Author: newsdesk

  • Bazi lay gaya Khan: 61 per cent Pakistanis positively rate PTI chief

    Bazi lay gaya Khan: 61 per cent Pakistanis positively rate PTI chief

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is “positively rated” among 61 per cent of Pakistanis, whereas only 36 per cent have a “good opinion” about Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif.

     According to a survey titled Public Pulse Report published by Gallup Pakistan, around 2,000 respondents participated in providing data for the survery.

    According to the report, Khan received a positive rating from 61 per cent of the population while 37 per cent rated him negatively.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif was rated negatively by 65 per cent of Pakistanis while 32 per cent gave him a positive rating. However, people from Punjab rated him better as compared to other provinces.

    As for Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, 36 per cent rated the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman positively while 57 per cent gave him a negative rating. Of all the provinces, he got most positive ratings from Sindh.

    PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz, however, was rated negatively by 61 per cent while 34 per cent gave her a positive rating.

    Former president Asif Ali Zardari was rated negatively by 67 per cent while 27 per cent rated him positively.

  • Divorced women fear imprisonment under Taliban regime

    The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has modified divorce laws, now requiring both parties, husband and wife, to be present in court in order to get a divorce.

    Under the previous Afghan government, women were granted the right to get ‘one-sided divorces’ in order to help them escape abusive marriages, according to The Washington Post.

    Women could testify about suffering abuse at the hands of their husband, even if he had refused to make an appearance in court.

    The Post clarified that the Taliban had not commented on ‘one-sided divorces’ being nulled or whether a woman can be married after gaining a divorce in such a manner. However, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has said that both parties must appear before a judge to request a divorce under the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law.

    Under the Taliban regime, it has become more difficult for women to seek refuge after escaping an abusive marriage. A psychologist told The Post that local aid groups providing counselling and relief to abused women have been shut down. She also elaborated that under the new law, it has become more difficult to prove domestic violence.

    “Under the new law, women need to first go to the police station and provide multiple witnesses to prove abuse or if their husband is addicted to drugs,” she said.

    Women face more problems to find legal counseling as the Taliban have banned women from working as lawyers and judges. A lawyer speaking to the Post revealed that more women will find it harder to leave their abusive marriages if they cannot find proper legal representation to help them escape domestic violence:

    “The Taliban have created the perfect situation for men seeking revenge. The courts have lost their effectiveness and instead we see on the news women receiving [public] lashings for adultery.”

    Previously the Taliban regime caused international outcry after enforcing a policies that restricted women’s movement. Women were banned from attending high school and college, couldn’t travel anywhere without a male guardian and were restricted from attending parks, fairs or gyms.

    The United Nations received a report on the state of human rights in Afghanistan, which had criticized the Taliban regime for pursuing a policy ‘tantamount to gender apartheid’.

  • Pakistan’s oil industry on the brink of collapse, calls for urgent government intervention

    Pakistan’s oil industry on the brink of collapse, calls for urgent government intervention

    According to recent reports, the oil industry in the country is facing serious challenges in obtaining crude oil and petroleum products due to foreign exchange constraints and current product pricing. These challenges have been exacerbated by the recent depreciation of the currency and an increase in the central bank’s policy rate.

    The Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC), which comprises over three dozen major oil marketing companies (OMCs) and refineries, has expressed concern to the government about the possibility of a major disruption to the already fragile supply chain.

    In a communication to the ministers for finance and energy, the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), and the chairman of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), the OCAC has urged for urgent engagement to address the “severe impact of the recent depreciation of the rupee.”

    The association has also requested the development and immediate implementation of a transparent mechanism for the recovery of foreign exchange losses in product pricing. If immediate revision of prices based on the current exchange rate is not feasible, the government should at least put a system in place immediately.

    The recent steep depreciation has rendered the existing letter of credit (LC) lines inadequate for the industry, which could lead to import disruption of crude and refined products. The industry has also expressed concern about the cost of opening confirmed LCs, which has gone up many times and adversely impacted profitability.

    Moreover, maintaining the 20 days’ mandatory stock cover as per OMCs license requirement at the current rupee-dollar parity and after the recent increase in the SBP policy rates has resulted in borrowing costs of more than 50 per cent of regulated margins. Additional working capital burdens can raise significant concerns around OMCs’ ability to sustain operations.

    The association has reported that its members have been doubly hit due to the erosion of equity from foreign exchange losses and a reduction in working capital lines due to an increase in the rupee-dollar parity coupled with a rise in international oil prices, particularly high-speed diesel. The OMCs have already reported about Rs35 billion cumulative losses in POL pricing in recent months.

    The international price of petrol has increased by 3 per cent ($2.8 per barrel) to $94.84 per barrel between Jan 1, 2022, and March 2, while HSD prices surged by $15.48 or 18 per cent to $103.53 per barrel. During the same period, the rupee depreciated by over 61 per cent or Rs108.38 against the US dollar. This means that oil prices and exchange rate changes require an increase in the oil industry’s needs by 90 per cent than LC limits in local currency compared with last year to produce the same quantity of HSD.

    Therefore, the oil industry has called upon the government to ensure that the banking sector enhances limits for oil companies and refineries, enabling them to manage the impact of increased oil prices and rupee depreciation that are critical for the survival of the sector and the integrity of the POL supply chain.

    According to Dawn, the OCAC has warned that the industry is on the brink of collapse, as fuel shortages in certain areas earlier this year highlight the fragile condition of the industry. Urgent government intervention is necessary to ensure uninterrupted supplies.

  • ‘Zero chance of survival’: World’s most premature twins celebrate first birthday

    ‘Zero chance of survival’: World’s most premature twins celebrate first birthday

    A Canadian girl and boy, born over four months premature, celebrated their first birthday with a Guinness World Records (GWR) nod as the world’s most premature twins. The chances of the twins surviving were quite low.

    When Shakina Rajendram went into labour after just 21 weeks and five days – over four months early – she was told that she would lose the pregnancy and nothing could be done to save her twins.

    Her babies were “not viable,” doctors said. “Zero per cent chance of survival.”

    Adiah and Adrial Nadarajah were born on March 4, 2022 at the gestational age of 22 weeks, or 126 days early — breaking by one day the previous record set in 2018 by American twins.

    Most hospitals do not attempt to save babies born before 24-26 weeks.

    But these two are alive and kicking.

    A photo of the twins sitting on a couch next to their GWR framed certificate shows Adiah looking surprised with her mouth wide open, while her brother Adrial appears pensive.

  • ‘Dunya jitni Begum Safdar ko jaanti hai, utni Sunny Leone ko bhi jaanti hai’, says a PTI leader who doesn’t deserve to be a Pakistani politician

    ‘Dunya jitni Begum Safdar ko jaanti hai, utni Sunny Leone ko bhi jaanti hai’, says a PTI leader who doesn’t deserve to be a Pakistani politician

    We, unfortunately, live in a society where we have to deal with misogynists every day, at every level. Our politicians are no exception to the rule. Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, who happens to be a former provincial minister and a prominent member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), doesn’t even hesitate to use filthy language for a woman politician.

    While talking to the media, Chohan, with a smile on his face, compared Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz to former pornographic actress Sunny Leone.

    “Dunya jitni Begum Safdar ko jaanti hai, utni Sunny Leone ko bhi jaanti hai” (As much as the world knows about Sunny Leone, they know about Begum Safdar too).

    In a degrading tone and high-pitched voice, he kept using insulting remarks against Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Not only this, he even used foul language while talking about Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.

    This is not the first time that a PTI leader has targeted Maryam. Fayaz’s party chairman Imran Khan, in a public rally, said that Maryam might annoy her husband the way she repeats his [Khan] name during her political speeches.

    “Someone sent me a clip of Maryam’s speech… Maryam took my name repeatedly so passionately that she should be careful… it might annoy her husband,” said Khan.

    Chohan is indeed a problematic politician. In 2019, he was removed from his post as Punjab Minister for Information and Culture over derogatory remarks against the Hindu community.

    The Current strongly condemns the PTI leader’s misogynist comment.

  • Bollywood singer Jubin Nautiyal allegedly plagiarises Taher Shah’s ‘Eye To Eye’

    Bollywood singer Jubin Nautiyal allegedly plagiarises Taher Shah’s ‘Eye To Eye’

    A video by Indian composer Mayur Jumani is going viral on social media after he claimed that there are a lot of similarities between the newly released song ‘Mast Aankhen’ by Jubin Nautiyal and ‘Eye-to-Eye’ by Pakistani singer Tahir Shah.

    The composer uploaded a video on Instagram where he said:
    “I just heard this new song called ‘Mast Aankhen’ on T-series and this is how Jubin Nautiyal looks in the video. Am I the only one who thinks that the song is inspired from..”

    Nautiyal also shared that both Nautiyal and Shah had the same look in the video.

    T-series has been criticized by Pakistani singers in the past for copying songs without providing credit to the original artists. Musician Farasat Anees wrote an open post to the Indian organization, calling them a ‘disgrace’ for stealing his song ‘Biba’.

    “What a disgrace @tseries.official stealing out work because it has been trending in the world.

    Me & my brothers @toshaayy@slicktrickk worked day & night to bring this song where it is. PLEASE HAVE SOME SHAME & stop ruining every good song from

    The love & respect indians showed to our version of Biba was massive. We will always be greatful for that. Also Supporting us on the comment section of this cheap copy of BIBA. Will always be thankful to listeners across the border! ♥️

    Even if you wanted to reproduce the song, you should have done with original stuff. Clearly stole chords, intro, arrangements of our version. CLEAR THEFT!

    Really hoping someone responsible take action from @tseries.official & I request all of our fans, friends & family to share this.”

  • Pak Suzuki suffers worst sales decline, sells less than 1,000 cars in February

    Pak Suzuki suffers worst sales decline, sells less than 1,000 cars in February

    Recent reports indicate that Pak Suzuki Motors has experienced a significant decline in sales due to production issues. The company has recorded its worst sales performance in history, mainly because of a shortage of production parts and rising raw material costs.

    Reports reveal that Pak Suzuki sold fewer than 1,000 units in February, marking its worst performance since the country’s COVID-19 lockdowns in April 2020 when production and sales came to a halt. In January, the automaker sold 2,940 vehicles, a significant 74 per cent decrease in monthly sales. This was attributed to the poor sales of the Suzuki Alto, which declined from 6,898 units in December 2022 to 44 units in January 2023.

    The official figures from the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA) are yet to arrive, but the total units sold in February are expected to range from the high tens to low hundreds.

    Despite being among the highest-selling automobile brands in the country, Pak Suzuki’s recent sales decline has left it struggling to maintain its position in the fiercely competitive industry. The drop in Suzuki sales is attributed to production part issues, which have caused difficulty in obtaining necessary auto parts due to major supply chain issues caused by the pandemic. As a result, the company has faced a shortage of raw materials and production parts.

    Global inflation has further exacerbated the problem, leading to a rise in the prices of raw materials and an increase in the car prices. This inflation has further contributed to a drop in sales as it has become difficult for the company to access all the required materials.

  • Imran Khan never requested a meeting with army chief Asim Munir, says Fawad Chaudhry

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice President Fawad Chaudhry has said on Tuesday that party chief Imran Khan has never requested Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir to meet him.

    Chaudhry also stated in a tweet that President Dr Arif Alvi has never approached Khan with Asim’s alleged suggestion to have a meeting with Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif. He termed the speculations “baseless”.

    A day earlier, Alvi went to Zaman Park to meet his party chairman, who on Sunday dodged getting arrested by the Islamabad police.

    Fawad’s clarification came after senior journalist Kamran Khan claimed on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon that in a meeting with the business community, COAS himself said that he had sent a message to Khan via President Alvi to meet with PM Sharif, however, Khan refused.

    He also said Imran did desire a meeting with the army chief which the latter did not agree too, saying he was not ready to interfere in the political process.

    On March 3, the PTI chief said that he is ready to hold talks with the COAS for the sake of the country, claiming that the army chief considers Imran his enemy.

  • Hindu students attacked for celebrating Holi at Punjab University

    Hindu students at Punjab University were attacked by Islami Jamiat Tulba (IJT) on Tuesday for celebrating their religious festival Holi with the permission of the administration at Punjab University’s new campus.

    As a result, at least 15 students of the Hindu community were injured. Videos of the incident uploaded on social media show a group of IJT members thrashing the minority community members.

    Other videos showed the security guards carrying batons and beating the students while they were running from the scene.

    Sindh Council Secretary General Kashif Brohi said that 15 students from both the Hindu community and Sindh Council suffered injuries and moved away without celebrating the event, reports Dawn.

    He said the IJT activists started hurling threats after students had posted invitations [Holi celebration] on their Facebook page.

    On the contrary, IJT spokesperson Ibrahim Shahid told Dawn that they did not stop the Hindu community members from celebrating Holi. He said the attackers might have used their name but the IJT would ensure equality for minority community members to hold their religious events.

    He claimed they were holding Dars-i-Quran on the campus and were not present there.

    However, in the past, IJT was responsible for many attacks on students.

    Activist Ammar Ali Jan, condemning the attack, said: “It reflects a deep sense of paranoia that stems from our need to expel impurities” from our own past.

    He added that this sickness will continue unless we accept and celebrate the many histories and cultures that shape our country.”

  • Mohammad Hafeez’s DHA Lahore residence robbed of foreign currency

    Mohammad Hafeez’s DHA Lahore residence robbed of foreign currency

    Cricketer Mohammad Hafeez’s residence in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Lahore was burglarised by robbers on Tuesday. The cricketer and his family were not present at the time of the incident as they were in Islamabad for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches.

    As per reports, the robbers broke into the house by cutting the grill and tampered with the security cameras to avoid being identified. They reportedly stole foreign currency including $20,000, 4,000 pounds, 3,000 euros, and 5,000 dirhams.

    A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against the unidentified robbers, and an investigation is currently underway to identify and apprehend the culprits.