Author: newsdesk

  • ‘Quetta blast was a suicide attack’: Sheikh Rasheed

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said on Thursday that the blast at Serena Hotel in Quetta was a suicide attack. He said this was a foreign attempt to destabilise Pakistan. “Pakistan Army and the people of Pakistan will defeat such designs.” Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed the responsibility for the Quetta blast yesterday. Five people were killed and more than a dozen injured in the deadly attack.

    All law enforcement agencies are on high alert at the instructions of the Interior Ministry. Talking about the attack, Sheikh Rasheed said the suicide bomber stayed inside the car. “C4 explosives weighing between 60 to 70 kilogrammes were used in the attack”. Evidence has been sent for forensic analysis.

    The interior minister also said that social media was misused during the past few days by foreign elements who are behind efforts to destabilise Pakistan. “An estimated 250,000-300,000 social media accounts were created in India.” “These foreign forces cannot see Pakistan prosper and progress,” said the minister. 

    China strongly condemned the terrorist attack. A statement by the Chinese embassy in Pakistan said that Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong was leading a delegation on a visit to Quetta on the same day. “When the attack occurred, the Chinese delegation was not in the hotel. Till present, no reports of casualties of Chinese citizens in the attack have been received.”

    Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted that he is deeply saddened by the loss of innocent lives in the condemnable and cowardly terrorist attack in Quetta yesterday. “Our nation has made great sacrifices in defeating terrorism and we will not to allow this scourge to rise again. We remain alert to all internal and external threats.”

  • ‘Nand’ actor Sumbul Shahid on ventilator due to COVID-19

    ‘Nand’ actor Sumbul Shahid on ventilator due to COVID-19

    Veteran Pakistani actor Sumbul Shahid is on the ventilator after prolonged fight with COVID-19, her sister Asma Abbas has confirmed.

    Sharing a picture of herself with her elder sister, Abbas said: “Meri piyari baji is on [the] ventilator …please pray for her comeback.”

    Earlier, Bushra Ansari, who is also Sumbul’s sister, had shared the news of Sumbul testing positive for coronavirus.

    “My darling sister Sumbul Shahid is fighting a battle with coronavirus these days. Please pray for her speedy recovery. Char Chand salamat rahain ameen,” said Ansari.

    Sumbul last appeared in ARY Digital’s masala drama Nand.

    Actor Asad Siddiqui, who is also Zara Noor Abbas’s husband, took to Instagram stories and requested to pray for Sumbul’s recovery.

    “A request to all, please pray for Sumbul Shahid, sister of Asma Abbas and Bushra Ansari. She’s on ventilator. May Allah keep us all safe and healthy,” he wrote.

    Meanwhile, Faysal Quraishi, Aagha Ali and Yasir Hussain prayed for the actor’s swift recovery.

  • Bail granted to Shehbaz Sharif

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday granted bail to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif. The bail was approved by the three-member bench comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, Justice Alia Neelum and Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi. Sharif was first granted and then denied bail after a division bench issued a split decision on Sharif’s petition, sending the matter to the LHC chief justice for the nomination of a referee judge.

    Sharif was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a money-laundering case last year in September.

    Shehbaz Sharif’s son Hamza Shehbaz was released in February after spending 20 months in jail as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) probed money laundering accusations against him.

    While Shehbaz was incarcerated, a report in The News said that Maryam Nawaz, due to her hawkish stance, has gained popularity in the party and the public. Her control on the party is strengthened to such an extent that she has stopped “consulting him [Shehbaz] for political advice”.

  • Learn how to wear a mask from Madhuri Dixit

    India is in the grip of a deadly second wave of the coronavirus. During the ongoing crisis in the country, people are trying to help in every way they can.

    Madhuri Dixit also stepped in to play her part by posting a video of herself showing how to properly wear a mask to avoid getting infected with the virus.

    In the video, Madhuri can be seen showing the right and the wrong way of wearing a mask.

    On Thursday, India marked a grim milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic reporting 314,835 new cases in the last 24 hours, the highest one-day tally anywhere, Reuters has reported. The previous record one-day rise in cases was held by the United States, which had 297,430 new cases on one day in January, though its tally has since fallen sharply.

    Meanwhile, India will let all citizens aged over 18 get COVID-19 vaccinations from May 1, the government said on Monday.

    Meanwhile, at least 22 patients died on April 21 in a hospital in western India after a disruption to their oxygen supply caused by a leaking tank, the health minister said, as a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases soaks up supplies of the crucial gas.

  • Yasir Hussain recreates the ‘naagin pose’ with Aamir Liaquat

    Yasir Hussain recreates the ‘naagin pose’ with Aamir Liaquat

    Aamir Liaquat left the internet in fits with his recent shenanigans during his Ramzan transmission. Liaquat’s ‘naagin dance’, in particular, has gone viral.

    Yasir Hussain, who recently appeared on Liaquat’s show, recreated the naagin pose with the politician and shared pictures of it on social media.

    “Entertainer of The Decade,” said Hussain, praising Liaquat. “Aap k Nagin dance ne bohot hansaya. Aur yehi such hai. Keep entertaining us.“

    On Monday, Aamir became a centre of attention on social media platforms for the second time this week with his stunning performance on naagin music during his show Jeeway Pakistan.

    While shaking his leg to the beat, the most hilarious moment came when he stretched on the floor and displayed his naagin dance skills.

    The video had gone viral on social media users with some enjoying it and others criticising him.

    https://twitter.com/simiofficiall/status/1384061343699914759?s=19

    Earlier, Liaquat had invited a Pakistani star Naseem Hameed on his show. The host challenged Hameed, who had won a gold medal at the South Asian Federation Games in 2010 for a 20-meter race on stage.

    In an unexpected turn of events, the race did not end well and Liaquat took a slight fall on the floor.

    Read more – New meme trend features Amir Liaquat’s race during Ramzan show

    Meanwhile, Aamir later promised on his show that he will never dance to this music again.

  • TikTok is being sued for misusing data of millions of children

    TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDan could face a damages claim worth billions of pounds (dollars) in London’s High Court over allegations that they have illegally harvested the private data of millions of European children, Reuters has reported.

    That case will be heard next week and affected children could receive thousands of pounds each if the claim is successful.

    “TikTok is a hugely popular social media platform that has helped children keep in touch with their friends during an incredibly difficult year. However, behind the fun songs, dance challenges and lip-sync trends lies something far more sinister,” Anne Longfield, the former Children’s Commissioner for England told BBC.

    Longfield alleged that every child that has used TikTok since May 25, 2018, may have had private personal information illegally collected by ByteDance through TikTok for the benefit of unknown third parties.

    “Parents and children have a right to know that private information, including phone numbers, physical location, and videos of their children are being illegally collected,” she added.

    Read more- 10-year-old girl dies trying TikTok’s ‘blackout challenge’

    A TikTok representative said privacy and safety were the company’s top priorities and that it had robust policies, processes and technologies in place to help protect all users, especially teenage users.

    “We believe the claims lack merit and intend to vigorously defend the action,” the representative said.

    Earlier this year in March TikTok was banned in Pakistan due to immoral content, but the ban was later lifted.

    The popular video-sharing app was banned for the first time in October last year. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had blocked TikTok after the company “failed to fully comply” with its instructions for the “development of an effective mechanism for proactive moderation of unlawful online content”. Later, the ban was lifted when the TikTok management assured authorities that it will block all accounts repeatedly involved in spreading obscenity and immorality.

  • VIDEO: Villagers use donkey to beat the heat

    VIDEO: Villagers use donkey to beat the heat

    Villagers in India used a donkey to beat the summer heat by making a manual fan operated by a donkey.

    A 54-second video that has gone viral on social media shows two men sitting in the middle of a deserted area. Two sheets are hanging on a stick. A donkey has also been tied to the stick. The sheets start rotating and act as a fan when the donkey moves around the stick.

    However, the innovation did not sit well with social media users who accused the people in the video of torturing the animal.

    https://twitter.com/iamvashishtha/status/1384373069850955776?s=20

    Read More – Cher drops trailer of documentary on Kaavan

  • Blast inside Serena Hotel’s parking area in Quetta

    Blast inside Serena Hotel’s parking area in Quetta

    At least three people have been killed and several injured, including two government officials, after an explosion in the parking area of the Serena Hotel in Quetta, as per media reports. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

    Initial reports say that the cause of the blast, which took place at 10:30 pm local time, has not yet been ascertained. Security forces have cordoned off the area. Rescue teams have arrived at the site of the explosion.

    Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said that the Interior Ministry is in touch with the Balochistan Government.

    “Once details come in, the government will comment further on the issue,” said Fawad.

    According to journalist Ihsan Tipu, the attack was aimed at the Chinese Ambassador, who was reportedly staying at the hotel.

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has clarified that the Chinese Ambassador was in the hotel but was not present at the time of the blast.

  • Here’s why the Bollywood clip was deleted from PM Khan’s Instagram

    Here’s why the Bollywood clip was deleted from PM Khan’s Instagram

    Prime Minister Imran Khan’s official Instagram account on Tuesday became very interesting after a short clip from the Bollywood movie Inquilaab was posted on it leading to a social media meltdown.

    Through the clip, PM Imran attempted to make a point about how political parties discredit their rival political parties in order to replace them.

    “It is what has been planned against the PTI govt from day one by the corrupt mafias,” read the caption on the clip, which was deleted five hours after it was posted.

    Speaking to BBC Urdu, Focal Person to the Prime Minister on Digital Media Dr Arsalan Khalid said that the clip was posted by a member of PM Khan’s social media team because the scenes “accurately reflected the current situation and the unrest of the opposition.”

    Explaining the reason behind the deletion, Dr Arsalan said that a routine quality control check — that takes place after few hours — led to the deletion of the clip.

    When asked if PM Khan personally makes these posts on social media, Dr Khalid said the premier mostly uses Twitter and that all tweets are posted by him, adding that PM Imran rarely uses Instagram and has a team to manage that.

    Released in 1984, Inquilaab featured Amitabh Bachchan, Sridevi, Utpal Dutt, Kader Khan, Ranjeet and Shakti Kapoor. The film’s official synopsis reads: “A politician helps a jobless man become a police officer and then uses him for his nefarious activities. After his wife finds out he is being used as a pawn, she tries to change his ways.”

    In the clip shared on PM Khan’s account, Kader Khan and Utpal Dutt are seen planning a sinister move against the government.

    “We have the right to form a government. In order to form a government, we need to win the elections. To win the elections, we need votes; in order to get these votes, we need people’s confidence. And how do we get the people’s confidence? We will need to take away people’s confidence from the government. Haha. And how do we do that? We will create an environment where we will make them think that this government is incompetent and inefficient. This way, the people will be forced to get rid of the government and bring another party in its place. For this we need to create chaos. We need riots, killings, dacoities in cities. We need religious disturbance, sectarian conflict, which renders government incapable of thinking and police is unable to do anything to control the crisis. When all this is happening, we will go out and take out rallies addressing crowds and present ourselves and our party as an option to control this mess.”

    Responding to this, someone in the meeting says it is an excellent idea.

    “We need money for this, which is why we have invited rich businessmen here today to raise it.”

    When someone asks if 50 lakhs will be enough, Kader Khan says that for the time being it’s enough but a politician is like a farmer and politics like a crop. If you invest millions, the return will be in billions, if billions, it can go up to trillions.”

    Everyone laughs at the end of the clip.

    Watch the clip here:

    https://youtu.be/57w1DfCObfI
  • 22 COVID patients die after oxygen leak in Indian hospital

    22 COVID patients die after oxygen leak in Indian hospital

    At least 22 patients died on Wednesday in a hospital in western India after a disruption to their oxygen supply caused by a leaking tank, the health minister said, as a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases soaks up supplies of the crucial gas.

    The incident in the city of Nashik, one of India’s worst-hit areas, happened after the tank of gas leaked, said Rajesh Tope, the health minister of Maharashtra, the richest state, where the city is located.

    “Patients who were on ventilators at the hospital in Nashik have died,” Tope said in televised remarks.

    “The leakage was spotted at the tank supplying oxygen to these patients. The interrupted supply could be linked to the deaths of the patients in the hospital.”

    The world’s second-most populous nation reported 295,041 new infections on Wednesday for the world’s highest daily rise, stretching its hospitals to breaking point, officials said.

    On Tuesday, hospitals in Delhi, the capital, said they had enough oxygen left for just another eight to 24 hours, while some private institutions had enough for only four or five.

    The situation was so severe that some people had tried to loot an oxygen tanker, forcing authorities to beef up security, said the health minister of the neighbouring state of Haryana.

    “From now, I’ve ordered police protection for all tankers,” Anil Vij told Reuters.

    Television showed images of people with empty oxygen cylinders crowding refilling facilities as they scrambled to save stricken relatives in hospital.

    “We were completely blocked out of supplies yesterday but by the end of the day we received some and it is helping us today,” said Charu Sachdeva, an official at the state-run Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre in the capital.

    In the northern city of Lucknow, one man said a hospital had asked him to arrange oxygen supplies for his uncle or take him away since it had run out.

    Delhi, a city of 20 million people, recorded 28,395 new cases and 277 deaths on Tuesday, its highest tally since the pandemic began. Every third person tested for coronavirus proved positive. Several high-profile figures like former PM Manmohan Singh and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi have also tested positive for the virus.

    Read more – PM Imran wishes Manmohan Singh a speedy recovery

    About 80 of 142 hospitals in Delhi had no beds left for virus patients, government figures showed.

    India faces a coronavirus “storm” overwhelming its health system, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a national address overnight, adding that authorities were working with states and private firms to deliver oxygen with “speed and sensitivity”.

    Delhi, like large parts of India, let its guard down when the virus seemed to be under control, allowing big gatherings such as weddings and festivals as daily infections fell to fewer than 1,000 during the winter, health experts said.