Author: newsdesk

  • Dosti khatam? Khan reveals reasons for having rift with Gen Bajwa

    Dosti khatam? Khan reveals reasons for having rift with Gen Bajwa

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has disclosed the reasons as to why he is no longer on the same page with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, claiming that the head of the armed forces did not consider corruption a bad thing.

    Talking about why there is a plausible rift between the army chief and Khan and why he has started talking against him, Khan said, “This should be asked from Gen Bajwa. He didn’t consider corruption bad as I did. He was not ready to do accountability.”

    “For the past 26 years, I have been saying that without the rule of law, a nation cannot progress. This was not his ‘thing’. We had other conflicts as well. He wanted to make Aleem Khan Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab in place of Usman Buzdar,” revealed Khan.

    PTI’s Fawad Chaudhry hit back at criticism that the party’s long march was moving slowly, saying it would proceed at its own pace, adding “We will also keep changing our plan to reach Islamabad to baffle the government.”

    Replying to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice president Maryam Nawaz and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah observations that the march is proceeding slowly, Fawad said, “I want to tell them [that] we will move according to our own pace, not according to yours.”

    He said that the party could give dates for reaching Rawalpindi and Islamabad one day and change them the next. “You will have to do the guesswork daily.”

    A day prior to this Imran Khan had said in an interview, “Let them impose martial law.” On the fourth day of his long march, his statement was addressed to the establishment in reply to a question asked by journalist Imran Riaz Khan.

    “Impose martial law. If they want to impose, It doesn’t affect me,” said Khan.

    Khan further added that the current political scenario in the country was worst than former President and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Pervez Musharraf’s martial law. Khan added that when PTI leaders Azam Swati and Shahbaz Gill were tortured they were told that, “Imran would face the same.”

  • ‘Alarming’: Noor Bukhari disappointed with Pakistanis celebrating Halloween

    ‘Alarming’: Noor Bukhari disappointed with Pakistanis celebrating Halloween

    Veteran actress Noor Bukhari has expressed her concerns about the growing trend of Halloween celebrations in Pakistan. The former host took to social media to share her views about Halloween and said “Jitna Pakistanio ny Halloween celebrate kiya hai woh kafi alarming hai.“

    Beautiful Pictures of Pakistani Celebrities Celebrating Halloween Party - Showbiz Pakistan

    Noor further said, “This will become a part of our culture”.

    Last year Noor condemned netizens for trolling Saba Qamar over her birthday outfit. Following the outrage, someone photoshopped a hijab and tights onto her picture which also went viral on the internet.

    However, Noor Bukhari did not like the photoshopped image and expressed her disappointment over it.

    Sharing the picture on Instagram, Bukhari said: “Shouldn’t make fun of Saba or hijabis like this please.”

  • Sonia Mishal breaks silence on alleged lip fillers, provides evidence

    Sonia Mishal breaks silence on alleged lip fillers, provides evidence

    Actor Sonia Mishal took to her Instagram stories to address the rumours regarding speculation about her alleged lip fillers. The Neeli Zinda Hai diva shut down these rumours but admitted having a nose job due to medical reasons.

    In her Instagram story, Meri Shehzadi star addressed all the queries regarding the modifications in her facial features.

    Sonia Mishal Addresses Hearsay About Her Cosmetic Surgery

    She also tagged showbiz journalist Hassan Choudary and Aamna Isani who made this assertion on their show.

    Sonia Mishal Addresses Hearsay About Her Cosmetic Surgery
    Sonia Mishal Addresses Hearsay About Her Cosmetic Surgery

    She also posted replies from her fans she received on the story.

    After Sonia’s revelations, Hassan acknowledged them and even tendered an apology.

  • Woman suffers ‘beauty parlor stroke syndrome’ while getting her hair washed

    Woman suffers ‘beauty parlor stroke syndrome’ while getting her hair washed

    A 50-year-old woman in India had a stroke in a salon which an Indian doctor has termed as “Beauty Parlour Stroke Syndrome”.
    The woman had a stroke while having her hair washed before having it cut. According to the medical specialists attending to her, her stroke was brought on when she bent her neck back for the wash. This puts strain on a vital blood vessel that supplies the brain.

    The woman suffered a stroke as she was having her hair washed, just before getting her haircut. The medical staff treating her claim that when she bent her neck back for the wash, it triggered a stroke. A blood vessel that supplies the brain got constricted.

    Sharing this information on Twitter, Hyderabad Neurologist Dr. Sudhir Kumar wrote, “The woman initially experienced dizziness, nausea, and vomiting while having her “hair washed with shampoo in a beauty parlour.”

    The doctor further wrote, “Initially, she was taken to a gastroenterologist, who treated her symptomatically. The symptoms did not improve, and the next day she developed a mild imbalance while walking. She was referred to me for an opinion. Her symptoms did not improve and she had mild right-cerebellar signs. An MRI of the brain revealed an infarct in the right posterior inferior cerebellar territory, MR angiogram showed left vertebral hypoplasia.”
    “A diagnosis of #beauty #parlour stroke syndrome involving the right PICA territory was made. Possible mechanism is kinking of the

  • District administration Rawalpindi cracks down on cash & carry stores that overcharge customers

    District administration Rawalpindi cracks down on cash & carry stores that overcharge customers

    The district administration of Rawalpindi has launched a major campaign against megastores and cash-and-carry businesses, fined them Rs100,000, filed three police reports, and detained five persons for looting the public by overcharging for basic food items.

    On Tuesday, Assistant Commissioner Dr Zunera Aftab conducted raids on a number of megastores and cash & carry establishments, including marriage halls, according to The News.

    Additionally, the Rawalpindi district government issued warning letters to shopkeepers for allegedly participating in hoarding and faking a shortage of necessities.

    According to Assistant Commissioner Zunera Aftab, strong action has been taken against hoarders and profiteers. She said, “We cannot spare hoarders and profiteers at any cost. She added that hoarders are attempting to create a fake shortage while profiteers are attempting to make a 100 per cent profit on every item. “I will never spare them at any cost,” she threatened.

  • CPI inflation in Pakistan increases to 26.6% in October

    CPI inflation in Pakistan increases to 26.6% in October

    In Pakistan, Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation rose sharply in October, surging by 26.6 per cent year over year (YoY). On the other hand, it climbed 4.7 per cent month over month (MoM), indicating a decline of 1.2 per cent from September.

    “CPI inflation General, increased to 26.6 per cent on YoY basis in Oct 2022 as compared to an increase of 23.2 per cent in the previous month and 9.2 per cent in Oct 2021,” said the PBS.

    According to APP, inflation reached a YoY high of 27.3 per cent in August 2022, which was over a 47-year high in the inflation measurement in June 2022 after it had crossed the 20 per cent threshold.

    The inflation reading matches what the market had predicted.

    According to the PBS, year-over-year CPI inflation in urban areas reached 24.6 per cent in October 2022 as opposed to an increase of 21.2 per cent in the previous month and 9.6 per cent in October 2021.

    In October 2022, it grew to 4.5 per cent month over month, up from 1.7 per cent in October 2021 and a decline of 2.1 per cent the month before.

    In addition, year-over-year CPI inflation in rural regions reached 29.5 per cent in October 2022 as opposed to increases of 26.1 per cent in the previous month and 8.7 per cent in October 2021.

    When compared to the previous month’s gain of 0.2 per cent and the increase of 2.2 per cent in October 2021, it increased by 5.0 per cent in October 2022 on a monthly basis.

    Rising inflation has become a major worry for Pakistan’s economy, which is already experiencing a loss of foreign exchange reserves.

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) maintained the policy rate at 15 per cent in October at the recommendation of its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), believing that the current monetary policy stance achieves the right mix between controlling inflation and sustaining growth in the wake of the floods.

    “On the one hand, inflation could be higher and more persistent due to the supply shock to food prices, and it is important to ensure that this additional impetus does not spill over into broader prices in the economy. On the other, growth prospects have weakened, which should reduce demand-side pressures and suppress underlying inflation,” MPC said then.

    However, the government on Monday night announced that the price of petroleum products will remain the same for the ensuing 15 days.

    According to PBS data, the inflation rates that were highest in October were in the transportation, food, housing, and restaurant and hotel groupings.

    Items that witnessed an increase in prices

    Food

    The food commodities that witnessed increase in prices on a YoY basis included tomatoes (219.34 per cent), onions (165.66 per cent), gram whole (69.80 per cent), pulse gram (65.08 per cent), besan (62.25 per cent), mustard oil (61.14 per cent), pulse masoor (61.07 per cent), fresh vegetables (58.87 per cent), cooking oil (58.06 per cent), pulse mash (55.33 per cent), vegetable ghee (52.5 per cent), pulse moong (49.84 per cent), wheat (45.77 per cent), tea (41.89 per cent), rice (40.76 per cent), wheat flour (37.38 per cent), milk fresh (29.61 per cent), meat (25.34 per cent), potatoes (20.65 per cent), fish (15.4 per cent), chicken (12.22 per cent) and gur (0.39 per cent).

    Non-food items

    The non-food commodities that witnessed increase on a YoY basis included motor fuel (64.81 per cent), stationery (44.5 per cent), washing soap/detergents/match box (41.49 per cent), transport services (41.27 per cent), motor vehicles (34.29 per cent), construction input items (32.03 per cent), motor vehicle accessories (31.31 per cent), electricity charges (24.95 per cent), cotton cloth (24.16 per cent), household equipment (21.4 per cent), solid fuel (20.88 per cent) and construction wage rates (12.72 per cent).

  • Eight million flood-affected people need immediate medical attention, $81m: WHO

    Eight million flood-affected people need immediate medical attention, $81m: WHO

    The World Health Organization has issued a warning that the flood-affected areas of Pakistan are becoming more dangerous as eight million people are in need of immediate medical attention.

    According to WHO Regional Emergency Director Dr Richard Brennan, deteriorated infrastructure, stagnant water and insufficient sanitation facilities are all contributing to an increase in public health hazards.

    He said that massive amounts of lingering floodwaters had served as mosquito breeding grounds, causing an ongoing malaria outbreak in 32 regions across the nation.

    According to Dr Brennan, it will be difficult for relief organisations to handle the crisis. 

    He said that more than $81.5 million was required to address the health crisis in Pakistan’s flood-affected regions in order to ensure coordinated provision of critical medical services, effective management of severe acute malnutrition, and more effective epidemic identification and control.

    The UN has issued a warning about a “second wave” of disaster, with the possibility that the 1,700 people who drowned and died from electrocution in the original cascade may be outnumbered by those who die from water-borne illness and starvation.
    As many as 33 million people of the 220 million South Asian nation have been affected in some way by the floods that swept away houses, roads, railways and bridges and submerged around 4 million acres of farmland.

  • Best-selling author slams Musk’s plan to charge $20 for Twitter’s blue tick verification

    Best-selling author slams Musk’s plan to charge $20 for Twitter’s blue tick verification

    Elon Musk, who recently acquired control of the microblogging network in a $44 billion deal, responded to bestseller author Stephen King’s tweet expressing dissatisfaction over the anticipated cost for a verified badge.

    There have been rumours that Twitter would soon begin charging verified users a monthly charge for the blue ticks on their handles, Mr King said, “$20 a month to keep my blue check? F*** that, they should pay me. If that gets instituted, I’m gone like Enron.”

    The monthly charge is the subject of much rumour, with some reports stating it will be around $5 per month and others estimating it to be as high as $20. The author’s tweet on Enron relates to the significant US corporation’s spectacular collapse following years of explosive growth.

    Responding to Mr King’s tweet, Mr Musk said, “We need to pay the bills somehow! Twitter cannot rely entirely on advertisers. How about $8?”

    Many people believe it is not worthwhile to pay for a blue tick, while others contend that there is nothing wrong with charging individuals for the blue tick. The buzz surrounding the charge for a certified badge has ignited a heated debate.

    According to Musk, who oversaw the dramatic events that led to the dramatic developments of the Twitter takeover that also reached the court, the verification process for accounts is being updated. He made no further explanations.

    If the initiative is approved, users would have to pay $4.99 per month for Twitter Blue in order to keep their “verified” badges.

    Although the project may still be shelved because the CEO of Tesla Inc. has not made a final decision, Platformer predicts that verification will most likely be included in Twitter Blue.

    Musk dissolves Twitter’s board of directors

    In order to further solidify his authority over the social media network, Elon Musk earlier dissolved the Twitter’s board of directors.

    After purchasing the business last week, the multi-billionaire will serve as its CEO, putting an end to months of negotiations over the $44 billion acquisition.

    He has taken swift action to leave his stamp on the company, which is utilised by journalists and politicians all over the world.

    He is thinking about making adjustments to Twitter’s verification process and eliminating positions. According to reports, the first round of layoff is being discussed and may affect 25 per cent of the company’s workforce.

  • Maryam Nawaz calls IK’s long march ‘part-time march’

    Maryam Nawaz calls IK’s long march ‘part-time march’

    Maryam Nawaz, Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), took a jibe at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s ongoing long march, calling it a “part-time march”.

    “It should be called a part-time long march because he leaves his abode in Lahore after eating lunch and goes out for two or three hours to come back in time for his evening tea. After every 10 miles, he comes back to Lahore,” said the PML-N leader, addressing a press conference in London.

    The PML-N leader said the “part-time” march ends within two hours of starting, and it is still stuck in Lahore despite the passage of five days since it’s commencement. “And now, we are hearing reports that it will take eight to ten more days to reach Islamabad,” she said.

    The daughter of PML-N head, Nawaz Sharif, said that no institution was supporting Imran Khan’s march, however, she said that one or two individuals could be behind it.

    She further alleged that Khan is still searching for people in the establishment who will continue to support him but said that the nation was aware of this. “Your lies are unravelling and your time has ended”, she said, addressing Khan.

    ‘A precious life was lost’: Maryam about deceased journalist Sadaf Naeem

    Maryam sent condolences to the family of deceased journalist Sadaf Naeem who was crushed to death under Imran Khan’s container on October 30.

    Offering condolences. Maryam Nawaz said that the incident forced her to think about the purpose of PTI’s long march.

    “A precious life was lost. A mother of young children passed away while covering the long march. It forced me to ponder over the purpose of the long march,” she said.

    ‘Major scandal’: Maryam Nawaz about Khan’s Toshakhana case

    Regarding the Toshakhana reference, Maryam alleged that another “major scandal” related to the issue is soon coming to light.

    According to her, a British multinational jeweller, Graff, had gifted a diamond set that Imran had paid “Rs20 million for and sold in Dubai for Rs220m”.

    Maryam further said that in total, Khan had looted up to Rs. 50 million from the Toshakhana, which is the property of the nation.

  • India releases Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s ‘DDLJ’ again in theatres on his 57th birthday

    India releases Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s ‘DDLJ’ again in theatres on his 57th birthday

    Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s evergreen film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge will be re-released in theatres all over India on the Bollywood King’s 57th birthday on November 2.

    Yash Raj Films announced the news on October 31 through their Instagram handle. They shared the poster of the film in order to announce the news.

    DDLJ is a romantic-drama movie written and directed by Aditya Chopra. The film was released back in 1995 and became a massive blockbuster. It stars Shah Rukh and Kajol in the lead roles. The story of the film revolved around Raj and Simran’s love story.

    DDLJ is also the winner of a record-breaking (at the time) 10 Filmfare awards and the film changed the face of Bollywood globally.

    Even after 27 years of its release, the movie is still being screened at a theatre in Mumbai, screening there since the day of its original release.