Entertainment
PIA privatisation reflects govt’s resolve to overhaul aviation sector: CAA DG
Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) Director General Nadir Shafi Dar on Tuesday said the successful privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was a clear testament to the government’s resolve to transform the country’s aviation sector.
In a statement, Dar credited Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Secretary Defence Lt Gen Muhammad Ali for extending critical support that enabled the PCAA to carry out key reforms, leading to the removal of aviation restrictions imposed by the European Commission and the United Kingdom.
He said the lifting of these restrictions played a pivotal role in the success of the privatisation process, significantly enhancing investor confidence and pushing PIA’s bid value from Rs10 billion in 2024 to Rs135 billion in the latest auction.

The DG CAA noted that the successful bidding of PIA would help spur the growth of Pakistani airlines and pave the way for opening new global destinations with direct connectivity from Pakistan.
He further said that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has expressed full confidence in the oversight and regulatory capabilities of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, terming it a key endorsement of the reforms undertaken in recent years.
The Arif Habib Corporation Limited–led consortium acquired a majority stake in PIA with the highest bid of Rs135 billion in an auction held for the privatisation process of the national flag carrier.
During the open auction round, Arif Habib raised its bid from Rs115 billion to Rs135 billion after the Lucky Cement Limited–led consortium increased its earlier bid of Rs101.5 billion to Rs134 billion in the second round of the open-bidding.
Arif Habib, the chief of Arif Habib Group, described the development as the “triumph of Pakistan”.
He maintained that the PIA privatisation would help boost investment in the country, adding that it would also attract foreign investment in Pakistan.
The businessman lauded the government for successfully conducting the bidding process, saying the Privatisation Commission completed the entire process in a transparent manner. “We will work hard to make this airline great again,” he added.
Entertainment
See Hailey Bieber’s Valentine Day tribute for Justin Bieber
Hailey Bieber gave fans a rare peek into her Valentine’s Day celebrations with husband Justin Bieber, sharing a light-hearted and affectionate moment that kept things personal and understated.
The Rhode founder posted to her Instagram Stories on Saturday, revealing a handwritten note that read, “You are my forever Valentine,” finished with a red kiss mark.
She followed it with a close-up snap of chocolate-covered strawberries, suggesting the couple marked the day with a cosy, low-key treat rather than anything over the top.

Hailey, 29, and Justin, 31, have been married since 2018 and are parents to a son, Jack Blues, who is just over a year old.
While the couple tend to keep their family life private, Hailey’s Valentine’s Day posts offered a gentle snapshot of their relationship at home.
Away from the holiday romance, Hailey also found herself in the spotlight last week after stepping out at the Sydney premiere of Wuthering Heights.
The model turned heads in a plunging, completely sheer black lace gown by Saint Laurent.
Hailey also leaned into romance in another way ahead of Valentine’s Day by sharing a post suggesting that her bond with Justin is written in the stars.
On Friday, Feb. 13, she reposted a picture from an astrology-focused meme account highlighting their zodiac signs. Born on Nov. 22, Hailey is a Sagittarius, while Justin, who turns 32 on March 1, is a Pisces.
The post showed the couple in PDA, with “Sagittarius” written above Hailey and the phrase “a Pisces who takes them places and lets them be wild” across Justin.
The post, which explored how different signs connect with Sagittarius in relationships, was captioned, “Which sign is our valentine this year #sagittarius #zodiac #astrology #explore #horoscope.”
Hailey liked the post and reshared the image, which was originally taken on holiday and had appeared in a black-and-white Instagram photo dump she shared back in November.
At the time, Justin reacted simply, commenting, “Oh my f—in god.”
Together for nearly eight years, the Biebers continue to share glimpses of their relationship in subtle ways, blending quiet family moments, public appearances and playful nods to their connection as Valentine’s Day came around once again.
Entertainment
Maya Hawke, Christian Lee Hutson tie knot in Valentine’s Day Ceremony
Maya Hawke and Christian Lee Hutson have officially tied the knot, exchanging vows in a romantic Valentine’s Day ceremony in New York City on Feb. 14.
The couple said “I do” during a low-key but star-studded wedding, marking a meaningful milestone in a relationship that began as a long friendship.
According to PEOPLE, the ceremony took place in the city they both call home, with close family and friends in attendance.
For the special day, Hawke wore a white wedding dress with a classic ball gown silhouette, paired with a lace veil and an oversized, feathery white coat that added a winter-ready touch.
Hutson kept things timeless in a black tuxedo, complete with a white shirt, vest and a floral boutonniere.
Hawke’s parents, Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, were both present to support their daughter.
Thurman was photographed in a light blue, floor-length look with matching shoes, while Ethan Hawke wore an all-black ensemble and was seen holding his daughter’s bouquet as he walked alongside her.
He later walked Hawke down the aisle. Also attending was Hawke’s brother, Levon Roan Thurman-Hawke.
Several of Hawke’s Stranger Things castmates were spotted at the ceremony, including Finn Wolfhard, Joe Keery, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink and Natalia Dyer, underscoring just how personal the celebration was for the actress.
Following the ceremony, the newlyweds and their guests made their way to a reception at The Players Members Club, where the celebrations continued for hours.
The wedding comes after years of creative and personal collaboration between Hawke and Hutson.
The pair were friends for four years before their relationship turned romantic while working together on Hawke’s 2024 album, Chaos Angel.
Speaking on The Zach Sang Show in June 2024, Hawke praised the foundation of their relationship, saying, “I cannot recommend highly enough dating your friends. It’s the best.”
Hutson subtly confirmed their engagement last year during a radio interview when Hawke was referred to as his “fiancée,” replying simply, “Yeah.”
Not long after, Hawke was photographed in New York wearing a diamond ring, fuelling further speculation.
Music has remained central to their bond.
Hutson has appeared on Hawke’s albums Moss and Chaos Angel, while Hawke features on his most recent release, Paradise Pop. 10, and even joined him on stage during parts of his 2025 tour.
Reflecting on their partnership, Hawke previously said Hutson had been “so encouraging” as she grew into her identity as a musician.
Now married, the couple’s Valentine’s Day wedding feels like a fitting next chapter for two artists whose friendship, creativity and romance have grown hand in hand.
Entertainment
Global pandemic of ‘shrinking attention span’
Attention span refers to the duration for which a person can maintain concentration on a single task, activity, or stimulus.
Being a crucial part of humans’ cognitive functioning, it influences how we learn, work, and interact with the surroundings.
The shrinking attention span is more like a global pandemic that has affected every individual on the planet directly or indirectly. Research shows that the average attention span of a human is only 8.25 seconds which is less than that of a goldfish (9 seconds).
This is considered one of the most documented cognitive shifts of the 21st century. Research led by Dr Gloria Mark at the University of California, Irvine, has traced the average duration of focused attention on digital screens over the 20-year period.
The research found that in 2004, the average attention span was approximately 150 seconds which reduced to 75 seconds in 2012. Recent data from 2012 reveals that this figure has decreased to 75 seconds. While in 2024, the average attention span has plummeted to just 47 seconds.
This suggests a broader restructuring of the human cognitive baseline. The decline is primarily linked to the disruption between two main attention systems i.e., the involuntary system (reacts to external stimuli) and the goal-oriented system (enables sustained focus).
Digital platforms especially social media are engineered to trigger the involuntary system via constant notifications, vibrant visual cues, and algorithmic unpredictability. This constant trigger systematically fatigues the prefrontal cortex (region of brain responsible for executive function and impulsive control).
How does the human brain shift attention?
With each instance of attention shifting, “switching cost” occurs. It refers to the measurable reduction in performance particularly slower reacting times and increased errors that usually happen when the brain shifts attention from one task, rule, or mental set to another.
As human brain works as a serial processor, it can’t multitask in the literal sense. Rather, it engages in rapid task-switching. To process each switch, it requires several minutes for the brain to regain its focus.
In a digital environment dominated by short-form content, where a user consumes different content of 15-to-30-second videos in a single session, the brain remains in a continuous state of partial attention.
This continuous state prevents the human’s cognitive system from entering a flow state, a condition where the brain can develop deep engagement that’s required for complex problem solving and creative synthesis.
Additionally, the constant push to check notifications from social media platforms activates the sympathetic nervous system that keeps the body in a state of low-level “fight or flight” mode.
The psychological stress response, measured by high heart rate and perceived stress levels, contributes to the modern epidemic of digital burnout and generalised anxiety.
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