPhone 8 and iPhone X and can be found being sold at a sky-high price for up to Rs 1,70,999, which is Rs 50,000 more than its actual price.
Make sure you have compared rates by all the websites which are selling iPhones and have ensured that these are authentic retailers.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.
It’s not about the number of likes or followers; Instagram is about expression, art, and creativity.
As its algorithm continues to change, it’s very important to post high-quality, creative content.
The app’s built-in editing features and filters are great but there are some third-party apps that will take your Instagram game to next level.
Of course, we can’t guarantee that, but we have put together these resources to give you a leg up on your content-creating game.
1. Giphy Cam
jmhhacker.com
PRICE: Free on iOS and Android
Usually, we see professional photographers promoting their work on Instagram but your posts don’t necessarily have to be serious or somber always. They can be cool and weird too and to help discover your crazy, creative genius inside, Giphy Cam app is there to help you.
Giphy Cam is the perfect app to create your goofy Insta posts. There are many other GIF creation apps, but this one stands out by letting you add pre-built GIFs on top of your captured GIF images.
2. Layout
TechSpective
PRICE: Free on iOS and Android
This photo-collage tool developed by Instagram is one of the bests ever. The layout is a genius photo mixer that lets you put together up to 9 photos in different combinations to form a collage.
You can shoot the photos or pick them up from your gallery. Add filters, adjust the dimensions and BOOM….your collage is good to go on Instagram.
3. SquareSized
Typeform
PRICE: Free on iOS
If you are one of those out of the box thinkers then this app is definitely for you. Instagram restricts you to put your post in a square, SquareSized helps you to do the exact opposite of it.
This genius photo-resizing app allows users to have borders they can wrap around their photos, giving them various shapes. Also, add uniqueness to your posts by using a variety of filters, fonts, and backgrounds, and your post is Instagram ready.
4. Priime
My Two Cents – Ken Yeung
PRICE: $3.99 on iOS
Priime is not just another photo-editing tool, it’s a smart app that gives a high-end, professional touch to your pictures. This amazing app adds perfect colors with a maximum resolution to your saved photos. The cherry on top? It also edits Live photos which means all the effects can be applied to the moving portion of a live picture too.
5. Quik by GoPro
Android Community
PRICE: Free on iOS
Quik by GoPro is an amazing app that makes video editing faster and easier for you. This video-design tool is designed to work with footage shot on different devices.
Quik analyzes videos, select the best ones and come up with something so compelling, you can’t help but share it on Instagram.
6. Crop Video Square Editor
AppAdvice
PRICE: Free on iOS
With Crop Video Square Editor, you can share with your followers exactly what you want them to see; nothing more, nothing less. You have total control over the position, size and background color of your videos. All you need to do is to pinch in and out to adjust the frame.
7. Captiona
AppAdvice
PRICE: Free on iOS
You are out with captions? Can’t think of anything good. Don’t Worry, Captiona has got you covered. Just search a keyword and the app will bring up a dozen quotes and lyrics to complement your post. Just copy and paste it and your post is Instagram ready.
8. WhenToPost
PRICE: Free on iOS
iTunes – Apple
This fantastic app is very useful for brands to promote their work on Instagram. WhenToPost tells the users when most of their followers will be using the app. It helps you pinpoint the best time to post so that the maximum number of people can view your post.
These were a few apps that can definitely make your Insta game strong. If you have any others to add, so let us know with your comments.
The style statement of a person is what makes him or her signature. Whether it be the latest trends in the modernized fashion world or your own swivel on an old trend, style matters!
A good majority of us look up to contemporary fashion gurus to help us get a more chic vibe, yet we stumble over the basics of the world of bravura. Being a true fashionista means that you know what the basics of design are each season. Let’s take you on a journey of trends this season.
Colour Palette Matters
If you think colours are yet ‘another’ aspect of chic clothing, you immediately need to begin rethinking fashion. Aesthetics are the epitome of fashion. If you look at the gradient design and striking Sunrise Red and Twilight Blue colours of OPPO F9, you get a grasp of the right colour combos. The gradients on the F9 are gracefully developed and are exactly what designers are looking at these days.
Take this fashion sense to the world of style icons now. Ali Xeeshan—a famous designer—recently released his OPPOF9-inspired collection that blends black, red and blue with the already appealing floral patterns to offer you a dress that has the ‘wow’ factor engraved in it. The point is, don’t just pick a colour, put thought into what part of the palette complements your style statement the best.
Structured Silhouettes
The trend of silhouettes rose wildly back in the 80! It packs the bold look matched with the right blend of elegance to elevate your beauty. That trend has been revived and found itself back into the world of fashion almost four decades later, in the form of Ali Xeeshan’s collection “Inspire”.
If you’re on a trendy call for that party at the end of the week, steal the show with the 80s style structured silhouette mastered by Ali’s new collection. “Inspire” adds the right touch of contemporary fashion to make the dresses boast an exclusive class. In short, wear structured silhouettes: they’re back in fashion.
The Cozy Corners
If cosy-wear is your thing, you’re in luck too! Because that’s yet another trend back on: wearing large puffy shoulders that boost confidence, offer comfort, and pose fashion! Yet again, they’re a feature in Ali Xeeshan’s OPPO-inspired collection.
For women who want to stay on the trending side of 2018, it’s about time you add those puffy shoulders to your next attire. This style statement has been on and off for the past few decades, and it’s back on this year. Make the most of it and be a fashion icon for those around you!
Accessorize and Capture
A chic attire is not enough to make you a true fashionista! You need to accessorize yourself with elements that compliment your overall look. If you’re rooting for a fancy-wear, carry a clutch, not a bag, and wear heels, not flats. Goggles will further let you speak fashion with authority.
Now, you’re ready to make your mark in the world of fashion, when you’re ready to take over that event when you’re ready to steal the show. But if all of it isn’t posted online, did it even happen?
We say no.
You don’t just dress-up and speak fashion to go to an event and come back with words of praise. You do it so you can cherish your style statement and be an inspiration for those around you! That’s why you need to capture it with a camera that does justice to your appearance.
That’s where the new OPPO F9 comes into play. Its 16MP + 2MP Dual Rear Camera, and the staggering 25MP (with AI tech) front camera is designed precisely to do justice with the best moments of your life! It never dies on you with the VOOC Flash Charge, you can capture every moment!
So capture your modish look, upload it, and let the world know that you’re the fashionista they need to follow this fall season!
According to the News.pk, the film was given A Certificate by the Censor Boards of Sindh and Punjab. The movie was deemed inappropriate for screening by the Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC). Chairman Danyal Gilani revealed that that the film violated censorship regulations and the board mutually decided to ban the movie.
However, Capri Cinema in Karachi is reportedly screening the movie for the audience.
Similarly, Cinegold Plex, Cinepax, Imperial Cinema, Cinepax Lake City, Imperial City, and the Arena Lahore are also showing the banned film in Punjab’s capital city.
Meanwhile, across the border, Manmarziyan has been made illegally available on torrent websites for free just two days after its release.
The romantic comedy, directed by Anurag Kashyap, stars Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, and Vicky Kaushal. Despite average box office reports, the film is receiving rave reviews from Indian critics. It is also being a touted as Abhishek’s comeback film after 2 years.
Update: Under the PM House Vehicle Auction, 34 vehicles have been sold. It is expected that in the second phase, 41 imported vehicles will also be sold eventually.
According to Geo News, the cars which are being auctioned include four Mercedes Benz, eight bulletproof BMWs, three 5000cc SUVs and two 3000cc SUVs of 2016 model.
Moreover, 24 Mercedes Benz of 2016 model are also being auctioned. Two of the 28 cars are 4,000cc bullet-proof vehicles.
Further, 40 Toyota cars which include a 2004 Lexus, a 2006 Lexus SUV, and two 2004model Land Cruisers are also up for auction.
Other vehicles which are a part of the auction include 8 Suzuki cars, nine Hondas, five Mitsubishi vehicles and two Jeeps.
First Car Auctioned
The first car to be auctioned at the PM House Vehicle Auction was a 2010 Toyota Altis which successfully went for Rs 11, 20,000. It was purchased by a Sialkot resident named Faizan Malik.
Prime Minister Imran Khan was not joking when he announced that the government will auction the PM House vehicles.
In his first inaugural speech on Sunday 19th August, the newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that the government will use the money for public welfare.
According to PM Khan, there are 80 vehicles (33 are bulletproof) for the use of Prime Minister and other senior ministers and cost about 50 million PKR each.
The sources added that the remaining cars have been spared under control of the Cabinet for welcoming foreign guests.
The PM House vehicle auction will be held today, 17th September at PM House, Islamabad. A list of the cars which will be on display has surfaced on social media.
Social Media Reacts to PM House Vehicles Auction
Are you ready for this revolutionary change?
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.
One of the most iconic destinations in Islamabad, The Centaurus Mall, has started to remove its illegal structure voluntarily.
For some time now, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had been issuing notices to the Mall to remove the structure. However, they neglected it until now.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, after taking over the office, appointed a new CDA Administrator, who has already started and has carried out several encroachment activities throughout the city to remove unauthorized businesses and structures.
Naya Pakistan in Action: Since many years, Centaurs was being told to remove this illegal structure. They always found a “Way out”. Last night IK appointed new CDA Admin told them start removing or law will act. Structure being removed volunteerly by Centaurs Admin right now. pic.twitter.com/sLmF2Jggnm
Tajdeed-e-Wafa is an upcoming venture of Hum TV starring the blue-eyed hunk Haroon Shahid and Naveen Waqar in the main lead
The drama will be singer-turned-actor Haroon Shahid’s debut on TV and we are hoping that he will be able to impress the audience just like he did in last year’s Verna.
This upcoming drama will be aired on HUM TV which has been penned down by Samira Fazal and is directed by Ilyas Kashmiri.
Apart from Naveen Waqar and Haroon Shahid the cast of this upcoming drama also includes Ainy Jaffri, Abid Ali, Ahmed Ali Akbar, and Shamyl Khan among others.
Cast of Tajdeed-e-Wafa
Naveen Waqar
Haroon Shahid
Abid Ali
Tahira Imam
Ahmed Ali Akbar
Arij Mohyuddin
Shamil Khan
Ainy Jaffery
Nargis Rasheed
Leyla Zuberi
Humayun Gul
Nasreen Qureshi
The names of other cast members have not been revealed.
Directed By
Ilyas Kashmiri
Produced By
The drama is produced under the banner of Momina Duraid Productions.
Written By
Samira Fazal
BTS
BTS of this upcoming drama is doing all rounds on social media.
Teaser Tajdeed-e-Wafa
The teaser of this upcoming drama has been revealed earlier this week. Watch it below.
After the clip stopped, he was presented with 4 options, one of them being the right answer.
The four options presented were; Muhammad Azharuddin, Kirti Azad, Imran Khan and Mansoor Ali Khan.
The participant then selected ‘Imran Khan’ as the right answer, saying that he was a cricket personality as mentioned in the audio and is now the PM of Pakistan.
https://youtu.be/2GHjHqicStQ
The man was handed over a cheque of Rs. 10,000 for giving the right answer.
Our celebs have had a chance to prove their game in the hot seat, including the heart-throb Fawad Khan with Sonam Kapoor while promoting his movie ‘Khoobsurat’.
https://youtu.be/c0Px22hDsmg
Ali Zafar also made it to the platform along with Parneeti Chopra and Ranveer Singh for ‘Kill Dil’ Promotions.
https://youtu.be/ln-3priUc2g
Which Pakistani celebrities do you want to see on KBC?
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.
The heart-breaking clip shows Rubina in rags, residing in an abysmal condition for three years due to her poor-stricken condition. She complained of having with no water and toilet facility in her shack.
https://youtu.be/HX7RaVSBPiY
Another report by Dunya News disclosed that Rubina’s dainty hut is situated under the Orange Line Metro Train Structure. While millions have been invested in the project, no action has been taken to improve the lives of the needy residing under it.
After working 15 years for various channels, magazines, and publications; Rubina became destitute after her divorce. Her mother’s death made the situation worse for her and she was kicked out of the home by her sister-in-law.
Earlier, Ainak Wala Jinn’s famous character Nusrat Ara aka Bil Batori was also discovered begging on streets of Lahore. She was living in a small rented house in Samanabad Lahore and died last year living in distress.
In an interview, Nusrat Ara revealed her sad story and expected help from the Government of Pakistan for her medical treatment.
It is to be noted that showbiz is a tough world. A newbie can turn into a star overnight and a luminary can come on roads with a dent in the career.
Everyone is curious about the Honor 8X, the company Honor is all set to unveil Honor 8X here in our homeland Pakistan in the first week of October.
Previously, Honor 8X images leaked and clearly shown the design of this device.
The Honor 8X is a bold presence in the price segment, from the vibrant display which makes consuming HD content on it a delight. The remarkable cameras take rich pictures with much detail and appreciable color reproduction.
The power-packed configuration underneath aids the experience tremendously by delivering a smooth user experience through most apps and games. Lastly, the sizeable battery ensures that your usage remains uninterrupted.
The phone will be available around the range of USD 290-300 (approx) with numerous remarkable features like notch display, dual rear cameras, improved battery, lustrous & huge display, and rear-mounted fingerprint scanner for added security. It is a budget-friendly mobile with advanced specifications
The 8X is likely to come with a display size of close to 6.5-inches with FHD + resolution (1080×2340 pixels) while running on HiSilicon Kirin 710. The device also has a 91% screen to body ratio and is expected to come with 4GB RAM along with a 128 GB storage along with GPU Turbo Technology
The phone comes with a dual rear camera setup housing 20MP+ 2MP lenses on the back with a f/1.8 aperture and flashes a 16MP selfie camera with a f/2.0 aperture.
Last but not the least; the report indicates that the device will also run on 3750 mAh battery.
Earlier this week, the High Commissioner of Pakistan to UK Sahibzada Ahmed Khan showed up allegedly drunk at IPPA Awards 2018. His video from the ceremony has now created an uproar on social media.
The clip of his speech went viral on the internet, raising many questions and concerns. During the award show, which was attended by a large number of Pakistani celebrities, Sahibzada Ahmed Khan was called on stage to announce the winner of an award category.
After announcing the name of the winner, he delivered inappropriate statements on the stage which raised many eyebrows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1UyIpawmlg
The awards show was held at London’s O2 Arena on September 9 and was attended by a number of Pakistani celebrities.
Now another video of the commissioner has made its way on social media, in which Sahibzada Ahmed Khan has been spotted smoking during a public event held in the London High Commission.
It is to be noted that smoking is banned in Britain and it is illegal to smoke in all enclosed workplaces.
As soon as the videos went viral on the internet, people just did not resist to bash the High Commissioner of Pakistan.
Have a look at what people have to say.
Pakistani producer and actor Adil Murad took to his Facebook account and wrote:
A verrrry High commission of Pakistan at the IPPA awards recently in London. What a disgrace!
Another Pakistani filmmaker Shahzad Nawaz reacted to the video and wrote:
He has made a complete mockery of the Diplomatic Corps in general and Pakistani mission in specific.
Pakistani ace actor and director Kaiser Khan Nizamani wrote:
What an star-studded sorry Embasedor studded Evening in London.. Pakistan ki Izzat afzai hai ye respect ka Janaza..
As soon as the Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi saw his speech through electronic media, he took notice of the irresponsible behavior on the stage. He also directed the High Commissioner to return to the homeland and submit his explanation.
Here’s what PTI tweeted:
Foreign Minister @SMQureshiPTI has taken notice of the recent incident involving Pakistani High Commissioner in London, and has asked him to return to the foreign office and explain himself or provide an explanation for such an indecent behaviour.#pakistanpic.twitter.com/PX3IS7sYtj
Recently, the gorgeous actress Hina Altaf came out and narrated the horrifying tale of how she was physically abused by her own mother.
The starlet opened up in an interview with Samina Peerzada where she talked about her complicated past, including her abusive mother and details of her emancipation.
During the interview, the actress said her mother used to call her a prostitute. She further said that her mother used to beat her up so that would leave her bruised and battered.
She said
My make-up team always used to ask me about that marks BUT I was always WITHOUT AN EXPLANATION.
Hina Altaf further highlighted the issue that when a girl wants to focus on her career, her parents don’t support her. But her struggles made her a stronger person.
Hina Altaf added:
It’s a mark of strength as it made me a stronger person.
At the second meeting of Special Senate committee on tobacco tax revenues, the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) has shared facts that a policy decision to introduce the third tier of excise duty on cigarettes was taken as a corrective action to arrest the declining trend in revenues from tobacco sector.
According to FBR, the third tier and unprecedented enforcement drive against illicit manufacturers had not only helped compliant tobacco sector regain its lost volume but also resulted in revenue growth of around 20 percent to Rs 88.5 billion during 2017-18 against Rs 74.1 billion collected during the same period last fiscal year. Interestingly, despite a sharp decline in their market share, the two multinational players contributed almost 98% of tax revenues from the tobacco sector. Meanwhile, illicit cigarette manufacturers have caused an estimated loss of over Rs 130 billion to the national exchequer in past five years.
Before the introduction of the third tier, revenue collections from tobacco industry stood at Rs 88.40 billion in the financial year 2013-14, Rs 102.88 billion in 2014-15 and Rs 114.19 billion in 2015-16. Thereafter, a sharp decline in revenue to Rs 74.1 billion was registered for the first time in many years in 2016-17 as the price gap between tax-evaded illegal cigarettes and legal tax-paid industry kept on increasing to a point where most of the smokers shifted their consumption to the tax evaded cigarettes being manufactured in Mardan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K).
The second meeting of the special committee, headed by Senator Kalsoom Parveen, was attended by Senators Dilawar Khan, Dr. Ashok and Azam Swati. The FBR Chairman, members of civil society and industry representatives were also invited to the session.
Industry representatives further explained that prior to the introduction of the third tier, the market share of illicit cigarettes had surged to 40 percent. This share was estimated by Nielsen, a market research agency that is well reputed globally and could be validated by FBR through an independent survey or audit of the tobacco sector.
During the meeting, there was also a discussion on the menace of cigarette smuggling that was hurting the local exchequer. It was highlighted that there is a wrong assumption that all local manufacturers are tax compliant and there is no illicit cigarette production from them. This contradicts facts about raids, multiple seizure reports by FBR over the past two years.
The two-pronged strategy of FBR showing consistency in tobacco taxation policy and unprecedented enforcement efforts to maintain the momentum in fight against illicit cigarettes in Pakistan has decreased the market share of tax evaded brands from 40 percent to 35 percent, which shows that authorities are moving in the right direction to curb menace of illicit trade and boost government revenues.
Apple announced their latest and most innovative iPhones on Wednesday. One of the most interesting gadgets the tech giant introduced to the world was their iPhone Xs Max.
Equipped with iOS 12, 4GB RAM and available in 64/256/512GB built-in storage, the iPhone XS Max is Apple’s latest breakthrough, according to the brand.
As of now, some of the specifications which have come forth are as followed:
Ahsan Khan is that versatile Pakistani superstar who has a huge portfolio of successful projects to his credits.
He has created ripples in Pakistan’s entertainment industry with his iconic roles in Vasl, Dastaan, Udaari, and Mirat Ul Uroos. Not to forget, he has made his mark on silver screen too with movies like Ghar Kab Aao Gay and Chupan Chupai.
It’s not just his debonair looks that make his fans fall in love with him. Khan’s excellence in acting and down-to-earth nature adds to his charm. One is compelled to watch him and appreciate his acting trysts.
Recently, Ahsan Khan was in London to attend the International Pakistan Prestige Awards (IPPA) 2018. So much so, he even made us proud by bagging the ‘Star Of The Year’ award.
Social media reacted to his video in the most shocking way. It was heartbreaking to see that the actor was ridiculed for flaunting a ‘fake’ British accent. Meanwhile, his thought-provoking message was ignored and somewhere lost amongst all the hate he received.
For those who are unaware, Ahsan is a British born Pakistani. He was raised in U.K, received his early education in the West and was 12 years old when he came to Pakistan. As a young student in Lahore, his accent was always made fun of.
After all these years, he still frequently travels to London as his family resides there. So no way Khan was feigning an accent while talking to BBC.
Guess it was a surprise for Pakistani media as they must be hearing him talk in British for the first time.
However, it is a huge responsibility on our end to not make a mimicry out of stars we love so much. These celebrities represent us worldwide and add to the worth of Pakistan. If we, being Pakistanis will troll and judge them, outsiders won’t hesitate to shame our icons either.
We love you, Ahsan Khan! More power to the heartthrob.
