Author: newsdesk

  • Pakistan stocks lose more than 1,400 points due to political uncertainty

    Pakistan stocks lose more than 1,400 points due to political uncertainty

    Political unrest caused significant selling pressure on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), which saw the benchmark KSE-100 Index lose more than 1,400 points on Tuesday during trading.

    The KSE-100 Index was down 1,432.25 points, or 3.5 per cent, at 39,538.57 around 3 o’clock, below the 40,000-mark, according to the PSX website.

    Investors were under pressure to sell their shares across the board due to Pakistan’s escalating political unpredictability and economic uncertainties.

    For a while now, there has been pressure on the market. Just last week, the benchmark KSE-100 Index dropped nearly 550 points due to domestic and global events, and the PSX experienced intense selling pressure. On Friday, it increased to close higher, but this week started off negatively once more.

    Experts claim that market pressure is resulting from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-(PTI) Insaf’s announcement that it will dissolve the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies, according to Brecorder.

    In particular, the pressure has intensified since Monday’s event.

    A worsening economic crisis is accompanied by louder political clamour as foreign exchange reserves drop to dangerously low levels and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) keep getting postponed.

    Analysts have also stated that although the World Bank’s approval of $1.692 billion for flood relief efforts in Sindh should have had a positive effect, political commotion is also obscuring this good news.

    Pakistan’s stock market is expected to remain under pressure till Friday until clarity is achieved on the political front.

  • Malaysian state to punish women for ‘dressing like men’, getting pregnant outside of marriage

    A state in Malaysia has passed new laws that will punish Muslim women for having a child outside marriage and for dressing like men. The laws have been passed in Malaysia’s Terengganu state.

    According to Satiful Bahari Mamat, a state religious official, the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) government has mandated that women who wear men’s clothing or have children while not married to their partners will be subject to fines upto roughly $1,130, three years in prison, six lashes, or any combination of the three.

    He further added that the new laws are meant to better protect “the well-being of Muslims,” adding that they were enacted because previous laws only pertained to men acting like women.

    “Because in the past, there might not have been much of this issue (women acting like men),” he added. “But we see now that ‘pengkid’ (tomboy or lesbian) cases and the like are becoming more widespread, so the state government intends to curb this issue.”

  • Twitter reacts to the New York “Nepo Baby” cover story with some hilarious memes

    Twitter reacts to the New York “Nepo Baby” cover story with some hilarious memes

    The New York magazine published a cover story today titled “The Year of the Nepo Baby” which shed light on the various ways nepo babies had utilized connections to make their name in the Hollywood entertainment industry.

    A nepo baby is someone who is born to famous parents, and later these connections benefit them in establishing their own career in Hollywood, or to create a large following on their social media accounts.

    The article broke down how different popular actors benefited from their parents connections in cementing their own mark in Hollywood. For instance singer/actor Miley Cyrus is the daughter of famous country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and actor Dakota Johnson the daughter of established actors Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith.

    The article shed light on how children of celebrities are able to get roles in movies of their choice without auditioning since they name drop their parents, which grants them access that many people are unable to achieve.

    Twitter users had a lot of hilarious reactions to some hilarious revelations of the article, and we are sharing some hard-to-miss ones with you!

    https://twitter.com/digitaIwings/status/1604880489436876800?s=20&t=OjUCr2D8v1sefpNhB0HEHA

  • ‘Ready to assist Pakistan with TTP threats’: US urges militants to release hostages

    ‘Ready to assist Pakistan with TTP threats’: US urges militants to release hostages

    The United States (US) has offered to help Pakistan in dealing with the threats posed by militant outfits.

    “Well, first, we are aware of the ongoing situation in Pakistan. We’ve been closely following reports that militants have seized control of the counterterrorism centre in Bannu. We offer our deepest sympathies to those injured,” said State Department Spokesperson Ned Price.

    Last week at least four police personnel were martyred and as many others wounded in an overnight terrorist attack on the Bargai police station of Lakki Marwat. Terrorists launched an armed assault on the police station from two sides. A fierce exchange of fire took place between the police and the outlaws, leaving four police officers dead and as many injured.

    On Sunday, militants detained at a facility run by Khyber Pakhtun­khwa police’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Bannu took over the department, held interrogators hostage, demanding a safe evacuation to Afghanistan. The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have claimed responsibility for the incident.

    “The government of Pakistan is a partner when it comes to these shared concerns, including the challenge of terrorist groups inside Afghanistan… terrorist groups along the Afghan-Pakistan border… we stand ready to assist, whether with this unfolding situation or other situations,” said Price.

    “We offer our deepest sympathies to those injured. We urge those responsible to cease all acts of violence, release the hostages and end the seizure of the counterterrorism centre,” he said.

    US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price made these remarks at a news briefing, hours after Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari reached Washington for talks with US officials.

  • Man behind the kidnapping of Dua Mangi, Bisma Saleem surrenders

    Man behind the kidnapping of Dua Mangi, Bisma Saleem surrenders

    On Monday, the mastermind behind two high-profile kidnappings from Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA), surrendered himself before the court, Aamir Majeed reports for SAMAA.

    Agha Mansoor Hussain, who was designated a proclaimed offender (PO) by the Karachi Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), surrendered before a District East Judicial Magistrate on Monday.

    Hussain was then placed on judicial remand and taken to jail.

    Dua Mangi was kidnapped on November 30, 2019. The Karachi-based teenager, who was kidnapped from outside a restaurant in DHA was kidnapped for ransom. She returned home a week later.

  • Did you know Argentina’s first World Cup victory in 1978 was inspired by Pakistan’s hockey team?

    Did you know Argentina’s first World Cup victory in 1978 was inspired by Pakistan’s hockey team?

    There is a lot to discuss and learn about the team that won the World Cup for the first time in 1978, Argentina, which has recently gained attention due to its amazing victory in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    Argentina, under Daniel Passarella’s guidance, defeated the Netherlands in Buenos Aires to claim the fifth FIFA World Cup. Did you know, though, that Abdul Waheed Khan, the Pakistani hockey manager who was responsible for the team’s record-breaking victory in the same year, served as an inspiration to Argentina’s Cesar Menotti when he managed Argentina’s football team?

    The tale that propelled Argentina to win in 1978 was uncovered via “The Paperclip” Twitter thread. Argentina hosted the hockey World Cup in March of that year, followed by the FIFA World Cup of football in June. Under the direction of former gold medalist Waheed Khan, the Pakistani hockey team arrived in Buenos Aires and put on an outstanding display. “During their victorious campaign, the green shirts created many sublime records. Their total of 35 goals was a new highest for a single edition of the World Cup, while only conceding 4 goals along the way,” according to one of the tweets.

    Many people’s attention was drawn to Pakistan by their outstanding performance. Menotti, the disobedient Argentine football team coach, was one of them. He attended the hockey game two months prior to the football spectacle. Menotti not only watched the games, but he also went to their practises and training sessions to take notes because he appeared so fascinated by their game.

    Waheed, born in the Indian hamlet of Raipur in the Bhopal district, moved to Pakistan in 1949. He had a detailed discussion with Menotti which “mainly centred around Pakistan’s attacking strategy”.

    The thread further read, “They discussed the strategy of double attack i.e. if a move from the right side fails then make all the effort to immediately initiate a move from the left side on the assumption that most of the opponents’ defense had become concentrated on one side.”

    Later, on June 25, 1978, Argentina went on to win the FIFA World Cup for the first time defeating Holland in the finals. Menotti even sent Waheed a telegram acknowledging how Pakistan’s hockey team’s “ploy came in very handy to him and the winning squad.”

    Thus, it can be seen how one team’s outstanding performance might even motivate other games to adopt the strategies and revel in the spirit and unity of sports like never before. Definitely a tale to keep in mind!

  • Saim Sadiq shares an emotional story behind a scene in “Joyland” on Alina Khan’s birthday

    Saim Sadiq shares an emotional story behind a scene in “Joyland” on Alina Khan’s birthday

    On Alina Khan’s birthday, director and writer of ‘Joyland’ Saim Sadiq took to Instagram to appreciate the actor’s talent and creative spirit by sharing how the two had bonded together before shooting a scene in Joyland where the audience meets Biba for the first time.

    You can read the full post below:

    A day before the shoot for Darling, Alina disappeared for hours. @sanajafri14 and I texted her to bring this particular pair of shoes with her that she had to wear for her first scene. The first scene this magnificently talented girl would ever shoot in her life. But Alina just wouldn’t answer anyone’s call.

    No one could trace her until 12 am at night when she finally called me from an unknown number. I could tell that she was trembling when she said she was stuck in “a situation” and just ran away from it and now needs a place to stay the night. I told her to come over.

    She finally arrived at 2 am. She had bruises on her neck from the assault that she had managed to run away from. Yet, all she cared about was that she makes it to set on time and not lose this opportunity. And in that escape, she lost her phone and handbag. All she managed to bring with her were the shoes and she kept assuring herself and me that everything was still fine because she had her shoes for her first scene. I gave her an ointment, she slept in my sister’s room and the next morning we started the shoot, cracking jokes and being chill as if nothing had happened.

    Years later, we shot for her introductory scene as Biba in Joyland and had the most cathartic experience of our lives. Both of us found a quiet room to discuss what we normally only joke about: the casualness with which we have to process the violence around us. We both cried and got the tears out of our systems because we didn’t want Biba to cry in the scene. She was going to show up with the blood on her shirt and there was going to be no explanation to where it came from. Because the everyday violence around us never ever makes sense. We hugged and cried again after packup because we knew… this was our scene.

    It’s hard for me to think of a person who is more unaware of their inspirational status in other people’s lives than Alina! You are a true heroine of our times!
    Happy Birthday, @onlyalinakhan ! Thank you for your talent, your spirit, and your magical artistry!

    You were born to be a movie star!

  • Shaheen Shah to marry Shahid Afridi’s daughter in Feb next year: report

    Shaheen Shah to marry Shahid Afridi’s daughter in Feb next year: report

    Pakistan’s star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi will tie the knot with his fiancé Ansha on February 3, 2023, Pro Pakistani has reported.

    Earlier, this year in July while answering a question about his engagement with Ansha, Afridi, the star bowler had said: “It was my wish and Alhumdulillah it is fulfilled now.”

    “I met her and will meet her soon. I found my heart and that’s enough for me,” remarked Shaheen Afridi while answering a question about getting engaged at an early age.

    The host further asked Afridi if his fiancé gets jealous of his female fan following, to which he replied, “I am not sure, maybe she feels something like that.”

    Shaheen and Ansha got engaged last year in March. Ansha is former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi’s daughter.

  • The significance behind the black cape Lionel Messi wore at the FIFA world cup ceremony

    The significance behind the black cape Lionel Messi wore at the FIFA world cup ceremony

    The most significant part of the FIFA world cup ceremony was when Messi had been invited to the stage to receive the trophy, the King of Qatar had given him a black cape to wear before he lifted up the world cup to celebrate with his team members.

    Since yesterday social media users, mostly people in the West, were mostly expressing disappointment about Messi’s pictures being ruined by a black cape and even saying that it had ruined a significant moment for the football player. Many Arab critics and journalists were quick to highlight the racism in the media coverage of the West, and its overt disregard for Eastern culture and tradition.

    As Eastern journalists and critics had shared, every time the FIFA world cup would take place in different countries, the winner would be crowned according to the traditions of the host. For instance in 2004 when the Olympics were hosted in Athens, the winners were crowned with an olive wreathe. But the negative coverage over Messi wearing the bisht is proof of how racism in the Western media will remain an unresolved issue

    The black cape that Messi had worn on the final ceremony is called the bisht and historically, it holds a lot of significance within Arabic culture. The bisht is worn by Arabian warriors after a victory. At the ceremony, when the King of Qatar had given Messi the cloak, it was giving someone the highest form of respect and signified him as the King of Football.

  • Nazia Hassan’s ex-husband files defamation suit against Zoheb Hassan

    Nazia Hassan’s ex-husband files defamation suit against Zoheb Hassan

    Late Singer Nazia Hassan’s husband, Ishtiaq Baig, has filed a defamation case against his former wife’s brother Zoheb Hassan in London. As per a report in Express.pk, Ishtiaq says that the latter has made serious allegations against him due to which his reputation has been damaged and he has faced severe backlash from people.

    It is impertinent to mention that a year and a half ago, Zoheb levelled serious allegations regarding Nazia’s death on his brother-in-law on the occasion of the Disco Deewane crooner’s 22nd death anniversary.

    According to police records, no evidence of poison was found in Nazia’s body, while Zoheb continued to describe his sister’s death as unnatural. However, Ishtiaq, the singer’s husband, has denied the accusations made by his wife’s brother several times. It should be noted that Nazia was battling cancer for a long time before her untimely demise. There is also a death certificate issued by the British authorities to verify the news.

    However, this is not the first time a legal suit has been filed between the two. In 2018, Zoheb revealed that Ishtiaq is in talks to make a film on his late wife “so he can feature himself and further profit from her name and fame.” The 56-year-old singer added that the Hassan family will be taking the legal route if any such thing is implemented.

    Taking to Facebook, Zoheb wrote, “The Hassan family has come to know that Nazia’s ex-husband is trying to make a film on her life so he can feature himself and further profit from her name and fame. Anyone entertaining this individual shall be duly and legally sued by our family as he has no legal right or basis to do so.”

    The Disco Deewane vocalist passed away in August 2000 at the age of 35, presumably from lung cancer.