Author: newsdesk

  • ‘Blackest day in the history of Pakistan’: Bilawal Bhutto on Ziaul Haq’s coup 45 years ago

    ‘Blackest day in the history of Pakistan’: Bilawal Bhutto on Ziaul Haq’s coup 45 years ago

    Foreign Minister (FM) and Chairperson Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari termed July 5, 1977 as “the blackest day in the history of Pakistan”. He reiterated PPP’s commitment to democracy.

    On July 5, 1977, military dictator General Ziaul Haq ousted an elected government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto through a military coup.

    Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the founder of the PPP and the ninth prime minister of Pakistan.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry also tweeted about July 5 and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

    “Today is July 5 when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was overthrown. Today’s political suffocation and situation is close to what it was back in July 5, 1977.” He added that the only difference is that the “PPP is a main player in today’s fascism’”

    Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman called July 5 a dark day in Pakistan’s history.

  • CM Hamza announces free electricity for households consuming up to 100 units

    CM Hamza announces free electricity for households consuming up to 100 units

    Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Hamza Shehbaz announced on Monday the provincial government would bear the power cost of households consuming up to 100 units of electricity in a month.

    “I was told not to take big decisions without the cabinet’s consent to steer the backward class out of difficult economic conditions. I was told that it could become a NAB case, but I said that I am ready to face any difficulty to give relief to people,” said Hamza Shehbaz.

    The CM conveyed that the provincial government would pay the full bill of consumers using up to 100 units of electricity per month under the Punjab Chief Minister’s Roshan Gharana Programme. The consumers using up to 100 units of electricity in each of the past six months will be able to avail the facility, the CM said and emphasised that the programme would benefit almost half of the population of the province.

    “This will act as an incentive for those who use more than 100 units of electricity to save energy,” Hamza hoped.

    Hamza said that there are 4.4 million families using 100 units in Punjab, i.e. 55 million people in the province use less than 100 units per month.

    “The economic situation will be back on track,” he promised. He vowed that “the genie of inflation will be put back into the bottle and the dying economy will be revived with the grace of Allah Almighty and help of masses”.

  • Lindsay Lohan marries Dubai based millionaire Bader Shammas

    Lindsay Lohan marries Dubai based millionaire Bader Shammas

    Hollywood star Lindsay Lohan secretly tied the knot with Bader Shammas, a Dubai-based financier. She confirmed the same in an Instagram post on July 1. The couple previously got engaged in November last year and in her new birthday post, Lindsay referred to Bader as her “husband.” 

    Lohan shared a sweet picture of her and Shammas and called herself the “luckiest woman in the world” on her birthday. Sharing the snap, in the captions, the Mean Girls star wrote, “I am the luckiest woman in the world. You found me and knew that I wanted to find happiness and grace, all at the same time. I am stunned that you are my husband. My life and my everything. every woman should feel like this everyday.” 

    It was also confirmed by Lohan’s spokesperson to Entertainment Tonight that the actress indeed got married. Following their engagement in November, Lindsay had dropped a series of photos of the two and also showcased her engagement ring while making the happy announcement. She wrote, “My love. My life. My family. My future” as she tagged him in the post. 

    Bader got his Mechanical Engineering degree in 2010 from the University of South Florida and later graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Finance degree from John H. Sykes College of Business. He is currently based in Dubai and is an assistant vice president at Credit Suisse. He previously worked as a associate at BNP Paribas Wealth Management.

    The duo began dating in February 2020 and have been going strong ever since. The details of their wedding haven’t been revealed yet by Lohan. The actress is also set to make an acting comeback soon and will be seen in a Netflix film. She will be next seen in a holiday rom-com soon. 

  • Indian plane makes emergency landing at Karachi airport

    Indian plane makes emergency landing at Karachi airport

    A private Indian plane made an emergency landing at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on Tuesday due to some technical fault. The flight was going from India to Dubai.

    “On July 5, 2022, SpiceJet B737 aircraft operating flight SG-11 (Delhi – Dubai) was diverted to Karachi due to an indicator light malfunctioning. The aircraft landed safely at Karachi and passengers were safely disembarked,” said a statement from a spokesperson of the Indian airline.

    “No emergency was declared and the aircraft made a normal landing. There was no earlier report of any malfunction with the aircraft. Passengers have been served refreshments. A replacement aircraft is being sent to Karachi that will take the passengers to Dubai,” it added.

    Over 100 people were aboard the Boeing 737 when it made its emergency landing at the Jinnah International Airport, but they were not permitted to offload.

  • Sindh police on high alert to avoid thefts

    Sindh police on high alert to avoid thefts

    In order to avoid thefts, purse snatchings, and other street crimes ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, Sindh Inspector General Gulam Nabi Memon has placed the police of every precinct on the routes leading to Super Highway Cattle Market on high alert.

    The decision was made knowing that sellers and buyers of sacrificial animals both carry large sums of cash in their pockets, making them targets for thieves.

    In this regard, the chief of Sindh’s police presided over a conference to go over in detail the security measures related to Eid-ul-Azha.

    Memon stated that it is important to ensure the execution of security measures and other choices pertaining to the contingency plan for Eid-ul-Azha.

    He gave the order that police officers assigned to district-level security duty receive a thorough briefing.

    According to him, security at imam bargahs, mosques, animal sacrifice sites, and the main thoroughfares of the cattle market and surrounding regions should be made extremely strong and extraordinary.

    The IG stated that it is important to guarantee that the code of conduct on animal sacrifice is followed, and that in doing so, registered organisations, animal welfare organisations, and other stakeholders should be given the benefit of the doubt.

    A further directive from the IG Sindh was to maintain passenger safety on all Sindhi highways and to improve communication between the police in all districts and the relevant highway and motorway authorities.

    Officials were instructed to coordinate police picketing and patrols on highways, roads, and other designated locations while conducting checking and surveillance on Sindh’s inbound and departure routes as well as video recording.

  • ‘The most handsome police wala,’ Twitter drools over Shaheen Shah Afridi in police uniform

    ‘The most handsome police wala,’ Twitter drools over Shaheen Shah Afridi in police uniform

    The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police named renowned fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi their “Goodwill Ambassador” on Monday. Afridi was awarded the honorary rank of deputy superintendent of police (DSP) at a simple ceremony held in Peshawar.

    Shaheen Shah Afridi’s pictures and videos in uniform have gone viral on social media. Some Twitter users are drooling over him while others are busy making memes. Have a look at some Twitter reactions:

  • MQM’s Babar Ghauri arrested in Karachi after ending seven-year self-exile

    MQM’s Babar Ghauri arrested in Karachi after ending seven-year self-exile

    Babar Ghauri, former federal minister and senior leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), was arrested at the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on Monday after he returned to Pakistan from the United States (US) after ending his seven-year self-exile.

    In a video shared on social media, Ghauri can be seen being taken into custody by the Karachi police.

    Last month, the Sindh High Court (SHC) granted Babar Ghauri a two-week protective bail in a corruption reference and a money-laundering and terror-financing case. After the SHC orders, Ghauri announced his return without giving details of when he planned to return to Pakistan.

    Ghauri had been booked by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in 2017 in a money-laundering and terror-financing case.

  • Banks increase charges for ATM withdrawals from other banks

    Banks increase charges for ATM withdrawals from other banks

    For cash withdrawals at ATMs from banks other than the account’s host bank, some commercial banks have increased the per transaction cost from Rs18.50 to Rs23.44.

    Some banks have already begun charging their clients, while others are expected to do so within the coming weeks.

    The details indicate that commercial banks, including United Bank Limited (UBL), Askari Bank, Bank Al Habib, Meezan Bank, Bank of Punjab (BOP), Telenor Microfinance Bank, and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), updated their schedule of charges and increased the fees on cash withdrawals made by customers of various banks through their ATMs.

    Banks like Bank Alfalah, MCB Bank, and Habib Bank Limited did not change the fees for cash withdrawals made through the Link 1 changeover. On the same account, these banks charge between Rs18.50 and Rs18.75 every transaction.

    These fees make up a substantial portion of 1-Link Switch as well as a small portion of a bank that operates an ATM that is utilised by clients of other banks to conduct transactions.

    Not all banks will necessarily use the same strategy. However, the majority of banks, are expected to gradually impose or increase the fees.

  • When Fawad Alam made Hina Altaf uncomfortable by inquiring about her ‘shyness’

    A video clip from an interview has resurfaced of actor Hina Altaf from Tabish Hashmi’s show To Be Honest. The talented performer can be heard sharing an incident with cricketer Fawad Alam.

    The Udaari star mentioned at the show that once she interacteed with Fawad at Nida Yasir’s morning show and he asked her an awkward question. She said, “Usne mujhe on-air hi keh diya ke ap waqayi hi itni sharmili hain kya? (Are you actually so shy?”

    The Dour diva recently opened up on why she doesn’t share personal pictures with her husband Aagha Ali on social media.

    Responding to a follower, who asked her about this, Hina said: “A lot of people ask me the same question.”

    “I don’t feel like posting anything or everything about our lives. Judgmental behaviour, people passing comments and assuming things on their own at times does not feel good,” continued the actor. “I like to keep my life a little private.”

    Hina further said that she is not suggesting anyone to do the same, adding: “You are the boss of your own life, so you better do only what makes you happy.”

    “And having professional life yet personal life which is not on display all the time makes me happy and at peace,” added Hina.

    Meanwhile, Hina also gave a sneak peek into her life, saying: “I was in Lahore and my mother-in-law cooked amazing biryani.”

    Hina and Ali, who gained popularity after their brilliant performance in the hit drama serial Dil-e-Gumshuda, tied the knot in an intimate ceremony on May 22, 2020. The power couple is also hosting a show called The Couple Show, in which they chat with other couples from the industry about their lives.

  • ‘Farah Gogi, Pinky Peerni aur Money Gala Fitna Khan ke mega projects hain’: Maryam on Khan

    ‘Farah Gogi, Pinky Peerni aur Money Gala Fitna Khan ke mega projects hain’: Maryam on Khan

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s politics will end after July 17 by-polls, while addressing an election rally in PP-156, Dharampura on July 3.

    “Punjab will never vote for Imran Khan again”

    Maryam addressing the rally said that Punjab will never vote for Imran Khan again. The people of Punjab understood Imran Khan now.

    “Fallen on his face without crutches”

    Maryam, speaking of Khan, said that he had fallen on his face without crutches. “Now he knows that people have found him out and will no longer vote so now he is calling out [for help] He calls out to neutrals at rallies but nobody pays any heed.”

    Maneka’s children have become billionaires in Imran Khan’s tenure”

    Alleging corruption, Maryam claimed that Khawar Maneka’s children have become rich while the nation has become poor. “They gave grief to the people of Pakistan and relief to their own family members.”

    Referring to the recent alleged audio tape leak of Bushra Bibi, Maryam said that Bushra Bibi instructed that everybody who questioned her corruption be called a “traitor”.

    “Farah Gogi, Pinky Peerni aur Money Gala Fitna Khan ke mega projects hain”

    Criticising the alleged corruption in Imran Khan’s tenure, Maryam said once again Imran Khan is after the province of Punjab. “Fitna Khan ke mega projects kya hain? Farah Gogi, Pinky Peerni aur Money Gala. [What are the mega projects of Fitna Khan? (Imran Khan) Farah Gogi, Pinky Peerni and Money Gala.”

    “Farah Gogi swindled the entire province of Punjab and she’s a “bachi” [young girl]?”

    Talking about the recent allegedly leaked audio tape in which Bushra Bibi called Farah Gogi a “bachi”, Maryam questioned after all of Farah Gogi’s crimes in Punjab, why is she still considered a child?