Author: newsdesk

  • Hina Bayat is done with internet shutdowns

    Hina Bayat is done with internet shutdowns

    Since the past few days internet outages have become a serious problem in Pakistan, negatively affecting daily life and business.

    Actress Hina Bayat posted a video on instagram with the caption “Aapko Khuda ka waasta humari qaum per reham karain ”.

    The star went on to say, “On one hand, we cry about our deteriorating economy, and then the government claims it is working to improve it. Yet, on the other hand, they shut down the internet, which directly affects people’s businesses. I’m worried that shutting down the internet will take away people’s jobs and livelihoods. What’s the point of doing this? Are you trying to protect yourself out of fear? But it’s actually harming our country’s economy and businesses. It feels like you’re trying to destroy Pakistan, which is what our enemies want. I’m asking the government, army, and judiciary to please be fair and do what’s right.”

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by Hina Bayat (@hinakhwajabayatofficial)

  • Call between Absar Alam- General Faiz Hameed leaks online

    Call between Absar Alam- General Faiz Hameed leaks online

    An aggressive conversation during a call allegedly between former Chairman of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Absar Alam and former Director General Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) Faiz Hameed has leaked online.
    ‘’I am complaining to you for not listening to us despite our best efforts, I don’t know what is the matter,’’ says Faiz Hameed to Absar Alam in the call.

    “I will send Brigadier Ghaffar to you. We sold out old channels whose licences are stuck. Do a special favour to resolve the issue,’’ he told Absar.
    ‘’You don’t listen to us, so I thought to request you on my own,’’ said the former spymaster in an aggressive tone.
    ‘’I don’t know channel names, although our brigadier will brief you,” Faiz concluded when Absar asked the channels names.

  • Hammad Azhar remains adamant about quitting PTI even after Omar Ayub rejects resignation

    Hammad Azhar remains adamant about quitting PTI even after Omar Ayub rejects resignation

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Hammad Azhar yesterday resigned from his party position—president of PTI’s Punjab chapter—due to “lack of access” to Imran Khan. The party’s Secretary General, Omar Ayub, rejected Azhar’s resignation.

    “Hammad Azhar, you have worked tirelessly for the party and PM (sic) Imran Khan, sahib. Resignation not accepted,” Ayub wrote on X.

    However, Hammad remained adamant in his initial decision, quoting Ayub’s tweet, writing, “I am humbled by your confidence in me. But it is my firm decision not to continue under circumstances where I have zero authority but complete responsibility.”

    Hammad yesterday expressed his grievances, including not being consulted in decisions taken within PTI’s Punjab organisation. He said, “most of these decisions were based on lobbying” instead of merit.

    He recalled Chaudhry Asghar’s removal as PTI’s Lahore president as an example of “lobbying”, saying that the lobbyists succeeded by giving Khan the “wrong facts.”

  • Woman claiming to be foreigner actually from Rawalpindi

    Woman claiming to be foreigner actually from Rawalpindi

    A woman who claimed to be a Belgian national and alleged that she had been kept in captivity for months while being raped, has been found to be a permanent resident of Rawalpindi by the name of Farwa Kiyani.

    The Belgium embassy has confirmed that she is not their citizen.

    National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has revealed that Farwa Kiyani’s facial recognition and finger impression revealed her to be Pakistani national. Meanwhile, medical reports have shown no evidence of rape.

    She has no document verification nor was international arrival and departure record found pertaining to her. Farwa spoke Pothohari, police sources claim

    Farwa Kiyani was found at Islamabad G-7/1-3 on the roadside and claimed to have been raped and declared herself a Belgian citizen.

  • Update on petition against slowdown of Internet in Pakistan

    Update on petition against slowdown of Internet in Pakistan

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) reserved its decision on the petition against the slowdown of the Internet across the country.

    At the beginning of the hearing, the court adjourned it by ordering the federal government counsel to appear at 12 noon after taking instructions from the relevant authorities.

    On the resumption of the hearing after a break, Justice Shakeel Ahmed remarked that this is a public interest plea. The court will pass appropriate orders on it, but I am reserving the decision now.

    Federal lawyer Rana Nauman said that the court requested that we give us time to file a detailed report on the Internet shutdown. Later, the judge asked the lawyer if this was a sign of your seriousness; you did not have adequate information.

    Later, the court reserved the decision.

    Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC), during the hearing of a petition against the slowdown of the internet, ordered the federal government’s lawyer to appear at 12 noon after taking instructions from relevant authorities.

    The petitioner had said, “Internet has been slowed down in Pakistan due to unknown reasons, and IT-related businesses are being badly affected by this shutdown. The world is moving to the latest technology, and Pakistan’s IT sector is being destroyed. Pakistani companies and youth are earning billions of foreign exchange from IT.”

    The sudden slowdown of the Internet and social media apps in the country, without any prior notice or reason, is a clear violation of fundamental rights. This action has not only disrupted daily life but also hindered the freedom of expression and access to information.

    The court requested that the government be bound not to shut down the Internet in the future. Justice Shakeel Ahmed of the High Court will hear the request today.

  • First case of monkeypox appears in Pakistan

    First case of monkeypox appears in Pakistan

    One day after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the monkeypox outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern”, Pakistan yesterday reported this year’s first case of the virus diagnosed in a man from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the patient recently returned from Saudi Arabia.

    Consequently, the health ministry has ordered the Border Health Services to strictly monitor all entry points.

    In the past year, Pakistan has confirmed nine cases of Mpox, all among travellers returning from the Middle East and other countries.

    WHO officials confirmed the first infection with a new strain of the mpox virus in Sweden, linking it to a growing outbreak in Africa.

    There have been 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths, mainly among children, in Congo since the current outbreak began in January 2023.

  • No buffalo; Arshad Nadeem wanted a different gift from his father-in-law

    No buffalo; Arshad Nadeem wanted a different gift from his father-in-law

    Arshad Nadeem, who gave Pakistan a historic victory in the Paris Olympics, has been showered with gifts and cash prizes since he created history. Among the cars and plots was an unusual gift: a buffalo from his father-in-law.

    When Arshad’s wife was asked about the animal in an interview yesterday, she said, “I also came to know about my father’s buffalo gift after listening to news.”

    Meanwhile, Arshad said humorously, “When I learned about my father-in-law’s announcement, I told my wife that he gave the buffalo as a gift. He is so rich that he could have given five to six acres of land, but I know that my wife has not told this to her father yet.”

    Arshad won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 on August 8, Pakistan’s first in 32 years after 1992.

  • Kitney dil jeeto gey: Arshad Nadeem announces 100 laptops for students

    Kitney dil jeeto gey: Arshad Nadeem announces 100 laptops for students

    Is there anything he can’t and won’t do? Pakistani javelin athlete Arshad Nadeem has announced to give 100 laptops to students.

    On Independence Day, the Javelin star participated as a special guest at the Governor’s House in Karachi. Famous singer Atif Aslam performed in this grand show to celebrate the day.

    Sindh Governor Kamran Tesori thanked those who participated in the Independence Day celebrations and paid tributes to Arshad.

    In a press conference, Arshad Nadeem announced the gift of 100 laptops to IT students, saying, “There is a gift of 100 laptops for the students from my side. The kindness of the governor of Sindh has given me so much respect; the whole nation is giving me a lot of love and affection.”

    Javelin hero Arshad Nadeem won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 on August 8. This was Pakistan’s first medal in 32 years after 1992.

  • Iranian women shot, paralysed for defying hijab rules

    Iranian women shot, paralysed for defying hijab rules

    The Iranian police have shot Arezoo Badri over allegedly violating country’s hijab rules.

    ‘’She is paralysed from the waist down and doctors have said it will take months to determine whether she will be permanently paraplegic or not’’, said a BBC source

    Mother of two, Badri was heading home with her sister when the police stopped her car to check whether she was complying with the hijab law. When the car did not stop, the police first shot the tires and then opened fire, targeting the driver’s side, according to the state-run news agency in Iran.

    ‘’The bullet entered her lung and severely damaged her spinal cord and the bullet was only removed after 10 days’’, the source said

    Both police and BBC sources confirm that the car window was tinted.

  • Three Pakistani celebrities to get Pride of Performance Award

    Three Pakistani celebrities to get Pride of Performance Award

    Pakistan marked its 77th Independence Day on August 14 with a special announcement of the list of nominees for the next civil awards.

    The Government of Pakistan honours outstanding individuals from various fields with prestigious awards every year.

    A number of controversies have stirred over the past years pertaining to recipients of the top honours, especially regarding the nominees of the entertainment industry.

    This year, only three individuals from the industry have been nominated for the President’s Award for Pride of Performance which will be granted next year, in 2025.

    Here are the name of the celebrities:

    Fariha Pervez

    Fariha Pervez is a renowned pop singer-songwriter and music producer. She began her career with anchoring and acting in the early ’90s followed by a switch to music in the mid-’90s.

    Hamid Rana

    Hamid Rana is a Pakistani stage and television actor who has also starred in a number of Lollywood movies.

    His acting career began in the 1970s and his roles in drama serials earned him fame.

    Sheeba Arshad

    Sheeba Arshad is a veteran actress who has been active in the entertainment industry for
    decades. She is best known for her iconic role as Chandi in the PTV classic drama serial ‘Sona Chandi’, which aired in the 1980s.