All AliExpress Orders Being Blocked at Karachi Port

For the past two months or more, items ordered from AliExpress have failed to deliver. Whenever tracking information is available, the items get lost after they have arrived at the Karachi port.

All items ordered through AliExpress are handled by the shipping company of origin, until they reach Pakistan. Once packages reach Pakistan, they go through customs clearance. Customs officers have the authority to open the packages and repack them if there’s any doubt regarding the item’s description. The packages are then forwarded to Pakistan Post, which delivers the package to the buyer.

However, this process is being handicapped by someone. The packages are getting misplaced as soon as they get to Karachi, and the list of culprits is pretty short. 

AliExpress sellers have been refunding the buyers for the time being, but if this continues any longer, we won’t be surprised if they stop shipping to Pakistan altogether. The online retailer could put Pakistan on its blacklist, or the sellers themselves might stop delivering to Pakistan.

This is unfair play and someone is guilty here. The forces behind this must be apprehended before Pakistan is shamed in front of the world yet again. It will not benefit the public, the customs, the e-commerce industry or the delivery service providers if such an instance happens and could fend off interest from international retailers like Amazon and Ebay.

Top 10 Chinese Concept Cars At 2016 Beijing Auto Show

1. Beijing Auto ArcFox-7

The ArcFox-7 is an extremely beautiful electric supercar with scissor doors. It is based on a Formula E race car, and powered by a 603 horsepower motor. The ArcoFox-7 is mainly intended to draw attention to the booming EV business of Beijing Auto, but small-series production of a track day-only car is a real possibility.

The main observable trends that emerge from these concept cars are: a move to electrics cars, steps to more daring design, and a clear up market movement, the infamously cheap Chinese cars are fast becoming a thing of the past.

2. Hongqi B-Concept

The B-Concept heralds a new beginning for Hongqi, ‘Red Flag’, the oldest and most famous Chinese automaker, best known for state limousines and parade cars. They are working to shore up their passenger car division and the B-Concept previews a future full-size sedan that will compete with cars like the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

3. LeSee EV

The LeSee EV is a four-door electric sedan with semi-autonomous driving, smartphone-based remote control, and a 210 kilometer per hour top speed. The LeSee was developed by LeEco, a Chinese internet compact that also backs Faraday Future. It is intended for the Chinese market and the production version will be made in China.

4. Chery FV2030

The Chery FV2030 is a typical example of a truly outrageous concept car, shaped like an off-road racer with gull wing doors, huge wheels, and a fiery red paint job. Some design elements will come back on future production cars, like the chrome bar above the grille and the air inlets in the bumper.

5. Qiantu Auto K50 Roadster

China’s first drop-top electric supercar with stunning lines, a carbon fiber body, and powered by a 400 horsepower motor.  Likely the best looking Chinese car ever. The coupe version is expected to hit the market in the fall, with a price similar to the cheapest Tesla Model S. The Roadster will follow in late 2017.

6. Lingyun Two-seater

Lingyun is a company that is absolutely convinced the future lies in two-wheeled electric vehicles. Their latest concept is simply called “Two-seater”, and stands on two wheels, one front and one rear. It uses mechanical gyroscopes to maintain balance, and Lingyun claims battery life is 80% longer than on a four-wheel car.

7. Haval HB-02

The HB-02 shows that the Haval brand, owned by Great Wall Motors, is going for a more daring design for its SUV lineup. Sharp creases, tiny LED lights, and a big gaping grille; the HB-02 has it all. It previews a premium compact crossover that will be launched on the Chinese car market in 2018, mainly aimed at young car buyers living in the big cities.

8. Ranz RF-EA1

The Ranz RF-EA1 is a design study for an exciting electric four-door sport sedan, with a super sleek body and eye-catching black over gold paint. ‘Ranz‘ is a brand owned by the FAW-Toyota joint venture for making cheap electric cars. However, since its inception in 2013 Ranz has failed to launch a single car. The RF-EA1 shows they are still alive.

9. Zhiche Auto SUV

The Zhiche Auto SUV is a full-electric aerodynamic four-seat coupe, loaded with technologies for connected-cars and connected-mobility, in short tech that allows a vehicle to communicate with other cars and with the wider world. The Zhiche Auto SUV is developed by a Beijing-based new-energy vehicle (NEV) company, and the production car will launch in 2017.

10. Dongfeng HUV

Dongfeng has long been looking for a credible off-road cruiser to cash into their army-vehicle fame. The HUV might be just that; a square shaped rough looking truck on large wheels with an almost straight standing windshield. The production version is expected to launch next year, powered by a decidedly petrol four-cylinder engine.

SC orders take down of all billboards in Karachi

KARACHI: 

The Supreme Court (SC) maintained on Thursday that there was no law that permits installing outdoor advertising billboards and signboards on ‘public property’ and ordered the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and all the cantonment boards to remove these billboards/hoardings across the city by June 30.

All private and public schools in Sindh to remain closed tomorrow

KARACHI: All the public and private schools across the province will remain closed tomorrow (May 5) on account of Shab-e-Mairaj [The Night of Ascension], announced the Private School Management Association and the government of Sindh on Tuesday.

Youngest Social Entrepreneur from Pakistan

The nine year old girl never liked cluttered surroundings or dirty streets of her hometown, Sargodha. When she was only six years old, she got an idea to use newspapers bags and sell them to assist needy children. The idea popped into her mind when a shopkeeper sold her something inside a newspaper bag.

She planned to help the underprivileged orphan children from SOS village, an orphanage consisting of 14 houses with 10 children and one nanny in each one of them. Her parents helped bring the idea to reality and before they knew it, they were venturing into a social entrepreneurship project.

A Social Entrepreneur in the making

Despite being so young, she already has 3 years of social work experience. Zymal recently received the Prince Abdul Aziz Award for Children Pioneer / Ecopreneur Award in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She was also awarded TIE youngest entrepreneurship award and received a gold medal from the Federal Secretary of Education.

This little girl wants to make Sargodha a far more greener city. She wants the eco-friendly bags to have a two-fold effect by uplifting the living standard of the underprivileged people and help in decreasing pollution caused by plastic bags. The 9 year old has every intention of providing better education and health facilities for other kids who might otherwise find such services to be unaffordable.

Those willing to help Zymal with her project against illiteracy, poverty and pollution can make and sell similar bags in new and unique styles. More information is available at the Zee Bags Facebook page.

PM Nawaz slashes power tariff, maintains petroleum prices for May

Nawaz Sharif slashed power tariff while maintained petroleum products’ prices in an address after performing groundbreaking of Havelian-Thakot motorway on Thursday.

According to the Petroleum Ministry, the GST on petrol was cut from Rs 14.48 to Rs 12.89 per litre for May to keep the people from affects of increasing crude price in the international market.

GST on high octane is fixed at Rs 13.90 from the previous Rs 18.57 per litre, that on light diesel at Rs 4.72 from Rs 9.63 per litre while tax on high speed diesel has been maintained at Rs 29.57 per litre.

General Sales Tax on kerosene oil is also cut to Rs 4.76 from Rs 10.40 per litre and that on high octane oil to Rs 13.90 from 18.57 per litre.