Author: newsdesk

  • ‘Nation stands with PM Khan, Opposition can’t harm him’, claims Asad Umar

    ‘Nation stands with PM Khan, Opposition can’t harm him’, claims Asad Umar

    Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar dismissed the news of factionalism within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and said no one could be Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s substitute within the party.

    While talking to Geo News’  programme “Naya Pakistan”, Umar stated that 99 per cent of the PTI’s vote bank belongs to PM Khan.

    “I reiterate that the nation stands with Imran Khan and this is the only reason that the Opposition has been unable to harm him,” he said while referring to Opposition claims that allied parties are not with the government.

    The federal minister also seconded his party fellow Fawad Chaudhry’s statement about Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members being “hell-bent on removing Nawaz Sharif from their party”.

    Despite inflation and new taxes that have been imposed, Asad Umar claimed that the country’s economy is progressing.

  • ‘Onus lies on India to take steps for constructive dialogue’: Pakistan

    ‘Onus lies on India to take steps for constructive dialogue’: Pakistan

    Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, during a weekly media briefing, said, “On multiple occasions, the prime minister and the foreign minister have expressed our position on this matter (dialogue). But India has vitiated the environment — the conditions are not there. We have repeatedly said that the onus lies on India to take necessary steps for an environment conducive for constructive dialogue.”

    Recently, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane had said that India was not averse to the possible demilitarisation of the Siachen Glacier provided Pakistan accepted the 110-km Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) that separates the positions of both Pakistan and India.

    FO spokesperson was asked about Pakistan’s reaction to any possibility of India’s demilitarisation of the Siachin Glacier.

    “Pakistan has a policy, which is derived from the principle of a friendly neighbourhood. We want peace and friendship in our neighbourhood, good relations with all including India,” the FO spokesperson said.

    “But you have seen how the developments have unfolded in our region; you have witnessed the very hostile Indian attitude especially during the last couple of years and since the illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, in IIOJ&K, the situation has further deteriorated and in this context, we have to see how we can move forward,” he added.

    Talking about law firm Stoke White submitting a report based on over 2,000 testimonies taken between 2020 and 2021, providing extensive evidence to the Metropolitan Police’s War Crimes Unit documenting how Indian military and civil leadership were responsible for the torture, kidnapping, and killing of activists, journalists and civilians, he added: “It is self-evident that India can no longer escape international and legal censure for its rampant human rights violations in IIOJ&K, and we call upon the international community, particularly the United Nations and international human rights and humanitarian organisations to hold India accountable.”

  • ‘Special time for our family’: Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas become parents to a baby girl

    ‘Special time for our family’: Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas become parents to a baby girl

    Celebrity couple of Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas have welcomed a baby through surrogacy. The Baywatch diva announced the news on her official Instagram handle.

    “We are overjoyed to confirm we have welcomed a baby via surrogate,” the posy read. “We respectfully ask for privacy during this special time as we focus on our family.”

    As per Daily Mail they have welcomed a daughter 12 weeks early. “The baby girl, who was born via surrogate, arrived at 27 weeks at a Southern California hospital outside LA, where she’ll remain until she is healthy enough to return home with her parents, a source close to the couple said,’ read the news report.

    In November, 2021, during her roast, Priyanka spoke about having kids with Nick and said that they are the only couple who do not have any kids. Nick’s brothers Kevin Jonas has two daughters, and Joe Jonas also shares a daughter with his wife Sophie Turner.

    Chopra and Nick tied the knot in Rajasthan in 2018.

  • Man’s dead body found surrounded by 124 snakes

    Man’s dead body found surrounded by 124 snakes

    A dead body of a man was found inside his home surrounded by 124 snakes in Maryland, United States (US).

    According to the police, the deceased man had kept the snakes in a cage inside his home, some of which were venomous.

    A neighbour reported to the police after he peeped into the house through a window to check on the man as he had not been seen by the neighbour for the whole day.

    Police said that the cause of death has yet to be found and added, “No obvious signs of foul play have been found so far.”

    “Inside the house, more than 100 venomous and non-venomous snakes of different varieties were discovered in tanks situated on racks,” said the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.

    The man had kept snakes as pets, including pythons, rattlesnakes, cobras, and black mambas.

    The police official further added, “Charles County Animal Control is coordinating rescue efforts relating to the reptiles with assistance from reptile experts from North Carolina and Virginia.”

    The law of Maryland forbids people to keep snakes as pets in their residence.

  • US President Biden nominates first-ever Muslim woman as federal judge

    US President Biden nominates first-ever Muslim woman as federal judge

    Washington announced the nomination of the first Muslim woman as a judge of a federal court on Wednesday.

    Nusrat Jahan Choudhury, a Bangladeshi-American, is a civil rights lawyer who currently serves as the legal director of the Illinois chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

    Last year, Democratic Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer recommended Choudhury to serve on the federal bench in New York, calling her an “expert in civil rights and liberties”.

    She was nominated by US President Joe Biden. The nomination is yet to be confirmed by a simple majority in the Senate.

    If confirmed, Choudhry would serve as the first Muslim woman, first Bangladeshi-American and second-ever American Muslim to serve as a federal judge.

    Apart from this, Joe Biden has also nominated 24 Blacks,17 Hispanics and 16 people who are Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. 

  • Peshawar Zalmi’s Tom Kohler-Cadmore ‘happy’ to be in Karachi, isolating in hotel room

    Peshawar Zalmi’s Tom Kohler-Cadmore ‘happy’ to be in Karachi, isolating in hotel room

    English cricketer Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who will be playing for Peshawar Zalmi, has arrived in Karachi for the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and he has said in a video message that he is happy to be here.

    The right-handed batter is in the madatory quarantine in the team hotel room in Karachi and has recorded a message for his fans.

    “It’s been a long journey but happy to be here and can’t wait to go out of the isolation in three-days time and meet up with the lads and get going in the competition,” said Tom in a video shared by Zalmi.

    Pakistan national team pacer Wahab Riaz is leading the Peshawar franchise. According to former Pakistan cricket team captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Zalmi along with Lahore Qalandars have the best team combinations.

    Peshawar had earlier announced that the franchise has retained Liam Livingstone, Wahab Riaz, Haider Ali, Sherfane Rutherford, Shoaib Malik, Saqib Mahmood, and Tom.

    The 2017 champions also picked fast bowler Arshad Iqbal, wicket-keeper-batter Kamran Akmal, and spinner Usman Qadir.

    Akmal, however, was unhappy over being picked in the Silver category and announced his withdrawal from the tournament.

    But Peshawar Zalmi and Kamran Akmal resolved the dispute between them a few days later as Akmal agreed to play for Zalmi in the seventh edition of the PSL.

    Usman Qadir joined Zalmi from Multan Sultans.

    Zalmi will kick off their PSL 7 campaign by taking on Quetta Gladiators on January 28 with the tournament set to be starting from January 27 at the National Stadium Karachi.

  • ‘My father made me strong’: Hira Mani misses father Farukh Jamal, requests for prayers

    ‘My father made me strong’: Hira Mani misses father Farukh Jamal, requests for prayers

    Actor Hira Mani has penned down an emotional note for her father who passed away in September 2021. The Kashf star turned singer is currently in quarantine. Hira announced three days ago that she has tested positive for Covid’19.

    “Nahee samney ye alag baat hae
    Mere pass hai tu mere pass hai mere saath hae .”

    “Jab bhe main beemar houti thi abbu mere pass houtay thay !! Lekin abbu mujhay bohat strong bana kay gaye hain !!! Alhumdulilah… app Mera sub kuch hain abbu ❤️”

    Mere abbu ko app sub apni duaon main yaad rakhyega Allah kay pass hain sukoon main hain main jaanti hun ❤️”

    Hira’s father passed away last year in September.

    Actor Anooshay Abbasi and Madiha Rizvi sent their love to Hira under her post.

  • Watch: PM Modi’s slip of tongue of ‘beti patao’ makes him a Twitter meme

    Watch: PM Modi’s slip of tongue of ‘beti patao’ makes him a Twitter meme

    Addressing the World Economic Forum (WEF), Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi landed himself in some trouble. His slip of tongue moment went viral on social media, where he could be heard saying ‘beti patao’ instead of ‘beti padhao’.

    Modi ideally wanted to address the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao‘ initiative being adopted in India, but his faltered speech changed the entire meaning of the word and idea communicated.

    https://twitter.com/suryapsingh_IAS/status/1484051506932633601

    ‘Patao’ primarily is translated as ‘dating or flirting’ while the actual term ‘padhao’ means ‘educating or teaching’.

    Twitter is all pumped up as the recent subject of the meme world is Narendra Modi for his beti patao gaffe.

    https://twitter.com/AseemAn33925929/status/1484113301965803526

    https://twitter.com/ImOdd_MF/status/1484252506926743552
  • Google dedicates doodle to murdered Karachi activist, Perween Rahman

    Google dedicates doodle to murdered Karachi activist, Perween Rahman

    Today’s Google Doodle was dedicated to murdered Karachi activist Perween Rahman. She did her postgraduate diploma in housing, building and urban planning from the Institute of Housing Studies in Rotterdam, Netherlands. She was the director of a NGO based in Karachi, Orangi Pilot Project.

    She was born in born in Dhaka in 1957. Pervween did part of her schooling in former East Pakistan and migrated to Karachi after the fall of Dhaka.

    She received a bachelors in engineering and architecture from Karachi’s Dawood College of Engineering and Technology in 1981 and joined a private architect’s firm. She later joined, Orangi Pilot Project, a NGO based in Karachi.

    She also did postgraduate diploma in housing, building and urban planning from the Institute of Housing Studies in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

    Perween Rahman was an outspoken critic of the land mafias in Karachi. Perween has received numerous awards from the government, including the Sitara-e-Shujaat for her efforts.

    Rahman was killed on March 13, 2013, when four gunmen opened fire on her vehicle near Pirabad police station in Orangi Town. She was rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where she was pronounced dead. The bullets fired that day ended her 28-year-long career for advocating for land and basic services rights for the underprivileged.

  • CIA joins investigation of Lahore blast, arrest suspects

    CIA joins investigation of Lahore blast, arrest suspects

    The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) has joined the Lahore bomb blast investigation and will interrogate the case with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), reports Dawn.

    Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Rao Sardar Ali Khan also announced that the CIA has been assigned to investigate the probe beside the CTD.

    Law enforcement agencies have started their search operations all over the city and arrested some accused on the suspicion of their alleged involvement in the Lahore bomb blast.

    The CIA chief held a meeting on Friday after investigating the crime scene and also sent teams to inspect the roads that the prime suspect could have used the route for escape from the crime scene.

    He said, “We have dispatched teams to all the bus stations, railway stations, and exit-entry points of the provincial capital.”

    He also added that the regional police officers and district police officers of Punjab have also been given orders by the IGP to be vigilant for intensifying the security to track down the culprits.

    Sources shared with Dawn the initial development that the law enforcers received a tip-off about the presence of suspects in the area near Anarkali market and other locations of the city. The investigative team has received some important leads through CCTV video and call records.

    Meanwhile, officials refused to confirm any major development as the interrogation is still underway.

    On Thursday, a bomb blast took place in Lahore near Pan Mandi in New Anarkali in which three people died and 28 people were injured. The injured people were shifted to Mayo Hospital. 20 people who were injured got discharged from Mayo Hos­pital whereas eight victims are still under treatment.

    While replying to Dawn, an official source revealed that there is a “strong possibility” of the Baloch Nationalist Army’s involvement behind the bomb blast.