Pakistan society undergoes reverse renaissance as power replaces truth

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband in Istanbul on Friday. The discussion occurred during the R4 and E3 foreign ministers’ meeting hosted by Türkiye.

Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UK, France, Germany, and Italy attended the gathering. Dar held individual meetings with his counterparts from Germany, France, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Egypt.

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Both nations agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation and discussed international developments, according to an official statement. Miliband praised the role of Pakistan in promoting peace within the region.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif posted on X on Saturday regarding formal etiquette. Asif noted, "Etiquette dictates that the soles of your shoes should not be visible to the people sitting around you, especially when you are in a formal setting."

The government also announced the provision of 500,000 Chromebooks for students.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed the Artificial Intelligence Deceptive Advertising Act into law to regulate synthetic media in marketing. State Senator Nick Pisciottano introduced the bill to the legislature.

Advertisers must now provide clear disclosures whenever they use AI-generated content in advertisements. These labels are required to match the format of the advertisement itself.

The mandate covers all ads, irrespective of the location where the content was produced. Provisions in the law exempt content that is evidently fictional, as well as parody, satire, commentary, or criticism.

The legislation specifically targets synthetic content used to create a false consumer perception regarding a product or service.

Muhammad Hanif Abbasi told a private TV channel that internal differences have emerged within Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Members of the party hold conflicting views regarding the current political landscape and their intended future actions.

The PTI lacks a coherent strategy or planning to navigate these internal disagreements and determine a path forward. Abbasi criticized the provincial government for alleged corruption across multiple sectors, including health and education.

Frustration is mounting among the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to persistent security threats and a lack of public relief measures from the PTI-led administration. While the government aims to eliminate terrorism from the province, the security situation is evolving and providing KP police with more confidence to combat militants.

The International Monetary Fund published its Regional Economic Outlook for the Western Hemisphere on 16 October. External tailwinds are currently supporting growth across the region.

Trade uncertainty and pressures on energy prices remain present in the economic landscape. Policymakers should use this window to reduce debt and preserve price stability.

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Renewed efforts are required to lower deficits and debt levels. The region needs a stronger push for reforms to increase productivity and attract investment.

Cautious monetary easing is necessary for the region.

The Directorate General of Customs Valuation Karachi increased the customs values for 10 different types of raw materials used in stationery items on 23 October. Valuation ruling number 2117 of 2026 was issued to align with the Federal Board of Revenue policy of updating outdated valuation rules.

The previous determination for these stationery raw materials dated back to 2017. Authorities initiated the proceedings to establish these values under Section 25A of the Customs Act, 1969.

Global tensions between the US and Iran have driven up international prices for petroleum products, commodities, and freight costs. The ruling determined the new customs values by using the most reliable and appropriate information available on record.

Local manufacturers claim that the Pakistan Customs Tariff for fountain pen cartridge ink is currently incorrect. Manufacturers also stated that plastic parts for gel pens and ball pens are not covered by any existing valuation ruling.

Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif issued a special message on World Development Information Day to advocate for public awareness. She stated that an informed population serves as a primary hallmark of progress.

The occasion underscored the necessity of increasing public knowledge regarding digital literacy. Providing the public with accurate information about development projects is vital for eliminating corruption.

Data from the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry is currently assisting in the removal of poverty and deprivation. The government has also established state-of-the-art Maryam Nawaz Health Clinics.

Low-cost development schemes, including Apni Chhat and Apna Ghar, have gained international recognition. The Information Department continues to provide services aimed at raising awareness about these development initiatives.

Cynthia Erivo and Ayoade Bamgboye perform a comedic sketch featuring a version of the Oscar-nominated musical. Erivo appears in a pink velour tracksuit and a blonde wig while Bamgboye portrays the character Elphaba.

The characters travel to meet the Wizard of LagOz. Bamgboye asks, "The wizard?" and adds, "But I’m a virgin!" during the scene.

Erivo responds as Glinda, saying, "When we go to the wizard, it will all pay off." Glinda and Elphaba eventually discover that the Wizard is broke, leading Erivo to remark, "That’s a nolex."

An explosion effect covers the screen after the two characters lean in for a kiss.

Erivo as Glinda said, "When we go to the wizard, it will all pay off."

Erivo as Glinda

Christy Carlson Romano disclosed that Shia LaBeouf frequently disparaged the competing Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire. LaBeouf was reportedly involved in a conflict with the show's lead actress, Hilary Duff.

Romano noted that she and LaBeouf were like oil and water while appearing together on a podcast. At the time of their respective careers, Romano was 14 years old and LaBeouf was 12.

The two actors previously worked together on the sitcom Even Stevens. Romano shared these memories in her memoir, Once Upon a Trainwreck: The Fall and Rise of a Child Star.

The SAG-AFTRA board voted to extend the contract of Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, who will now serve as the organisation's CEO. Crabtree-Ireland's tenure was lengthened by four years, pushing his contract expiration date to 20 June 2032.

The previous agreement was scheduled to conclude in 2028. A weighted vote saw 98.34% of the board members support the extension.

For the 2026 fiscal year, Crabtree-Ireland received a payment of $1.1 million. Sean Astin, the President, issued a statement praising Crabtree-Ireland following the board's decision.

Punjab Police warned that smog poses significant risks to both human health and the environment. Vehicle smoke, construction dust, and the burning of crop residue are the primary causes of increased air pollution.

To mitigate these effects, officials recommend that owners perform timely maintenance on their vehicles. Construction sites should cover all materials to prevent dust from spreading.

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Farmers are also advised to avoid burning crop residue.

The Deputy Prime Minister reviewed the progress of preparations for the summit, which Pakistan is scheduled to host in 2027. Dar examined various accommodation options and instructed all relevant authorities to guarantee the smooth and seamless conduct of the upcoming event.

Senior officials from all relevant ministries and organizations attended the session alongside the Foreign Secretary and the Interior Secretary. Other attendees included the Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Pakistan’s National Coordinator for SCO, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Bajwa.

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Social media platforms use reels and advertisements to facilitate recreational shopping for users. Algorithms learn from specific user behaviours to provide more of the same content.

Repeated exposure to various products can cause unfamiliar items to feel like necessities. Limited-time discounts and countdown clocks create a sense of urgency for shoppers.

Boredom shopping becomes a habit as the brain remembers the easy route to excitement. Unnecessary purchases can lead to a growing pile of possessions and feelings of guilt.

Reducing shopping impulses can be achieved by unfollowing accounts that tempt users to buy things. A cooling-off period of 24 hours for small items and a week for expensive ones is suggested.

Removing saved card details can make the checkout process require more effort.

A Chinese humanoid named Tiangong Ultra completed a 100-metre sprint in 8.86 seconds, surpassing the human men's world record of 9.58 seconds. Reuters reported in August that Chinese humanoid manufacturers had produced world-leading hardware.

The country's population declined by 3.39 million in 2025, with people aged 60 and above representing around 23% of the total population. At the end of 2025, China had around 725 million employed people, including about 475 million urban workers.

During 2025, China created 12.67 million new urban jobs while the migrant-worker population reached roughly 301 million. Khalid Mansoor stated that the Chinese policy concept increasingly emphasises human-machine collaboration.

Dr Muhammad Farooq Afzal noted that roughly 25 per cent of China's budget goes to the central or federal level, while around 75 per cent is spent locally.

President Donald Trump decided to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports in the United States as the midterm elections approach in approximately 2 weeks. Trump intends to lower fuel prices to improve his electoral prospects.

The president also seeks to pressure Volodymyr Zelensky to accept terms for ending the war in Ukraine. Reported energy ceasefire arrangements have emerged alongside these developments.

Delays in the delivery of American interceptor missiles have occurred, while restrictions on intelligence-sharing have been noted. Ukrainian drone operations have faced disruptions attributed to the blocking of access to Starlink.

A Pacific Rim Countries Conference is scheduled to take place in Hawaii. The G20 Summit Meeting will be held at President Trump's Doral Resort in Florida.

Formal diplomatic ties between the US and China were established in 1979. The Yalta Conference took place in February 1945.

Security forces killed a prominent militant commander during an operation in the Qila Saifullah district on 25 October. The deceased terrorist was identified as Adil Shah, who also operated under the alias Darvesh.

Shah joined the Fitna al-Khawarij terrorist group on 1 December 2020. Since 1 January 2024, the commander managed the financial affairs of the outfit.

He provided housing for non-local militants in the districts of Zhob, Sherani, and Shaban. During 2022 and 2023, Shah participated in kidnapping for ransom and attacks against security personnel.

Anti-terrorism courts had registered 19 cases against the militant. Authorities had previously announced a bounty of Rs2.5 million for information leading to his arrest.

The operation was conducted as part of Operation Radd-ul-Fitna 3. Islamabad has urged Kabul to stop militant organisations from using Afghan territory.

The Punjab government will finish 5,734 water filtration plants by June 2027 to improve regional infrastructure. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif intends to provide every citizen in the province with a clean water supply.

Mobile maintenance units will be created to monitor and repair these filtration facilities. Under the Last Mile Water Supply Project, clean water will reach affected areas in Rawalpindi, Rajanpur, and Chakwal.

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Millions of people are currently benefiting from water bottling projects across four districts.

Punjab Police have placed the province on high alert for Christian worship programs in churches, including those in Lahore. Regional and district police officers are personally inspecting security measures at these religious sites.

Additional personnel are being stationed at sensitive locations while officers conduct search and sweep operations. Effective patrolling is underway to safeguard the lives and property of minorities.

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Religious scholars and peace committees are cooperating with the police to promote interfaith harmony.

Inspector General of Police Islamabad Muhammad Sohail Chaudhry visited the Police Lines Headquarters to inspect official vehicles of the Islamabad Capital Territory Police. Chaudhry reviewed the technical condition, fitness, and maintenance arrangements of the fleet.

The police chief directed concerned officers to ensure proper upkeep and timely maintenance of all vehicles. He instructed staff to keep every official vehicle in good working condition.

Chaudhry stressed that regular maintenance is vital to keep the police vehicles operational.