An interesting incident of theft recently took place in Islamabad. A thief in Bani Gala, Islamabad took off the tyres of a citizen’s car and left a note apologising for his actions.
“I am sorry sir,” read the note. “I am a very poor person and I am doing this because I am helpless. Sir, I have little kids. Please do not curse me for this.”
Meanwhile, police have registered a case and have started investigating the case.
A viral video has shown a person with uncanny resemblance to a younger Imran Khan, riding a rickshaw in Sialkot.
“Look, there’s Imran Khan on a rickshaw in Sialkot,” the person recording the video from his own vehicle can be heard as jokingly saying.
WATCH VIDEO:
While the unnamed person from the undated video isn’t really Pakistan’s cricketer-turned-politician and now Prime Minister (PM) Imran (unless he travelled to 2021 from the 1990s), this isn’t the first time such a video has left netizens second-guessing what they just saw.
In 2018, the video of an Imran lookalike driving a Mehran had gone viral soon after his election as the country’s premier.
With the video doing the rounds on social media, people, especially Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters, had started trending tags such as “#NayaPakistan”, “#SayNoToProtocol” and “#ImranKhanOurLeader” on Twitter.
In the said video, those filming the scene could be heard shouting “Naya Pakistan!” and “Wow, Imran Khan!”, to which the person was seen responding with a wave.
Unfortunately, the incident had followed a series of criticism aimed at the PM and his ministers after they did opt for protocol.
Mohammad Amir has clarified that he will be available for Pakistan on one condition.
In a tweet, the fast bowler wrote: “I would like to clarify that yes I will be available for Pakistan only once this management leaves. So please stop spreading fake news just to sell your story.”
Widely regarded as one of the most destructive fast bowlers of the Green Army in the modern era, Amir had shocked the entire cricket fraternity when he opted to bid farewell to international cricket following his ouster from the Pakistani limited-overs squad for the New Zealand series last year.
Amir had already retired from the longest format before he quit international cricket alleging ‘mental torture’ by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). According to the latest developments, the out-of-favour Pakistani cricketer has volunteered to come out of retirement in order to play for the Azam-led side on the international circuit.
Read more – PCB, cricketing greats among others react to Amir’s exit
Meanwhile, according to the Pakistani journalists, the pacer will only make a comeback to play for the National team if Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis are removed from office. While Misbah is the current head coach of the Babar Azam-led side, Younis is the bowling chief.
Earlier, Babar Azam had backed coach Misbah by defending the management’s decision to snub the pacer from the national squad. Azam had asserted that Amir’s performances were not up to the mark.
Misbah and Waqar said that Amir’s recent performances have been really poor and he does not warrant a place in the squad. They did, however, say that Amir will be welcomed back into the team if he is able to perform better in the domestic circuit. However, Amir rubbished this statement as well, saying that they are portraying a different picture to take the blame off their backs.
The 28-year-old speedster has played 36 Tests, 61 One Day International (ODIs), and as many as 50 T20Is for the Pakistani national team. Amir also plied his trade with Galle Gladiators in the inaugural Lanka Premier League (LPL).
Prime Minister Imran Khan said the leaked WhatsApp conversation between Indian journalist Arnab Goswami and another Indian senior media official proved that the Indian government led by Narendra Modi used the Balakot strikes for electoral gains.
Imran was referring to WhatsApp conversations between Goswami and Pratho Dasgupta — the incarcerated head of ratings company Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).
According to the conversation that was a part of a chargesheet filed against Goswami in a ratings scam, the firebrand anchor knew about the strikes three days before the Indian air force bombed an alleged militant camp inside the Pakistani territory.
In the conversation on Feb 23, 2019, Goswami said that ‘something big will happen’ and three days later, the Indian jets carried out a strike in Pakistan, bringing the two countries on the brink of a full-fledged war.
The conversation had also suggested that the strikes were conducted to boost ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) popularity ahead of the national elections.
In a comment on this conversation, PM Imran Khan made a series of tweet. He recalled that in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in 2019, he had told the international community that the ruling BJP had “used the Balakot crisis for domestic electoral gains”.
“Latest revelations from communication of an Indian journalist, known for his warmongering, reveal the unholy nexus between the Modi govt & Indian media,” he said, referring to Goswami having access to the “confidential information”.
“Now India’s own media has revealed the dirty nexus that is pushing our nuclearised region to the brink of a conflict it cannot afford,” the premier said.
“I want to reiterate that my government will continue to expose India’s belligerent designs towards Pakistan and Modi government’s fascism. Int(ernational) community must stop India from its reckless, militarist agenda before the Modi government’s brinkmanship pushes our region into a conflict it cannot control.”
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that India stood further exposed with the leaked chats revealing a “staggering new low”.
The Foreign Office issued a statement on the issue as well. It said the anchorperson knowing the plan to attack Pakistan “further exposed India’s sinister designs and vindicated Pakistan’s long-held position”.
In a statement on Sunday, the FO said: “The latest revelations further confirm… [that] BJP government stages ‘false-flag’ operations; maligns Pakistan with terrorism-related allegations; stokes hyper-nationalism in the country; claims to have launched so-called ‘surgical strike[s]’; and then deviously manipulates national sentiment in its bid to win elections.”
REPUBLIC TV RESPONDS TO PAKISTAN STATEMENTS:
Meanwhile, Republic TV issued a statement, rejecting the “allegations against Goswami” by the Pakistan government.
“Goswami…as India’s leading journalist exposed every sinister design…. of the government of Pakistan and ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence),” it said in response to the statements by the Pakistani officials. It also termed these statements as part of “deep conspiracy” to target Arnab Goswami.
“The desperations with which government of Pakistan has attacked the Republic Media Network in an open forum today also lays bare the involvement of anti-India forces in the conspiracy,” it added.
The statement also took a potshot at Congress, saying the opposition party should stop working in tandem with the government of Pakistan to spread lies against India’s interests.
A replica of Koh-i-Noor, one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, has gone on display at the Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH) in Islamabad.
The disputed original diamond, which weighs 105.6 carats (21.12g), and is believed to have been mined from the Kollur mine, Golconda, India and was acquired by Alauddin Khalji, Sultan of Delhi, is part of the British Crown Jewels.
The legendary diamond had also been part of the Mughal Peacock Throne (Takhat-e-Taoos) where it was lodged at the very top of the throne, in the head of a glistening gemstone peacock.
Persian ruler Nadar Shah invaded Delhi in 1739 and took the Peacock Throne along with other treasures but removed the Tamur Ruby and the Koh-i-Noor to wear it on his armband.
The diamond remained in Afghanistan for almost 70 years after which, in 1813, Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh won back all the Indian land and brought back the Koh-i-Noor to India.
Today, the diamond is on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, where it is seen by millions of visitors each year.
The governments of Pakistan, India, Iran and Afghanistan have all claimed rightful ownership of the Koh-i-Noor and demanded its return ever since India gained independence from the United Kingdom (UK) in 1947. The British government insists the gem was obtained legally under the terms of the Last Treaty of Lahore and has rejected the claims.
Danish Taimoor has penned a heartfelt note for Ayeza Khan on her 30th birthday.
Sharing a picture of the two from Ayeza’s birthday celebrations, Danish wrote: “I cannot imagine a single second of my life without this woman, and the beautiful family she has provided me with.”
“I can’t thank you enough for the amount of peace and love you have brought to my world,” he continued. “I hope we continue to grow like this and be with each other till the very last breath of our lives.”
Ayeza, who celebrates her birthday on December 16, had a small and intimate party with her family.
IN PICTURES: Ayeza Khan, Danish Taimoor’s family vacay
The actor also thanked her fans and friends for their sweet wishes.
“You guys brought me so much joy on my special day,” said Ayeza in a social media post. “The amount of love I received last night is inexpressible for me.”
Ayeza and Danish tied the knot in 2014 and have two children together.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has claimed that a Gulf country funded former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s election campaign in the 1990s.
In an interview with Samaa, the minister said that he was a minister in the cabinet of Nawaz Sharif at the time. Rasheed said he was accompanying Nawaz Sharif when it was revealed that the country, that is rich in oil and gas and also has an LNG deal with Pakistan, funded the former PM’s party as a “token of love”.
According to the minister, the Arab country leader asked Nawaz: “Mr Prime Minister, we have given you a token of love on your election expenditure. Did you receive it?”
At this, Nawaz responded that yes, he had received the money, said Rasheed, adding that he asked Nawaz to send them a ‘thank you note’ at least.
It may be noted here that PM Imran Khan had alleged that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) received funds from foreign countries. The comments by the PM came in the wake of the hearings of a foreign funding case against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Last week, the PTI had said that its agents managing two limited liability companies (LLCs) in the US could be responsible for any illegal funding and PTI Chairman Imran Khan had nothing to do with it.
In a response to the petition in the foreign funding case, the PTI, that had denied any links to the foreign funding, said that if the two LLC registered after the written instructions of party chief Imran Khan were involved in the illegal act, it would be due to its agents who were managing them in the US.
The case was filed by PTI founding member Akbar S Babar in 2014. The Election Commission of Pakistan had started fresh scrutiny of the PTI accounts — a process going on since March 2018.
Ice cream has been found to have been contaminated with COVID-19 in China after three samples of the dessert tested positive for the virus.
As per details, authorities in China are tracing people who may have come into contact with the contaminated batches, which were produced by the Chinese food company.
All products made by the firm have been sealed after the samples it sent to the municipal centre for disease control this week tested positive for coronavirus.
Initial epidemiological investigations show the ice cream batch has used raw materials that include milk powder imported from New Zealand and whey powder imported from Ukraine.
Authorities said the company produced 4,836 boxes of the contaminated ice cream of which 2,089 had been sealed away in storage.
A total of 935 boxes of the ice cream, out of 2,747 boxes that entered the market, were in Tianjin and only 65 were sold to markets.
Authorities said citizens who may have bought the product must report their health and physical movements to those in their communities.
The city has also informed the market regulation authorities in other provinces where the ice cream was sent so it can be traced.
Meanwhile, 1,662 employees of the company have gone into isolation.
Pakistan has improved its position in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index for the second year in a row.
According to the latest rankings released by the global organization, Pakistan has improved its position by an impressive total of 28 points, surging from 136th place to 108th on the rankings. The World Bank report calls this an “unprecedented improvement”, and it is highly indicative of the country managing to exceed even its own expectations yet again.
Out of the six reform areas highlighted in the 2020 edition of the report, Pakistan made the highest improvement in the “Starting a Business” indicator, which is an area largely being revolutionized by the Securities and Exchange Commission Pakistan (SECP).
Pakistan’s ranking in this indicator has improved from 130 to 72 and is placed at second position in South Asian countries in terms of ease of starting a business.
The improvement, according to the SECP, is primarily due to the integration of e-services with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Employees Old Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) at the federal level and with business registration portals of Punjab and Sindh at the provincial level.
After this integration, SECP’s e-services offer a one-window facility for company registration with FBR, EOBI, provincial employees social security institutions, the labour department and excise and taxation departments of Punjab and Sindh.
As a result of this reform, the number of procedures to start a business, as recorded in the Doing Business Report 2020, have been reduced from ten to five and Pakistan has managed to rank “among the top ten reformers globally”.
Pakistan emerging as an increasingly business-friendly nation is massively good news for the local hustle culture and the entrepreneurship environment that has rapidly been garnering interest over the past few years.