Author: newsdesk

  • Divorce rate highest in Pakistan since 2019: Gallup survey

    Divorce rate highest in Pakistan since 2019: Gallup survey

    The divorce rate has reached the highest in Pakistan according to a survey conducted by Gallup and Gilani Pakistan.

    2 out of every 5 Pakistanis believe that in-laws are the major reason for most failed marriages. The survey also recorded that 58 per cent of the population in Pakistan believe that divorce cases have increased in society, reports The News.

    It has been observed that the lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to mental health problems where couples experienced interference from the in-laws.

    In Karachi, 3800 divorce cases have been registered. Recently, 10,312 cases have been recorded by the District Judiciary of Rawalpindi between January 1 to November 9 in 2021 that including 10,312 cases of divorce, khula, guardianship, and maintenance whereas 13,000 cases are still waiting for the verdict in family courts of the Rawalpindi district.

    Around 70 per cent of the divorce cases filed were of women who married with their free will. Some women claimed the interference and bitterness from the in-laws as the marriage was not arranged by them [in-laws].

    Family Advocate Hamid Rashid Gondal also revealed that few cases of divorce end up in a settlement in court.

    Forced marriages are another contributing factor in increasing divorce numbers.

  • ‘Universities should research disastrous effects that western culture has on family life’: PM Khan

    ‘Universities should research disastrous effects that western culture has on family life’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Monday, during the inauguration ceremony of Al-Qadir University’s academic blocks, said that Pakistan’s youth was confused about itself in today’s world.

    He said young Pakistanis studied the western culture and were misled by it.

    The premier urged universities to research the disastrous effects that western culture was having on family life, and spoke out against how pornographic material was widely available on smartphones these days.

    He said universities were important as they can help people make “informed choices”, which will help people make smarter and better choices.

    PM Khan’s statement from his speech earlier this week caught the attention of the Twitterati and the premier was heavily criticised for his remarks.

    Writer and Vlogger, Saadia Ahmed wrote, “The most harmful effects on Pakistan’s family system come from Pakistan’s family system itself.”

    A Twitter user tweeted, “Wish it was a country where harmful effects of family system on a person’s health was researched.”

    https://twitter.com/009barca/status/1466330905937690627

    Criticising the words of the premier a Twitter user wrote, “He’s trying his best to not get voted next year good for him.”

    https://twitter.com/sheilasjawani/status/1466358126400221185

    A Twitter user tweeted, “I wouldn’t be surprised if this guy creates a new discipline to study Pakistan’s Family System.”

  • ‘Jhoot bola hai’: Punjab Governor says PTI did not ask him to step down

    ‘Jhoot bola hai’: Punjab Governor says PTI did not ask him to step down

    Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar refuted reports that he was told by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to step down from the Governor Punjab post, terming it a “lie”.

    Sarwar, speaking to journalists in London, said, “The impression of being sidelined [by the party] is also not correct.”

    Earlier this week, Sarwar made many heads turn when he spoke against his party.

    “I never asked for the governor’s position but had been asked by the party’s leadership to accept it,” he said.

    “When you are in a party, you have to accept the party’s decision and you cannot rebel. This was our party’s unanimous decision,” Sarwar added.

    When asked by a reporter whether this was done to sideline him, the Punjab governor agreed, saying that he came to that realisation later.

    Sarwar said he could have delivered much more for the country if he was given another role, adding that he was doing his best to fulfill his duty in areas where he could exercise his domain.

    The Punjab Governor said, “so far we have failed to bring judicial and police reforms”.

  • ‘Virat and Babar’s hug’: Adnan Siddiqui backs Amitabh Bachchan’s view on Pak-India

    ‘Virat and Babar’s hug’: Adnan Siddiqui backs Amitabh Bachchan’s view on Pak-India

    Pakistani Actor Adnan Siddiqui has praised Bollywood Actor Amitabh Bachchan for his views on Pakistan and India’s required relationship.

    “Concur with Mr Amitabh Bachchan. Art and cinema bridge the chasms between two nations at loggerheads. The beauty lies in connecting despite political differences,” the Meray Pass Tum Ho actor wrote in a tweet.

    Amitabh Bachchan penned a lengthy article for a news media outlet on the 13th anniversary of the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai, in which he highlighted the importance of people to people connection in both countries.

    In his article The Sholay actor recalled moments which united people across borders, “Sometimes they nestle in the warmth of the hug that went viral, that India’s captain Virat Kohli gave to Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, after the men in green defeated the men in blue in the first game of the T20 World Cup that concluded in Dubai recently.”

    Read more- ‘Pakistan or India?’: Sania Mirza finally puts the banter to rest by revealing who she supports

    “Sometimes they revel in the smashing box office success, in India and also in Pakistan, of the 2015 Salman Khan-starrer Bajrangi Bhaijaan, a cross-border tale about empathy and compassion, an Indian man’s struggle to reunite a Pakistani child with her family,” he added.

    Bachchan concluding by saying, “freedom from fear means that we are more at ease with our neighbour,” adding, “No terrorist must be allowed to change the way we are in the dark, or with our neighbour, or ourselves. No single act of terror must be given the power to destroy the interconnectedness of our stories, our plural solidarities.”

  • Pakistan fully vaccinates 33% of its eligible population against covid-19

    Pakistan fully vaccinates 33% of its eligible population against covid-19

    Pakistan has vaccinated 33 per cent of the eligible population against Covid-19, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) stated in a tweet.

    “33% of Pakistan’s eligible population has been fully vaccinated!! If you are still unvaccinated, please get your dose now! Stay safe!,” the tweet by the center read.

    As of today, the total number of vaccines administered across the country is 124,054,300.

    The NCOC has also approved a booster shot of Covid-19 vaccines for healthcare workers, those aged over 50 years, and immunocompromised people.

    Read more- NCOC approves booster shot for healthcare workers, those over 50 and immunocompromised people

    A new variant of the coronavirus was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from South Africa on November 24. It was declared a new variant “of concern” and named it Omicron. The new variant has raised alarm in the entire world, including Pakistan.

    Read more- Deadly Omicron-new variant of Covid, raises alarm

  • Ex-CJ GB Rana Shamim’s salary shocks Twitter, didn’t even show up for the job

    Ex-CJ GB Rana Shamim’s salary shocks Twitter, didn’t even show up for the job

    Former Chief Judge of Gilgit Baltistan is yet again making headlines as the most expensive vice-chancellor of a university.

    The Sindh government appointed the Islamabad-based Rana Shamim, reports Samaa News, and got him at a shocking salary. After his appointment as the Vice-Chancellor of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto University (SZABU) when it came to fixing salaries and benefits, the Sindh government broke all records and set a monthly salary and benefits of Rs three million to Rana Shamim.

    No other vice-chancellor has been given this much salary in Sindh before, according to the report.

    It is being reported that Rana Shamim did not appear in the university for a year and a half and despite his absence was being given a pay cheque for Rs 30 lakhs.

    Chief Minister (CM) Sindh Murad Ali Shah, contradicting the news said, that it was incorrect that the judge had not visited SZABU for a year and a half.

    However, SZABU member syndicate and Sindh Assembly member, Liaqat Askani said that Rana Shamim last came to the syndicate meeting nine months ago.

    “I tried contacting him [Rana Shamim] once or twice after the syndicate meeting but I was informed that he is in Islamabad,” said Liaqat.

    Sindh Minister for Universities and Boards of Education Ismail Rahu said that the vice-chancellor should come to the university.

    On being questioned if Ismail had met the vice-chancellor, he responded that he had not met him even once.

  • NCOC reportedly allows full capacity crowd for Pak-West Indies series

    NCOC reportedly allows full capacity crowd for Pak-West Indies series

    The National Command and Control Center (NCOC) has reportedly allowed a hundred per cent crowd capacity for Pakistan vs West Indies series at the National Stadium, Karachi.

    Read More – PCB announces schedule of West Indies tour of Pakistan

    The three-match T20I series is all set to commence from December 13 after which the teams will face each other in the ODI series, which is part of the ICC World Cup Super League, at the same venue.

    According to Cricket Pakistan, NCOC has allowed 100 per cent capacity after a request by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    Children up to the age of 12, who have been vaccinated, will also be able to enjoy the game at the stadium.

    Moreover, NCOC has directed PCB to follow all Covid-19 protocols for these matches.

    Meanwhile, the Windies had earlier announced their squads for the T20Is and ODIs. Match officials for the series have also been announced by PCB.

    Aleem Dar, member of ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, will team up with Ahsan Raza, one of the four Pakistani umpires in the ICC International Panel of Umpires, for the on-field umpiring duties of the first of the three T20I.

    The Windies are scheduled to arrive in Karachi on December 9.

  • PTI MNA says women smoking cigarettes cause divorce

    PTI MNA says women smoking cigarettes cause divorce

    PTI Member of National Assembly (MNA) and Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, Nausheen Hamid, while addressing an audience, said that, “girls are very involved in cigarette smoking.”

    Read More – Is Mahira Khan glorifying abusive relationships in Pakistani dramas?

    She went on to say that, “I personally know of homes where smoking became a habit for girls and when they got married, they were unable to quit. [The smoking] created social issues with their in-laws and eventually led to divorce.”

    Twitter hit her hard with criticism about her comments.

    https://twitter.com/ManiacKumar/status/1466017986838507529
    https://twitter.com/sarmadrafi7/status/1466005946547773447
    https://twitter.com/TheMichi7/status/1466004275797110789

    In a recent survey, 58% of Pakistanis believe that divorce rates in Pakistan have increased in the country. 2 out of  every 5 Pakistanis believe that the in-laws are responsible for most of these cases, revealed the survey.

  • Jacqueline Fernandez under fire for leaked intimate pictures with Indian conman

    Jacqueline Fernandez under fire for leaked intimate pictures with Indian conman

    Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez has come under media scrutiny after pictures of her cozying up with an alleged extortionist Sukesh Chandrasekhar have surfaced online.

    Sukesh is being investigated for cheating and money extortion. And Jacqueline was romantically linked with the conman.

    It was last month that the actress was grilled by authorities for hours in the ‘200 crores’ money laundering case.

    Recently Sukesh’s lawyer Anant Malik claimed that the Bhoot Police diva was in a relationship with the conman.

    A report by an Indian portal stated that a well-known director who knows her well has spilled the beans that he wasn’t aware of Chandrashekhar’s business activities, “He showered her with attention and expensive gifts. She fell for it. She probably didn’t check his identity. Which is as bad as Shilpa Shetty claiming she didn’t know what her husband was up to. If you’re dating/marrying someone you can’t be blind to what he does,” says the director.

    Years ago Raj Kapoor’s discovery Mandakini of Ram Teri Ganga Maili fame was caught in highly dubious company which damaged her career.

    Does Jacqueline Fernandez have a soft corner for Salman Khan?

    A source told the media portal, “she will seek the help of her Kick costar Salman Khan to bail her out of the situation. This likelihood apart the next few weeks won’t be easy on Ms. Fernandez as she has a lot of answering to do and she may not have the answers that the government agencies are looking for.”

  • Property tycoon escapes police custody with armed men

    In a bizarre Hollywood movie-style development, Property Tycoon Nadeem Ijaz escaped police custody with his armed men when the court rejected his bail in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

    The accused was on interim bail till 30 November, reports Dawn.

    Armed men in a four-wheel car stopped the police vehicle outside the court building in Rawalpindi. Nadeem escaped custody with the assistance of his armed men and ran off.

    Earlier, a case was registered against Ijaz and Saad Nazir by Shahzad Mehmood, a senior official of Metropolitan Directorate Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) with Chontra police station.

    In the First Investigation Report (FIR), it stated that the owners of the private housing society were developing the society on illegal land without getting the approval of RDA.

    However, Nadeem Ijaz got an interim bail from the court which ended on November 30.

    The City Police Officer (CPO), Athar Ismail have instructed Superdent Poice (SP) Saddar Kamran to arrest the culprit and accomplices within 24 hours.