Popular PUBG Mobile content creator Farooq Ahmad, widely known as Farooq Ahmad YT, has reportedly died after a motorcycle accident in Calgary, Canada. Friends and fellow gaming creators began sharing the news on social media on Thursday. Their posts prompted an outpouring of condolences from fans across the PUBG Mobile community. Friends report fatal Calgary accident A personal tribute published by fellow creator MadTamizha said reports of a serious crash had circulated while Farooq’s family and followers prayed for his recovery. The creator later wrote: “Sadly, his passing has now been confirmed to us.” Calgary Police separately reported a fatal motorcycle collision that occurred on Wednesday, August 26. Officers said a 39-year-old motorcyclist lost control while travelling east on McKnight Boulevard near Métis Trail Northeast at about 7:50 p.m. Read More: YouTube Doubles Monetisation Requirements for New Creators The rider suffered life-threatening injuries and later died in hospital. Police did not release his name. Therefore, their statement does not independently confirm that the victim was Farooq Ahmad. His verified social media accounts had not published a formal announcement at the time of writing. Authorities and his family had also not publicly released funeral information. Reports about his death should therefore continue to acknowledge the limited official confirmation. A major PUBG Mobile following Farooq built one of the more prominent creator profiles in the PUBG Mobile community. Data updated on August 27 showed about 925,000 YouTube subscribers, 154.7 million views and roughly 1,790 uploaded videos. He launched the Farooq Ahmad YT channel in November 2019. His videos covered gameplay, livestreams, crate openings, challenges and PUBG Mobile account upgrades. He played the game on mobile devices, tablets and emulators. His Instagram profile had around 85,000 followers. It described him as an “Official PUBG MOBILE Partner” and a “PUBGM Canadian Ambassador.” PUBG Mobile Pakistan’s official YouTube channel also featured him during a New Erangel livestream in September 2020. Rare account collection became his signature Farooq gained particular attention for showcasing a valuable PUBG Mobile account. His content highlighted expensive purchases of Unknown Cash, commonly called UC, alongside rare outfits, weapon upgrades, vehicle skins and other collectibles. In July 2022, he uploaded a video titled “World Most Expensive & Dream PUBG MOBILE Account Inventory.” The video gave viewers a detailed tour of his collection, including gun skins, outfits, helmets, backpacks, emotes and parachutes. It attracted more than 770,000 views. Read More: YouTuber Solves Rubik’s Cube While Skydiving in Record Time Following reports of his death, creators including Falak PUBG, Dictator YT, Staranonymous Baba OP and Crypto PUBG shared tributes online. Fans remembered his gaming content, extensive collection and long involvement with PUBG Mobile. Although community members say they received confirmation of his death, no statement had appeared on Farooq’s own accounts. His family and Canadian authorities had not shared further information.
Is Your City Covered? Jazz Expands 5G Network to 10 Cities
Jazz has expanded its 5G network to 1,000 live sites, becoming the first Pakistani operator to reach the milestone. The company, part of JazzWorld, said the expansion represents Pakistan’s fastest 5G rollout and the country’s largest 5G network footprint. It plans to raise the total to 2,500 sites by the end of 2026. Fast rollout expands Jazz 5G to 10 cities Jazz began commercial 5G services in March with close to 180 sites. Its initial network covered Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan and Faisalabad. The operator has since increased coverage in those markets and entered Sialkot and Gujranwala. Its 5G service now reaches 10 cities nationwide. The year-end target requires Jazz to add another 1,500 sites in about four months. Read More: JazzWorld Powers PSL 11 Through Its Most Powerful Brands: Jazz, JazzCash and Tamasha Kazim Mujtaba, President, Jazz GSM, said: “Reaching 1,000 5G sites at this pace reflects our determination to bring the benefits of 5G to more Pakistanis, faster. As we scale to 2,500 sites by year-end, our focus is on delivering a better digital experience through greater capacity, faster speeds and more reliable connectivity, while enabling new services and use cases as 5G adoption grows.” Multi-band spectrum supports wider coverage Pakistan formally awarded 5G licences to Jazz, Ufone and Zong in March after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority completed its spectrum auction. The regulator offered 597.2 MHz across six bands and sold 480 MHz during the allocation stage. Jazz secured 190 MHz, compared with 180 MHz for Ufone and 110 MHz for Zong. Jazz paid USD 239.375 million for its allocation, according to the company. Read More: How to Check If Your Phone Supports 5G Before Pakistan’s Rollout Its new spectrum spans the 700 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz bands. The purchase raised Jazz’s total holdings from 94.4 MHz to 284.4 MHz. Jazz says the mix supports both broader coverage and high-capacity services. The 700 MHz band can extend connectivity across wider areas, including rural and underserved communities. Khalid Shehzad, Chief Technology Officer, JazzWorld, said: “Building 5G at this scale requires a network designed for diverse connectivity needs across Pakistan. By combining our multi-band spectrum with advanced radio technologies and modernized infrastructure, we are delivering wider coverage and greater capacity while preparing the network for the growing demands of 5G.” USD 1 billion commitment backs expansion The rollout follows Jazz’s commitment to invest USD 1 billion after the auction. The company said the funding would accelerate 5G deployment and strengthen network infrastructure across Pakistan. Jazz now puts its total investment in the country at USD 12 billion. It presents the latest commitment as part of a long-term push to improve Pakistan’s digital infrastructure and connectivity ecosystem. Read More: Jazz, Ufone and Zong Cleared to Roll Out 5G Services in Pakistan The 5G expansion also comes as Pakistan works to close wider connectivity gaps. Jazz said in March that nearly 40 percent of subscribers still lacked 4G access, while about one-quarter remained without mobile broadband. That challenge means operators must expand next-generation services while continuing to strengthen basic 4G coverage.
Pakistan’s Five Refineries Ready for $6 Billion Upgrade Push
Pakistan’s five major oil refineries have agreed to move ahead with long-delayed modernisation agreements that could unlock more than $6 billion in investment. The upgrades aim to modernise ageing facilities and increase domestic production of cleaner Euro 5-compliant fuels. They could also reduce Pakistan’s dependence on imported petrol and diesel. Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik held separate meetings with the management of PARCO, Pakistan Refinery Limited, National Refinery Limited, Cnergyico and Attock Refinery Limited. The meetings reviewed the Brownfield Refinery Upgradation Policy, refinery performance and measures to strengthen Pakistan’s energy security. Read More: Pakistan Plans Major Oil Storage Reform to Reduce Supply Risks All five refineries reaffirmed their readiness to sign the required agreements. Industry representatives said the agreements could be signed as early as next week. The Petroleum Division had previously described the broader refinery upgrade programme as worth more than $6 billion. It said the projects would improve fuel standards and reduce dependence on imported petroleum products. Refineries Move Closer to Euro 5 Fuel Production Malik said modernisation was essential for the long-term sustainability of Pakistan’s refining sector. The planned investments will allow local refineries to produce Euro 5-compliant petrol and diesel. That could reduce the need to import higher-quality finished fuels. It may also lower exposure to international freight costs and external supply disruptions. The Petroleum Division has previously said cleaner domestic fuels could improve engine performance and reduce emissions. In an earlier statement on the upgrade programme, Malik said: “The refinery upgrades will not only enhance production efficiency but also align with our goal of transitioning toward cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.” The minister stressed during the latest meetings that timely signing of the agreements was critical. He assured the industry that the government would help resolve implementation problems and support companies seeking financing. Recent project-level estimates show the scale of the planned work. Pakistan Refinery Limited is considering an investment of around $1.8 billion to $2 billion. Its project aims to double crude-processing capacity from 50,000 barrels per day to 100,000 barrels. Read More: Turkiye to Begin Offshore Drilling in Pakistan for Oil and Gas PRL also plans to cut furnace oil production and shift towards higher-value products. Attock Refinery Limited is preparing an upgrade estimated at about $600 million. The project would help it meet Euro 5 standards and increase petrol production by about 25%. Cnergyico is planning investment of around $1.2 billion. Its programme includes cleaner fuel production, capacity expansion and a new Single Point Mooring facility. The company also plans to increase refining capacity from about 156,000 barrels per day to nearly 200,000 barrels. PARCO has been working on a roughly $600 million green-fuel project. National Refinery Limited is considering an upgrade that could cost between $300 million and $800 million. The final investment level will depend on project scope, financing and phasing. Hormuz Crisis Puts Energy Security in Focus The refinery push has gained fresh urgency after recent disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. Pakistan relies heavily on imported petroleum and other energy supplies. Disruption to major shipping routes can therefore expose the country to shortages and price shocks. Malik praised PARCO for maintaining operations during the recent Strait of Hormuz crisis. He said Pakistan managed the disruption without allowing the petroleum supply system to run dry. The minister stressed the need for resilient supply chains and stronger domestic refining capacity. The government has separately launched a feasibility study for strategic petroleum reserves. International consultancy Wood Mackenzie has been selected for the study after a competitive tender process. Malik said the Hormuz crisis had highlighted the need for greater protection against external supply shocks. Read More: Moody’s Lifts Pakistan’s Sovereign Credit Rating to B3 from Caa1 The government wants the proposed reserves to complement refinery upgrades and other energy-security measures. During his meeting with PARCO, officials also briefed Malik on plans for a proposed Oil City in Hub. The project is envisaged as an energy terminal and storage complex. It aims to strengthen supply security, improve trade connectivity and support economic activity. Agreements Could End Years of Delay The refinery agreements have faced repeated delays since Pakistan introduced its Brownfield Refinery Upgradation Policy. The policy aims to encourage existing refineries to invest in cleaner fuel production and reduce output of high-sulphur furnace oil. Some refineries had signalled readiness to sign agreements as far back as 2024. However, taxation issues, policy changes and disagreements over implementation delayed the programme. The government and industry have spent recent months trying to resolve those disputes. ARL told the petroleum minister that it had completed its preparations and remained ready to proceed. Cnergyico and NRL also told Malik that they were prepared to sign. The ARL management stressed that modernisation was necessary to keep Pakistani refineries aligned with changing global fuel standards. Malik reiterated that the government would continue working with the industry to move the programme forward. Read More: Pakistan’s Economy Gets Fresh Boost as Exports Rise 13% in July The upgrades could significantly change Pakistan’s refining structure if companies reach financial close and complete the projects. They would allow refineries to produce more petrol and diesel locally while reducing lower-value furnace oil output. For Pakistan, the government sees the programme as more than an industrial investment. It is also part of a wider effort to cut import dependence, improve fuel quality and make the country less vulnerable to disruptions in global energy markets.
