Former Pakistan Thereek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda has revealed that former First Lady, Bushra Bibi’s closest friend, Farah Khan was sent out of Pakistan to please former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa had knowledge [of the departure] and it was due to his orders that Farah Khan was sent out of Pakistan,” said Vawda while speaking on Hum News programme, ‘Breaking Views with Malick’.
“Imran Khan would mind this and take this personally,” further said Vawda.
— Breaking Barriers With Malick (@ViewsWithMalick) January 10, 2023
It has been alleged by the current federal government that Farah Khan, a close friend of Bushra Bibi, to be involved in multiple irregularities that took place during the tenure of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
Most recently, Farah Khan was alleged to have sold the Toshakhana watches that were gifted to Imran Khan by foreign dignitaries. In an interview with Geo’s Shahzeb Khanzada, a Dubai based businessman, Umar Farooq Zahoor alleged that Farah Khan sold him a Graff watch set for for $2 million in cash, worth approximately Rs280m at the time of sale in 2019.
Due to the unstable economy and floods, the World Bank predicted that Pakistan’s economic growth would drop by half, falling by 4 per cent to 2 per cent, during the current fiscal year.
According to the Bank’s latest report, “Global Economic Prospects,” Pakistan is experiencing growing economic woes, especially those caused by the recent flooding as well as ongoing policy and political uncertainties.
“Pakistan faces mounting economic difficulties and Sri Lanka remains in crisis. In all regions, improvements in living standards over the half-decade to 2024 are expected to be slower than from 2010-19,” the World Bank stated in Global Economic Prospects released on Tuesday.
Pakistan’s currency declined by 14 per cent between June and December, and its national risk premium climbed by 15 per cent over this same time frame due to the nation’s low foreign exchange reserves and rising sovereign risk.
It went on to say that growth is anticipated to pick up to 3.2 per cent in the fiscal year 2023–24 (FY24), still under previous forecasts, as the country implements policy measures to stabilise macroeconomic conditions, inflationary pressures subside, and reconstruction after the floods gets underway.
According to the analysis, Pakistan’s recent floods are thought to have cost the country damage equal to 4.8 per cent of GDP.
A five-member bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday (today) heard Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s plea challenging Governor Balighur Rehman’s orders to de-notify him as CM.
During the hearing, Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh remarked that the governor can ask a chief minister to take a vote of confidence from the assembly.
While Elahi’s lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar responded that his client became the chief minister by taking votes in the assembly, Justice Hafeez said that the chief minister should always have the support of the majority of the lawmakers (186 members) in the house.
At one point, Justice Sheikh said that if a consensus could not be reached between the governor and the chief minister, then the case would be heard on “merit”.
“The matter has now prolonged beyond a reasonable time,” he remarked, adding that the court would have to look at assembly dissolution, violation of the governor’s orders, and the way forward.
In the late hours of December 22, Rehman denotified Elahi as CM. At the time, the governor had said that since the chief minister had refrained from taking a vote of confidence at the appointed day and time, he ceased to hold office.
Subsequently, Elahi approached the court, saying the move was “unconstitutional, unlawful and of no legal effect”.
LHC later reinstated Elahi as the chief minister after he assured the court that he would not dissolve the Punjab Assembly until the next hearing, which was held today.
Pakistan’s entertainment industry is continuing 2022’s highs with Ali Sethi all set to perform at this year’s Coachella festival. The singer took to Instagram on Tuesday night to reveal that he will be performing at the famous music festival. Sethi will take the stage on the third day of the almost week long festivities on April 16, when Frank Ocean will be the main headline. In his post, the singer encouraged all of his fans to attend and also revealed that presale tickets will be available from January 13 onwards.
Fifty Fifty star Majid Jahangir, passed away in Lahore in the early hours of Wednesday. The comedian, who rose to fame from the popular sitcom that also starred the late actor Ismail Tara, died of prolonged illness. Jahangir will be laid to rest in Karachi, his son Fahad Majid Jahangir confirmed.
The actor was hospitalised after he had a fall last month, in which he fractured his spine. Jahangir was also suffering from a respiratory illness that had worsened recently.
Jahangir kickstarted his acting career in Moin Akhtar’s PTV show Saat Rang. However, it wasn’t until 1979, he starred and was propelled to fame thanks to PTV’s famous comedy show Fifty Fifty along with Tara, Zeba Shehnaz, Bushra Ansari, and Ashraf Khan.
The show became later became a household name across the country and so did the cast. Jahangir was a constant feature in the show until it stopped airing in 1985.
It was then reported that Jahangir had moved to the United States and lived there for the next 23 years. On returning to Pakistan, he resumed his career by participating in Aamir Liaquat Hussain’s shows for local TV and in the comedy show Khabarnaak. In 2021, Jahangir told of his financial woes to The Express Tribune and added that it has become a nuisance for him to even arrange for his medicines for stroke and other ailments.
In the 80s, Jahangir was conferred with the Pride of Performance award for his role in Fifty Fifty. In 2020, he was awarded Tamgha-i-Imtiaz and a Lifetime achievement award.
A shoe was tossed at the windscreen of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s vehicle outside the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday.
The minister was sitting in the front passenger seat while his driver drove the car, passing by a group of journalists. An unknown person threw the shoe.
The shoe flew towards his vehicle as the minister left the Punjab Assembly’s premises.
پنجاب اسمبلی میں کسی نے رانا ثناء اللہ پر جوتا اچھال دیا: اختلاف رکھیں کسی سے لیکن اخلاقیات کا دامن ہاتھ سے مت چھوڑیں۔ pic.twitter.com/qhSBbCsr9F
Earlier in the day, Sanaullah along with Special Assistant to Prime Minister Attaullah Tarar and other party leaders were barred by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) controlled Punjab government.
As per the details, the police and the assembly staff stopped Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers and leaders from entering the premises of the Punjab Assembly; however, some of the members forced their way into it.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has approved an increase in the price of natural gas of up to 74 per cent at a time when the country’s people are struggling to make ends meet owing to rising inflation.
According to specifics, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd. (SNGPL) would each be permitted to raise gas rates by up to 74.42 per cent and 67.75 per cent, respectively.
Ogra’s decision will be implemented after the approval of the federal government. If the federal government does not approve it within 40 days, the decision will be implemented automatically.
The oil and gas regulator has okayed increases of Rs406.28 and Rs469.28 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) for SNGPL and SSGC, respectively.
OGRA further said that the average gas price for SNGPL would reach Rs952.17 per unit from the current price of Rs545.89 per mmBtu, while that of SSGCL would reach Rs1,161 per unit from the current Rs692.63 per mmBtu.
LPG price hike
Earlier, the prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were increased by Rs5 per kg without a notification from OGRA.
The LPG price has now jumped to Rs260 per kg from Rs255 after an increase of Rs5. Meanwhile, the prices of domestic and commercial cylinders increased by Rs60 and Rs230, respectively.
The gas is available for Rs270 per kilogramme in Murree, while its price exceeds Rs300 per kilogramme in Gilgit-Baltistan and Skardu.
The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has changed timings for educational institutes and announced a relaxation in uniform policy amid the extreme cold in the capital.
Single-shift institutes will run from 8:30am to 2:30pm Monday through Thursday and close at 12:30pm on Friday, according to the official notification.
On Monday through Thursday, evening shifts in double-shift institutions will run from 1:30pm to 7pm. On Friday, it will begin at 2:30 PM. Pre-I (Montessori/Prep) lessons will be offered Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 12:30pm.
Students are permitted to dress in any warm clothing of any colour to stay warm in the month of January to February, according to the official announcement.
Followng decisions have been made for @FDEGOPOfficial to deal winter spell without disrupting the learning process: 1. Timings adjustd for schools to take less cold in morning. 2. Students can wear any kind of warm clothing (Jackets&Sweaters) in addition to tht allowd as uniform. pic.twitter.com/u8Ca75YmCd
Actor Sadia Khan ringed in the New Year’s Eve with Aryan Khan at a party in Dubai. The Khuda Aur Mohabbat star posted a picture with Aryan on her Instagram handle which sparked dating rumours. Even Indian film critic Kamaal Rashid Khan claimed that Sadia and Aryan are in a relationship.
Now Sadia in an interview with City Times has rubbished all the rumours, “It is very strange how people are making up stories about myself and Aryan without knowing the full picture. There needs to be a limit to all that goes around in the name of news.”
The actress also added, “This doesn’t mean that we are dating. I am not the only one who took a picture with Aryan either; there were a few other people who clicked pictures, and they also uploaded them, but somehow I am the one whose picture is floating around.”
Sadia Khan also went on to say a few words in praise of Aryan Khan, as she said, “I would say that Aryan is a very sweet and an extremely well-mannered boy. So, please stop all these baseless rumours about us. Love and respect.”
She also took to her Instagram handle to shut down the rumours.
Actor Momal Sheikh recently made an appearance on The Talk Talk Show hosted by Hassan Choudary, where she shared her thoughts on Behroze Sabzwari’s claim that ladies shouldn’t wear tight clothing while traveling on bikes.
The Daraar star said, “it is his point of view, maybe it was something he observed while he was coming to the interview and he expressed his thoughts, Maybe it was something that stuck in his mind and he wanted to talk about it, whenever we come to the show we don’t talk the scripted things, we speak our heart out, so I can give him the benefit of doubt, maybe it was something disturbing him, hence he said it, so people should move on and let it go, and if anything needs to be requested, it should come from Behroze Sabzwari rather than me.”
On being asked about the public’s perception of her clothing, Sheikh replied she couldn’t influence anyone’s opinions or change their minds, so she should just let it be and do whatever she wanted. In the end, the public makes you famous.
Last year she stated in another interview that she is not afraid of her father (Javed Sheikh) but she is scared of her brother Shahzad Sheikh.
“I’m not scared of my father but I am scared of Shahzad,” said Momal while talking to Momina on her show Momina Mixed Plate.
She said that he is a little bossy and asks questions. “Even coming to this field, he said that tumhara kya kaam hai? Tum ne kyun karna hai?“
While talking about his protective behaviour, she further elaborated: “It’s just that he is a little protective to her little sister, not that he really don’t want me to work, of course, it’s not that. Uska ek roub hai, bharam hai like I want her to be under me, and islie bhi kyunkay mein argue bhi bohat karti houn.”
She said, “Sometimes I say that to him If I were your elder sister then you would see.”
Last year the Happy Bhaag Jayegi diva appreciated her cousin Shahroz Sabzwari and Syra Yousuf for handling social media scrutiny post their split, “The way Shahroz and Saira handled all the criticism was the best thing and that’s the way it should be. People always talk about something, they used to talk before and they will continue to talk no matter what.”
“My personal statement on their separation is that they are two individual and mature adults, they know what is good for them. Saira and Shahroz are two beautiful and kind hearted people”, she added.
