Author: newsdesk

  • Pakistan’s first-ever digital music festival to take place this weekend

    Pakistan’s first-ever digital music festival to take place this weekend

    Winter season in the country always means lots of food and music festivals. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has dampened all such plans this year, with health experts and the government urging people to avoid large gatherings.

    Coke Fest is one of the biggest food festivals in the country and given that this year that is a distant dream, Coca-Cola has joined hands with Patari and Tapmad to launch Pakistan’s first-ever digital music festival – ‘CokeFest 2020’.

    According to a press release, the three-day event is scheduled to run from November 20-22 and will be free for all to attend.

    Those wishing to be part of it will need to download and register on the Patari mobile app followed by signing-up for the event to receive a unique code that can be used on TapMad’s mobile app or website to enjoy the live performances virtually from any location.

    “Event attendees can expect to be mesmerized by leading names rocking the local music scene including a 9-year-old Pakistani rapper Kaky Thou$and, Natasha Baig, Sirine Jahangir, Shamoon Ismail, SomeWhatSuper, Young Stunners, ESharp, Abdullah Siddiqui, XPolymer Dar and veteran rock star Ali Noor,” stated the press release.

    Speaking about this initiative, GM Pakistan and Afghanistan at The Coca-Cola Export Corporation Fahad Ashraf said: “With CokeFest 2020, we wanted to avoid large gatherings whilst still keeping the spirit of music alive. So we brought some of the best musical talent in Pakistan together with the country’s leading tech companies, to bring you a virtual experience that feels as close as possible to attending an actual musical concert.”

  • Police arrest bus driver for playing video game while driving on motorway

    Police arrest bus driver for playing video game while driving on motorway

    A bus driver was caught on camera playing a video game while driving a fast-paced passenger carriage. The driver has been arrested by police and his license has been suspended.

    According to reports, a video did the rounds on social media a few days back wherein a bus driver was caught playing a video game as he drove the bus on the busy Karachi motorway.

    The video shows the driver driving at a considerably high speed on the motorway but his attention is being distracted by the video game. The Inspector-General of Motorway Police took notice of the incident after the video went viral and traced the alleged offender via technology.

    The police reportedly followed the driver, identified as Babar Khan, suspended his license and booked him on relevant charges.

    It was alleged that the driver risked not only the lives of the passengers on board but also of those on the road and showed criminal negligence as a deadly accident could have happened because of it. 

  • Tech companies will quit Pakistan if new social media rules enforced

    The Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) — an internet group that represents leading global Internet companies — has rejected the new social media rules announced by the Pakistan government, saying the tech giants would be forced to leave the country in case of such restrictions.

    The statement came a day after the government imposed new curbs on social media that bound the technology companies to provide the designated investigation agency with any information or data in decrypted, readable and comprehensible format.

    These new rules, “Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguards) Rules 2020,” have been framed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA). They were approved initially by Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet in February.

    They give the PTA “removal and blocking” powers of digital content that “harms, intimidates or excites disaffection” towards the government or poses a threat to the “integrity, security and defence of Pakistan”.

    A service provider or social media company could face a fine up to Rs500 million ($3.14 million) for non-compliance, which would in turn trigger a mechanism preventing the uploading and live streaming, particularly related to “terrorism, hate speech, pornography, incitement to violence and detrimental to national security”.

    A platform has to act within 24 hours or, in case of an emergency, six hours to remove content. The rules also empower the telecom authority to block an entire online system.

    PTA spokesman Khurram Mehran told Reuters the rules were meant for better coordination with foreign-based social media companies, which usually “don’t respond to legal requirements”.

    The new rules shocked rights activists who complained that there had been no consultation. “The expansion of these powers is just horrendous,” Nighat Dad, a digital rights activist, told Reuters.

    “The consultation never occurred,” said Jeff Paine, managing director of AIC, urging the government to “work with industry on practical, clear rules”.

    The AIC said in a statement: “The draconian data localisation requirements will damage the ability of people to access free and open internet and shut Pakistan’s digital economy off from the rest of the world.

    “It’s chilling to see the PTA’s powers expanded, allowing them to force social media companies to violate established human rights norms on privacy and freedom of expression.”

    Furthermore, the tech companies warned that the rules would make it extremely difficult for the AIC members to make their services available to Pakistani users and businesses, a report published in Dawn said.

  • Condoms in gutters blamed for Karachi’s sewerage problems

    Disposal of used contraceptives, such as condoms, in gutters has been causing sewerage problems in Karachi, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) has said.

    According to reports, KWSB recovered a massive amount of used condoms while clearing a sewerage line on Thursday, which were affecting the flow of sewage and causing serious blockage problems.

    A KWSB official said the huge quantity of used contraceptives was found while a team was cleaning a sewerage line in Clifton Block 2. But this isn’t an isolated incident: the KWSB often finds items like these in sewer lines across the city.

    Water inflates the condoms up to 400 times their size, which blocks manholes and sewerage lines, the KWSB spokesperson explained. Such items must be disposed of in trash cans, he urged.

    The KWSB stressed the need for generating awareness about the issue and urged government departments and social organisations to play their role.

  • Labbaik leader Khadim Rizvi passes away

    Renowned cleric and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi passed away on Thursday.

    Earlier it was reported that he was suffering from high-grade fever for the past couple of days, which had led to speculations if he was suffering from COVID-19.

    The same was claimed by journalist Mubashir Zaidi, who quoted a hospital spokesperson.

    While TLP leaders have confirmed reports of Rizvi’s passing, conflicting reports claim that the cleric was not suffering from any illness.

    Meanwhile, condolences are pouring in over social media as people say they “forgive” the late religious leader who was known for his aggressive speeches besides promotion of extremist element in the religio-political landscape of the country.

    He had just earlier this week led a protest rally in the federal capital against the publication of blasphemous cartoons by a French satirical magazine.

    Things had taken an ugly turn when participants of the protest-turned-sit-in had clashed with law enforcement.

    The law and order situation had been dealt with by the government after accepting the protesters’ demands.

  • Bushra Ansari gets nostalgic, shares memories from her younger days

    Bushra Ansari gets nostalgic, shares memories from her younger days

    Bushra Bashir [formerly Ansari] is having a serious case of nostalgia and her Instagram feed is proof of that. The actor took her fans on a trip down memory lane and shared pictures of herself with other celebrities and at exotic locations across the world.

    Starting with pictures of Bushra with legends including Noor Jehan, Benazir Bhutto and Zia Mohyeddin.

    With renowned poet Gulzar Sahab at his house in Mumbai

    She then reminisced about the time when she first visited the USA in 1982, when her daughter Nariman was just 3 years old.

    Then one from her London trip in 1990.

    The actor also shared some fond memories from her trips to India with her sister Asma Abbas.

    Taj Mahal
    Akbar’s Maqbara at Sikandra
    Gateway of India
    Bali Maran ka Mohallah, Dehli

    Bushra also recalled the time when she was a child actor.

    “When you become a child star at the age of 10, what a memory”, wrote Bushra along with a black and white photo.

    She further shared that she was in Class 5 at the time and became the ‘Phoolon ki Shehzadi‘ when she received a cheque of Rs 90 from PTV.

    Bushra also recalled the time when she wrote her first long play ‘Neele Dhoop‘.

  • Stanford University’s top scientists’ list includes 12 Pakistani teachers

    Stanford University’s top scientists’ list includes 12 Pakistani teachers

    Twelve Pakistani teachers have been included in world’s top two percent scientists list compiled by Stanford University.

    Nine of them are from Punjab University and three from Government College University, Lahore.

    US-based Stanford University recently released a list that represents the top 2% of the most-cited scientists in different disciplines. The list consists of around 160,000 persons.

    Punjab University college’s spokesperson said Dr Khalid Mahmood, Dr Mohammad Sharif and Dr Mohammad Akram were selected by Stanford for their lifetime research.

    Six more researchers from Punjab University were selected in the category for international examination of one-year research papers, the spokesperson added. They are Dr Hafiz Azhar, Dr Zeeshan Yousuf, Dr Mohammad Younis, Dr Saima Arshad, Dr Abdur Rehman and Dr Noman Raza.

    Dr Mahmood is the only professor in South Asia to have received an award in Information and Library Science.

    Over 81 professors were recognised in the lifetime research work list.

    Professor Dr Mjuahid Abbas, Professor Dr Zakaullah and Dr Abdul Sattar Nizami were the educationists selected from Government College University, Lahore.

    Government College University, Lahore Vice Chancellor Dr Asghar Zaidi congratulated the teachers and said the professors were honoured to be among the world’s best researchers.

  • First women’s football league kicks off in Saudi Arabia

    First women’s football league kicks off in Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Arabia’s first-ever Women’s Football League tournament kicked off on Tuesday with 24 teams across Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam competing for a championship cup and a cash prize of $133,000.

    According to reports, more than 600 players are competing in the tournament. The teams will have to win matches in their local cities to qualify for the nationwide championship stage.

    However, the matches of the championship won’t be televised.

    Seven matches took place in the capital Riyadh and the Red Sea city of Jeddah on the opening day of the Saudi Women’s Football League (WFL), which had been due to kick off in March but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    It was only in 2018 that Saudi authorities first allowed women to watch football matches in stadiums.

    Meanwhile, the first international women’s golf tournament also took place in Saudi Arabia this week.

    The step is the part of one of many reforms happening in Saudi Arabia under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Several social reforms including concerts, movie theaters, a lift on the ban on women driving have been introduced in the ultraconservative kingdom in a bid to improve its reputation.

  • Pakistani courts have become a ‘joke’, says ex-PM

    Pakistani courts have become a ‘joke’, says ex-PM

    Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that people laugh at the Pakistani courts as they have become a “joke”.

    The senior politician made these comments after an accountability court indicted him in LNG terminal and Pakistan State Oil appointments cases. The former prime minister along with others was implicated in both cases by the National Accountability Bureau.

    The PML-N leader has been accused of illegally appointing Sheikh Imranul Haq as the managing director of PSO and Yaqoob Sattar as the deputy managing director during his stint as petroleum minister. Abbasi’s son Abdullah and former finance minister Miftah Ismail are accused in the case.

    According to Geo News, the PML-N leader said people laugh at whatever is happening in our courts. According to Abbasi, he was handed a 26-page chargesheet that has 64 clauses. “Neither I nor over a dozen lawyers I talked have ever seen such long list before,” he said.

    The lawyers told me that it was not possible to have a chargesheet this long, he said, furthering commenting on the chargesheet. “They said only point 63 out of the 64 points in the document was the actual charge sheet,” the ex-PM added. This means the rest of the points are just added to insult me and the politicians of this country, he claimed.

    “One of the charges against me is that I changed the name of the Ministry of Petroleum to the Ministry of Energy during my tenure as the prime minister,” Abbasi added. 

    “This was my crime, according to this charge sheet. How is this in violation of any law?” he questioned.

    The PML-N stalwart asked NAB chief Javed Iqbal to debate with him if he has “courage”.

  • Honda reveals 11th Gen Civic prototype

    Honda reveals 11th Gen Civic prototype

    Honda has finally revealed its new Civic 2022 in prototype form, featuring many design changes on the exterior and interior of the car.

    Along with a change in design, the Japanese carmaker also made multiple tech additions to the new model with a range of safety features in the eleventh generation of the car.

    A prototype of cars is usually the early samples designed to test a concept or process. The company said the model showcased recently is a prototype; most of the highlights will make their way into the actual car set for a launch next year.

    Civic will be available in four models

    The company has confirmed that the new Civic will be available in four models — a hatchback, executive sedan, performance-oriented Si model, and high-performance R model once it hits the production line.

    Although the company hasn’t revealed the new Civic’s interiors but noted that the car would get a modern dashboard layout compared to the current model. The car will feature a nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a fully digital instrument panel, and the safety suite will include multiple airbags and several driver-assistive technologies.

    All versions will have turbocharged 4-cylinder engines. The sportier versions shall get a manual gearbox option as well.

    There are no reports of the car being introduced in Pakistan anytime soon, but as is custom with Honda Atlas, the Civic is usually introduced here a year or so after it is launched in the international market. Whether or not that will be the case for the 11th gen Civic, is yet to be seen.