Author: newsdesk

  • New FIR filed against Khan for violating Section 144

    New FIR filed against Khan for violating Section 144

    A new First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and his other party members at the Abpara police station in Islamabad.

    Asad Umar, Murad Saeed, Fawad Chaudhry, Faisal Javed Khan, Sheikh Rasheed and others have also been booked over violation of Section 144 and named in the FIR. 

    The FIR states that Khan along with his party leaders violated Section 144. It adds that the PTI leaders and their almost 1,000 supporters blocked the road at Imran Khan’s instructions. The FIR says that the party used loudspeakers as well.

    Earlier, an FIR was filed against Khan under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for “threatening” Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and senior police officers during his speech on August 20. However, he was granted transit bail till August 25.

    Read more: IHC to initiate contempt proceedings against Imran for controversial remarks regarding sessions judge

    On Monday (August 22), the Islamabad High Court (IHC) decided to initiate contempt proceedings against Imran Khan for passing controversial remarks about Judge Zeba Chaudhry.

    A day later, the IHC issued a show-cause notice to Imran Khan and summoned him on August 31 in contempt proceedings.

  • Update on feature films: What will Pakistani cinema offer in the coming months?

    Update on feature films: What will Pakistani cinema offer in the coming months?

    Pakistani cinema industry has witnessed a boom with back-to-back releases this year, especially on the two Eid festivals. Fortunately the stride of cinematic releases will continue for the coming months.

    Here is the list of films, set to be released in near future:

    Tich Button

    Tich Button: Urwa Hocane Hints On The Release Of Her Film - Lens

    The long delayed Tich Button that features an interesting ensemble cast finally has a release date, 28th October 2022. With Farhan Saeed, Feroze Khan, Sonya Hussyn, and Iman Ali as its stars, the film is set to be a commercial entertainer with romance sprinkled in. Directed by Qasim Ali Mureed, and produced by Urwa Hocane, it is being touted to be a mass entertainer.

    Aasman Bolay Ga

    Shoaib Mansoor unveils title teaser for 'Aasmaan Bolay Ga'

    The celebrated Shoaib Mansoor is determined to set the Pakistani industry ablaze with his next project, which, if whispers on the grapevine are to be believed, is going to hit cinemas in November 2022. With a patriotic undercurrent, the Emmad Irfani and Maya Ali starrer is going to revolve around the Pakistan Airforce, and their efficiency while striking back after India’s attack on Balakot.

    Neelofar

    Fawad, Mahira starrer 'Neelofar' set to release - Entertainment - Dunya News

    Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan starrer Neelofar has been written by Ammar Rasool and produced by Qasim Mehmood. Though the details about the film are being kept tightly under wraps, audiences are looking forward to Neelofar because of Mahira and Fawad’s pairing. The project will be the actors’ next after Bilal Lashari’s The Legend of Maula Jatt. It also stars Madiha Imam in a key role. Mahira apparantly plays a blind woman in the film, which will also have sufi touches in its narratives.

    Abhi

    Kubra Khan & Gohar Mumtaz pair up for 'Abhi' - Niche

    Abhi is headlined by Gohar Mumtaz and Kubra Khan. Full of thrills and romance, it also features Saleem Sheikh, Usman Peerzada, Yasra Rizvi, Mahmood Aslam, Hina Bayat, Ehteshamud Din and Asif Raza Mir. Written by Gohar Mumtaz, the film is directed by Asad Malik and produced by international UK based company Daniel Johnes. It’s first teaser garnered positive response as netizens appreciated the cinematography and the intrigue factor of the premise.

    Money Back Guarantee

    Here's Why Fawad Khan's 'Money Back Guarantee' Changed Its Release Date - Lens

    Money Back Guarantee is a comic-capper directed by Faisal Qureshi. The film stars Fawad Khan, Ayesha Omar, Hina Dilpazir, Ali Safina, Wasim Akram, Shayan Khan, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Gohar Rasheed, and Afzal Khan aka Jan Rambo. It will release in April 2023.

    Other films that are set to release in Pakistan are the celebrated Joyland, that won big at Cannes, the previously censored Javed Iqbal with Yasir Hussain, and Sarmad Khoosat’s much-awaited Zindagi Tamasha. More upcoming releases include John, Gavah Rehna, Dhai Chaal and Once Upon A Time In Karachi.

    Zarrar

    New Pakistani Movie Zarrar Trailer is Out Now - pakistantime

    Shaan Shahid’s larger-than-life comeback film’s trailer has already enthralled audiences. The film promises grand action sequences with double crosses and twists galore. The film also stars Nadeem Baig, Kiran Malik, and Nayyer Ejaz. While the release date is up in the air momentarily, rumor has it that it might have a fall release – tentatively 23rd September.

  • Pakistan strongly condemns another BJP official’s remarks against Holy Prophet (PBUH)

    Pakistan strongly condemns another BJP official’s remarks against Holy Prophet (PBUH)

    Pakistan has strongly condemned the highly provocative and sacrilegious remarks against the Holy Prophet (PBUH) by another official of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    Indian police had on Tuesday detained BJP leader T. Raja Singh, a lawmaker in the southern state of Telangana, on suspicion of “promoting enmity in the name of religion” after Muslim groups demanded his arrest for his comments about the Holy Prophet (PBUH), reports Dawn.

    “Pakistan condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the highly provocative and sacrilegious remarks made against the Holy Prophet (PBUH), by Raja Singh, a BJP official and a member of the state legislative assembly of the Indian state of Telangana,” a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) read.

    “These highly derogatory remarks have gravely hurt the feelings of the people of Pakistan and billions of Muslims around the world.”

    Pakistan demands the Indian government to take immediate and decisive action against the BJP members habitually involved in attacking Islam and targeting the dignity of beloved Prophet (PBUH),” the statement added.

    “The fact is that India is nothing more than an undeclared ‘Hindu Rashtra’ where Muslims are routinely denigrated, dispossessed and marginalised and their religious beliefs are trampled under majoritarian hegemonism.”

    The FO also called out the “deafening silence” of the top BJP leadership on the abhorrent incident, saying it manifestly reflected their approval and complete support to the radical Hindu zealots within and beyond the BJP.

    In June, BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, also passed derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

  • Heavy rains: Schools, colleges to remain closed in Sindh on Aug 24 and 25

    Heavy rains: Schools, colleges to remain closed in Sindh on Aug 24 and 25

    The Sindh government has announced the closure of schools and colleges for two days — August 24 and 25 — due to heavy rain forecast.

    Sindh Education Minister Sardar Shah announced that due to heavy rains, the government has declared a two-day holiday for schools and colleges in the province.
    Karachi Board of Intermediate has also postponed all exams scheduled for August 24 and 25. In addition, Deputy Commissioners in Badin and Sukkur districts have issued notifications to keep educational institutes shut for four days till August 27.

    The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) released an advisory yesterday forecasting more rains in the country during the week. The PMD has warned that heavy rains may generate urban flooding in Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Jam, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Khairpur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, Naushahro Feroz, Larkana, Jacobabad and Sukkur on August 24 and 25.

  • Punjab police launches online FIR registration service

    Punjab police launches online FIR registration service

    The Punjab police on Tuesday introduced two cutting-edge services labelled Punjab Police WhatsApp Services and Online Complaint Management System that are meant to bring police assistance to citizens’ doorsteps as a significant step toward reform.

    According to Dawn, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Faisal Shahkar said the future of police service is linked with IT-based policing, which is why Punjab police expanding the scope of IT-related initiatives so that the citizens can benefit from police services at their doorstep.

    According to IGP, the Punjab police will utilize these services to deliver police assistance to citizens’ homes rather than police stations or offices. This allows citizens to easily file complaints as well as obtain other information, such as a driving license or a registration for a First Information Report, with just a single click.

    He claimed that any citizen, particularly those who are Pakistanis living abroad, can simply file a complaint by using the Punjab police’s WhatsApp number, 0331-7871787, without having to go to a police station.

    The overseas Pakistanis will be able to access information and services using these contemporary services from any location, and more capabilities will be introduced to both the software in the future based on citizen feedback.

    In order to give citizens access to all policing-related facilities in a single app, the Police Department is combining all of its IT-related initiatives into one cutting-edge app along the lines of global corporations.

    He claimed that the complaint management system was also made available online for the benefit of the populace, allowing users to not only file complaints but also obtain an E-tag number.

    A few of the services provided are the following:

    Crime Report, IG Punjab Complaint Cell, Police Service Center Facilities, Helpline Numbers, Gender Harassment Report, Police Offices, Facilities for Overseas Pakistanis, Social Media, Punjab Police Website, Zainab Alert, Most Wanted Criminals, Citizen Portal, details of domestic workers criminal record verification, feedback and suggestions, etc.

    The CPO and the district-level officers will both keep an eye on the citizen complaints, and officials who purposefully delayed taking necessary action will face consequences.

  • Video: Finland’s PM’s leaked party video, takes drug test due to severe backlash

    Video: Finland’s PM’s leaked party video, takes drug test due to severe backlash

    Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on August 19 that she had taken a drug test following the publication of video footage that showed her partying with friends, and vowed she had never used illegal drugs.

    Video clips of Marin partying with well-known Finnish influencers and artists began circulating on social media, leading to severe criticism.

    “These videos are private and filmed in a private space. I resent that these became known to the public,” Marin told the media. She said she did not know who leaked them.

    “In recent days, there have been quite grave public accusations that I was in a space where drugs were used, or that I myself used drugs,” Marin told a news conference.

    “I consider these accusations to be very serious and, though I consider the demand for a drug test unjust, for my own legal protection and to clear up any doubts, I have taken a drug test today, the results of which will come in about a week.”

    However, Marin tested negative after a drug test she took following the publication of video footage that showed her partying with friends.

  • Fuel Cost Adjustment: Consumers protest against inflated electricity bills

    Fuel Cost Adjustment: Consumers protest against inflated electricity bills

    Power consumers protested in major cities against the government and power supply companies due to excessive residential and commercial bills that were issued under the pretext of Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA).

    A number of Lahore residents were seen protesting outside LESCO offices, complaining about the skyrocketing electricity bills, chanting anti-LESCO slogans at Dharam Pura, Begum Kot and Ghazi Road.

    A number of farmers in Jhang also participated in a protest by burning their power bills while obstructing traffic on the Jhang Road. On the other hand, the shopkeepers and locals of Faisalabad organised a sizable protest against FESCO for billing residential and commercial customers for nearly twice the actual cost of electricity.

    PM Shehbaz demands urgent report on inflated electricity bills

    In response to complaints from the public about excessive electricity bills, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the relevant authorities to provide an immediate report to address the issue.

    The premier ordered the concerned officials to present a thorough report with recommendations for resolving consumer complaints against energy bills on an urgent basis.

    What is FCA?

    In addition to criticising the power supply companies, consumers are questioning the FCA charges that take up a significant portion of their monthly bills.

    Understanding the actual fuel cost (the cost of fuel in a month) and the reference fuel cost is crucial for comprehending the fuel price adjustment.

    Simply put, FCA is charged/adjusted in customers’ monthly bills to reflect the actual increase or decrease in fuel prices.

    Based on the price of fuel (such as coal, LNG, or furnace oil) used in the nation’s various energy sources, the total cost of fuel used in the production of electricity in a month (basket fuel cost) is calculated.

    The entire fuel cost for that month is therefore compared to the reference fuel cost at the end of each month, and as a result, the FCA is applied to the power bills after two months.

    The electricity bill will reflect a change in the FCA amount if the total fuel cost for that month exceeds the reference cost, while it will reflect a change in the FCA amount if the total fuel cost is less than the reference cost. We refer to this as a fuel price adjustment.

    How power suppliers calculate FCA?

    Whenever a power plant uses coal, it is possible to estimate how much coal was burnt and at what cost, as well as the total cost of the energy needed to generate the power.

    For instance, if hydel electricity generation has increased, the overall fuel price will reduce; likewise, if gas is consumed more frequently in a month due to its higher price, the fuel price would climb.

    It is also impacted by the rupee’s appreciation or depreciation. This is due to the fact that coal, LNG, and furnace oil are imported, therefore a weakening or strengthening rupee directly affects the cost as a whole.

  • Can a ‘power hungry mad man’ trample the law, asks Zardari

    Can a ‘power hungry mad man’ trample the law, asks Zardari

    Former President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is “mad for power” ands said that the judiciary must see “whether this person is above the law”.

    “He is now targeting the judiciary and has threatened a woman judge in Islamabad. The judiciary has to see whether this person is above the law,” said Zardari.

    Zardari said that at the moment, one man’s hunger to be back in power is driving him mad with each passing day.

    “This man is subjecting our army to criticism on a daily basis and the same army is battling terrorists and sacrificing their lives for the country,” the PPP co-chairperson said.

    Zardari called upon the government to establish its writ.

    “Otherwise institutions will continue to be under attack from him,” warned Asif Zardari.

    Addressing a political gathering at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh on Sunday (August 21), Khan said that according to the reports he had received, the neutrals were responsible for the crackdown against his party.

    Read more: ‘Neutrals ka pressure tha’: Imran Khan blames the establishment for crackdown on PTI

    “On May 25, when the police used violence against us, I was told by insiders that the police were ordered from above, which means that neutrals pressurised them to give PTI workers a thrashing,” said Khan. 

  • Islamabad High Court issues show-cause notice to Khan, summons him on Aug 31

    Islamabad High Court issues show-cause notice to Khan, summons him on Aug 31

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday (August 23) issued a show-cause notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and summoned him on August 31 in contempt proceedings for his controversial remarks about Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, who had approved Shahbaz Gill’s physical remand in a sedition case.

    During today’s hearing, Islamabad Advocate General Jahangir Khan Jadoon informed the court that he had filed a miscellaneous application seeking permission to put Imran’s controversial statements against state institutions on record.

    In his application, the advocate general pleaded to the court that he wanted to submit the record of anti-judiciary remarks and speeches made by Imran Khan in the past.

    “I want to put Imran Khan’s video clip on record,” said the applicant.

    “In these circumstances, it is humbly prayed that [the court] allow to display the aforementioned material in this honourable court via USB or other digital gadgets, and consider this material as part of the case,” he said in his application.

    He pleaded with the court to allow the petitioner to play the video showing the anti-judiciary and anti-state institution remarks made by the PTI chairman in the past.

    IHC to initiate contempt proceedings against Imran for controversial remarks regarding sessions judge

    On Monday (August 22), the IHC decided to initiate contempt proceedings against Imran Khan for passing controversial remarks about Judge Zeba Chaudhry.