South Africa has defeated Pakistan by eight wickets in the third Women’s T20 World Cup match, winning the three-match series two to one.
In the match played in Multan, Pakistan Women scored 153 runs for five wickets while playing first; Sidra Amin scored 37, Muniba Ali 33, and Fatima Sana scored 27 runs.
In response, the South African women’s team achieved the target of 154 runs for two wickets in the 19th over. On behalf of South Africa, captain Woolwardt scored 45 runs, Anike scored 46 runs, and Aniri Dirksen scored 44 runs.
The women’s teams of Pakistan and South Africa will reach Lahore today by a special plane, after which the South African women’s cricket team will leave for Dubai tomorrow.
Pakistan Women’s team will leave for Dubai on Monday for the ICCT Twenty World Cup.
A Christian woman was sentenced to death on Thursday for committing online blasphemy under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
Dawn reports that the woman is a mother of four. She had previously sought bail from both the trial court and the Islamabad High Court (IHC), but her bail applications got rejected by both.
Judge Mohammad Afzal Majoka convicted the woman under Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 11 of PECA laws. While Section 295 strictly pertains to blasphemy laws, Section 11 of PECA laws deals with hate speech.
The law states that “whoever prepares or disseminates information, through any information system or device, that advances or is likely to advance interfaith, sectarian, or racial hatred shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years or with a fine or with both”.
Along with the death penalty, the court also imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on the woman.
A private citizen by the name of Shiraz Ahmed lodged a complaint against the woman in the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) cyber crime wing. The case was then brought to the court.
The first information report (FIR) states that the womam is accused of posting blasphemous content about the Holy Prophet (PBUH) on social media in September 2020.
However, FIA registered the case against her on July 29, 2021.
Singer Zayn Malik is going on his first solo tour, performing in the UK and US.
He announced the tour during his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday night.
Zayn handed Jimmy a note that said: “Hey Jimmy, great to see you, mate. I’m going on my first-ever solo tour this autumn. Maybe after you’re done picking apples, you can come check out my Stairway To The Sky Tour across the US and UK. Let me know what date you want tickets for.”
On Instagram, he shared the tour dates, thanking fans for their support and saying: “Can’t wait to enjoy great music together. This time I really mean soon – see you in 35 days….”
Ticket sales start at 11 am on September 21, 2024. VIP key holders can access the pre-sale, which began on September 19.
Fans will hear tracks from Zayn’s fourth studio album, ‘Room Under The Stairs,’ released on May 17. The tour will be held in smaller, intimate venues to showcase the album’s raw and stripped-back sound.
The tour kicks off in the US on October 23 in San Francisco.
For the past six years, Zayn has been working on his studio album ‘Room Under The Stairs’ at his home studio.
This album marks his most personal release to date, reflecting where he is in life, while exploring the complexities of healing, stillness, and growth.
He recently performed at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London, but this will mark his first time going on a large tour since leaving One Direction.
The March performance in London was also the first time he has been on stage since he quit the boy band.
The Lahore High Court today has rejected appeals asking for suspension of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally in Lahore tomorrow.
A three-judge bench heard the petitions filed in the LHC regarding permission for PTI’s rally in Lahore.
Justice Tariq Nadeem, while talking to the Chief Secretary, stated, “Those who are ruling today were in opposition in the past, and when they were in opposition, they expressed their concerns. You [Chief Secretary] were in service then and now as well. We need to do good for our country; you should allocate a place for the rally in Punjab. And also allocate two or three places for the party rally in Lahore so people do not face difficulties.”
Justice Tariq Nadeem lamented, “All the bureaucracy has left their work to be in the court today; the world has progressed so much. What message are we giving to the world?”
Meanwhile, Justice Farooq Haider asked IG Punjab Police Dr Usman, “Is the police harassing the political workers of a party?”
The IG replied that nothing of the sort was being done, and no such instructions had been issued to the police.
The LHC rejected appeals to stop the rally and directed the Lahore Deputy Commissioner to decide the venue for the party’s rally by 5 PM today.
Founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Thursday declared the party’s pre scheduled rally to be held in Lahore on September 21 a do-or-die event.
Speaking to journalists at Adiala jail Rawalpindi, the former Prime Minister said, “The Constitution gives us the right to assemble,” he said, warning that jails will be filled if PTI gets barred from holding the Lahore rally.
He stated, “I ask the nation to come out for their future on September 21 in Lahore.”
Citing the judiciary’s role in society, Khan remarked, “The Supreme Court (SC) is the last institution from which people have expectations. If the SC is also destroyed, Pakistan will become a banana republic.”
Responding to the government’s proposed constitutional amendments, he stated, “To destroy the Supreme Court is to destroy democracy, and to destroy democracy is to destroy freedom. When freedom is destroyed, people become slaves.”
Lambasting President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, Khan said that both will flee again and stressed that everyone is aware of their money which is lying abroad.
Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum is currently one of the biggest hit dramas in Pakistan, and it is being widely praised for its character development.
Emmad Irfani and Naeem Butt appeared as guests on BBC Urdu recently, where Irfani talked about his off-screen experience.
Emmad said, “Off-screen, we were like a family. Javed Sheikh sahab would bring food, Bushra jee would bring food, and sometimes Badar, our director, would bring food as well. And I’m not exaggerating, but Fahad and I developed a brotherly bond off-screen. Maybe that’s also a factor that the audience is seeing on-screen, the camaraderie we built off-screen is probably showing up on-screen as well.”
On the hand, Naeema Butt, who plays Rubab, is not only getting attention for her acting but also for her long hair.
“I’ve always faced this issue in the industry because of my long hair, and I’ve been told several times that I should cut my hair short in order to look more modern and since it’s simpler to style. Still, I never really followed that advice because, whether I’m in Pakistan or New York, my hair is very special to me”, Naeema Butt added.
Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum is written by Farhat Ishqtiaq and directed by Badar Mehmood. It airs on ARY Digital on Monday and Tuesday at 8:00 PM.
A delegation of the International Cricket Council (ICC) has expressed satisfaction with the arrangements for the Champions Trophy scheduled to be played next year in Pakistan after visiting the country.
The five-member ICC delegation has expressed complete satisfaction with the arrangements for the Champions Trophy scheduled next year after visiting Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi stadiums.
Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi met the ICC delegation (including Senior Manager of Events Sarah Edgar, Security Manager David Musker, and other representatives) to discuss preparations for the mega event. The delegation visited the three stadiums.
On this occasion, Chairman PCB assured the ICC delegation that upgrade work will be completed before the mega event and fool-proof security arrangements would be made for all the teams.
He said, “Organizing the ICC Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan is an honour. As big as this tournament is, we are finalizing the arrangements accordingly. Players of all teams will enjoy cricket in a peaceful and safe environment. With the upgrade, the stadiums will have international standard facilities, and the fans will enjoy the cricket matches even more than before.”
The Champions Trophy is scheduled in February of next year in Pakistan. This will be a 50-overs format with eight teams participating. All the teams have confirmed their participation except India.
According to Indian media, the team will visit if their government allows them to travel.
The family of slain blasphemy suspect Abdul Ali has forgiven the Quetta police constable who killed him last week while he was in custody.
The police officer had accessed the police station by pretending he was his relative before opening fire on him.
Abdul Ali’s family spoke to the media along with the chief of the Nourzai tribe Haji Faizullah Nourzai who stated, “The family and tribe have nothing to do with the dirty act of blasphemy committed by the suspect.”
The family condemned the slain suspect for alleged blasphemy, saying, “We never hesitate to render our lives in the honour of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him).”
“We have pardoned the police official Saad Muhammad Sarhadi in the name of Allah and unconditionally so,” the family said, adding that they would not fight a case against the police official in any court of law.
Senator’s solidarity with the policeman
Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Pakistan’s senator Abdul Shakoor Khan expressed solidarity with the policeman during a Senate meeting, saying that he would bear all his legal expenses.
“The police officer shot him because he expressed distrust in the legal system,” the senator said. “It is wrong in terms of Shariat and the law.”
“I don’t blame the police official, I blame the legal system,” he said further adding that “we will not tolerate anyone issuing blasphemous remarks against the Holy Prophet”.
Those accused, who should be hanged within 10 hours, undergo trials for months,” Senator Khan opined while speaking on the floor of the upper house.
Previously, it was reported that a policeman in Quetta shot dead an elderly man accused of blasphemy inside a lockup of the Cantt police station.
Abdul Ali, a hotel owner, was detained by the Kharotabad Police after a video went viral on social media on Wednesday and a case was registered against him under Section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code.
As per the FIR shared by activist Faraz Pervaiz, Abdul Ali was seen speaking in his native language in the video, allegedly making objectionable remarks about Khatm-i-Nabuwwat (finality of prophethood) and the Holy Prophet (PBUH) went viral.
A case was registered against him following the video’s circulation.
Post his arrest, a large number mob gathered outside the Kharotabad police station, demanding that he be handed over to them. The videos of these clashes also went viral on social media.
A senior Quetta police officer told the BBC, “Khorotabad police station was unsafe due to the presence of a large number of protesters, so the accused was transferred to Cantt police station.”
There, a police constable fired at and killed Abdul Ali inside the station.
The cop “suddenly opened fire on the suspect who was in the police lockup,” Inspector General Police Balochistan Moazzam Jah Ansari told Dawn, adding that he used his own pistol.
Reports indicate that the police constable has been identified as Syed Khan Sarhadi by social media users but Dawn reports his name to be Saad Sarhadi, who was arrested, and an investigation is ongoing.
The police stated that instead of transferring Abdul Ali’s body to the civil hospital, the concerned police surgeon had been called to a safe place for post-mortem.
Social media is flooded with videos of locals not allowing the burial of the accused in the cemetry while also coming in to congratulate the father of the policeman who killed Abdul Ali.
It is the first incident of its kind in Quetta, where a serving police officer gunned down a suspect of blasphemy charges while in custody.
Pakistani mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Shahzaib Rind has made history by becoming Pakistan’s first Karate Combat World Champion.
Rind defeated Brazilian fighter Bruno Roberto De Assis in Singapore by a technical knockout in the third round.
The 26-year-old from Balochistan wrote on Instagram, “Alhamdulillah! I am proud to be the first world champion of martial arts in Pakistan. History has been made! It has been a long and challenging journey, but we did it.
“Thank you to everyone who believed in me and supported my path to success—it means the world to me. I am especially grateful to those who were part of this journey,” he added.
Shahzaib will fight World Karate Combat Lightweight Champion Luiz Victor Rocha in his next fight.
Pakistan’s current account, after witnessing three straight months of deficit, recorded a slight surplus in August 2024.
According to official data from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the current account recorded a surplus of $75 million as compared to $152 million deficit seen in August 2023.
Experts say that the surplus seen in the last month was due the remittances which improved by 40 per cent to $2.9 billion on a Year-on-Year basis. In second month of the ongoing fiscal year, remittances are up by 44 per cent.
Pakistan’s total export of goods and services were valued at $1.108 billion, showing increase of one per cent as opposed to 3.081 billion seen in August 2023.
Considering contributions from the workers, remittances were 40 per cent higher than August 2023.
Analysts are expecting a surplus for the ongoing fiscal year as inflation is predicted to ease further in the coming days and the essential item’s prices may decline further.
If remittances continue to improve with the pace observed in recent months, Pakistan’s current account might be seen in a much better position in near future.
