Day: April 13, 2024

In Punjab, wheat procurement campaign began today. According to a spokesman of Food Department, farmers have started submitting requests for Bardana through the Bardana App from this morning. The requests will be received till 17th. After verification, farmers will receive confirmation messages regarding issuance process of bardana and wheat collection dates through the Bardana APP. He said that the proper wheat procurement will commence from 22nd of this month and all arrangements in this regard have been completed at district level. A control room has been set up for resolving complaints during the wheat procurement campaign. For this purpose, a toll free number 0800-13505 has also been set up. Source: Radio Pakistan

WhatsApp has finally received the long-promised Meta AI chatbot and the update is available in Pakistan as well. The new feature does not require you to download a new WhatsApp update manually since this is a server-side change, but we recommend keeping your app up to date regardless, especially if you haven't seen the feature yet. Meta AI can be easily accessed by tapping the new search bar at the top which is labeled 'Ask Meta AI or Search', or you can also tap the new Meta AI icon above the button to start new chats. It works just like ChatGPT since it is a conversational AI chatbot made to answer queries typed as prompts. It is powered by Meta's Llama 2 open-source AI model. By default, it gives you a ton of prompt options such as 'Help set fitness goals', 'Solo travel benefits', 'Home maintenance 101', and many more, but you can type in a prompt through the text box at the bottom. You can even use emojis to talk with the chatbot. Unlike ChatGPT, Meta AI can also generate AI images in less than a minu te, but these are limited to a small resolution and are labeled as AI-made. These images can easily be downloaded and shared like any other WhatsApp media. Meta AI can be used in group chats as well. For some reason, Meta AI is called 'AI Character' on WhatsApp Desktop, but it is the same thing under a different name. That chat is synced between all your devices so you should be able to see the same messages you have on your phone on desktop as well. Source: Pro Pakistani

Last night the road from Bahrain to Kalam was blocked due to heavy rains and landslides. Traffic flow was affected due to the presence of large number of tourists in the area. After emergency rescue operation by Pakistan Army with the help of district administration and NHA, the affected road was cleared and traffic was restored. Pakistan Army is committed to serve the people and will remain active till the complete restoration of traffic in the area. Source: Radio Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed Pakistan's continued support and partnership with the Muslim World League. He was talking to Secretary General of Muslim World League Abdulkarim Al-Issa who called on him in Islamabad today. The Prime Minister welcomed Dr. Abdulkarim Al-Issa and thanked him for visiting Pakistan on the occasion of Eid ul Fitr. He appreciated the valuable contributions and services of Dr. Abdulkarim Al-Issa for promoting the true image of Islam around the world. He also acknowledged the critical role of Muslim World League in developing unity among the Muslim Ummah, advocating for Muslim causes around the world and in spreading the message of peace, tolerance and inter-faith harmony. The Prime Minister conveyed his best wishes and prayers for the health and long life of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz as well as for the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. He underscored that Pakistan attaches utmost importance to its strong fraternal ties with Saudi Arabia that are rooted in common faith, shared values and culture. Secretary General of Muslim World League praised the Prime Minister for his commitment and efforts to further strengthen ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. He congratulated the Prime Minister on the success of his recent visit to Saudi Arabia. Source: Radio Pakistan

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved the implementation of a special audit system to identify corrupt elements and unprofessional behavior in the police. She granted the approval while chairing a special meeting to review the overall law and order situation of the province, in Murree today. This audit system allows court-martial for police officers and officials who are corrupt and involved in conspiracies with criminals. For this purpose a complaint can be registered on the special dashboard of the CM for demanding bribe. The forum considered also considered the proposal to establish border security forces to prevent smuggling. It decided to establish a functional specialized police force for each crime. The forum also gave approval to continue the campaign to eradicate drugs. It decided to introduce legislative amendments for death penalty in cases of rape of women and children. The Chief Minister directed to take strict measures to eliminate illegal arms culture in Punjab. She issued instru ctions to further fool proof arrangements against kite flying and use of metal wire for this purpose. She said the protection of every citizen of Punjab is the primary responsibility of the government. She said Police will be provided with modern weapons, vehicles, night vision and drones. She said effective action should be ensured for permanent elimination of terrorism, smuggling and gangs. Source: Radio Pakistan

Pakistan has signed a two hundred million MOU with a Chinese firm to convert a thermal plant to solar power. The project will upgrade an existing thermal power plant to a 300 MW solar power plant through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). The project will generate 400 million units of electricity per year at a significantly lower cost, reducing the cost from forty five rupees to fourteen rupees per unit. The project will eliminate the need for Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO). It is estimated to save forty four million dollars annually due to reduction in import bills, offering attractive returns to stakeholders. Source: Radio Pakistan