Author: newsdesk

  • Noor Khadija becomes first female head of South Waziristan’s education department

    Noor Khadija becomes first female head of South Waziristan’s education department

    For the very first time, the South Waziristan district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province has hired a woman as the head of the Education Department.

    As per reports, the area has the lowest female literacy rate in the country.

    Noor Khadija, who comes from a family of educators and has been linked with the education department for ten years, was appointed South Waziristan’s deputy district education officer in August.

    “It was my long-standing desire to serve my community, specifically girls, to remove obstacles in the way of their education,” Khadija told a local media outlet.

    A portrait of Fatima Jinnah hangs on the wall in Khadija’s office.

    “As a woman, Fatima Jinnah proved that women could make a difference and play a decisive role to lead the society for positive change,” Khadija said.

    “I will strive to provide girls schools with all missing facilities, to empower girls through education, which is of paramount importance for a vibrant society,” she added.

  • Imran approves tabling of bill to remove rapists’ testicles

    Imran approves tabling of bill to remove rapists’ testicles

    The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to bring to parliament a bill to punish rapists with castration — the process of removal of testicles of a man or animal, ARY News quoted sources in the government as saying.

    According to reports, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has approved legislation to castrate rapists once proven guilty, and government bodies will soon be introducing it in the parliament.

    Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda has reportedly been delegated with the task of furnishing the draft bill that proposes neutering sex offenders.

    “After the castration bill, the government will also table a bill for the hanging of such criminals,” Vawda was quoted as saying.

    The development comes hours after senior journalist and analyst Dr Moeed Pirzada quoted the premier as saying that criminals such as those involved in the Lahore-Sialkot motorway gang-rape should be hanged at public squares.

    According to the journalist, the premier made the statement while speaking to him during an interview that will air tonight (Monday) on 92 News.

    The interview comes days after a mother of three was raped by two men after her car ran out of fuel on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway past midnight.

    As per the details, the woman, along with her three children, was driving to Gujranwala in her car when she was forced to stop at the Gujjarpura section of the motorway after running out of fuel at around 1:30 am.

    She immediately called a relative and sent him her location. He asked her to also dial the Motorway Police helpline 130 but she was reportedly refused help.

    In the meantime, two robbers approached the car, broke the window and took the woman and her children to nearby bushes where they raped her repeatedly in front of the children. They also snatched her purse that had cash around Rs100,000, one bracelet, car registration and three ATM cards. 

    The Gujjarpura police have registered a case, while motorway police spokesperson said they had not been able to take action as the incident did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police.

    Amid a strong reaction by the public and countrywide protests, at least one of the two culprits has been identified.

    PUBLIC HANGINGS:

    While a number of people are demanding public hanging of the accused such as sought for serial child rapist and killer Imran Ali of Kasur, the premier’s belief contradicts that of federal science and technology minister and his government’s former spokesperson, Fawad Chaudhry.

    A day earlier, Fawad had said that calls for hanging and burning the rapists alive from prominent members of his party and the educated faction were a reflection of the society’s violent thinking.

    The minister’s comments had come after two members of the ruling party, namely Senator Faisal Javed and Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, called for extreme punishments for those behind the gang-rape and the rape and murder of minor Marwah in Karachi.

  • Criminals like motorway rapists should be hanged at public squares: PM Imran

    Criminals like motorway rapists should be hanged at public squares: PM Imran

    Senior journalist and analyst Dr Moeed Pirzada has quoted Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan as saying that criminals such as those involved in the Lahore-Sialkot motorway gang-rape should be hanged at public squares.

    According to the journalist, the premier made the statement while speaking to him during an interview that will air tonight (Monday) on 92 News.

    “PM Imran Khan thinks that criminals like the ‘motorway rapists’ should be hanged at public squares; watch an explosive discussion with PM Imran Khan, in Hard Talk Pakistan, 92 News, 8:03 pm tonight,” Pirzadatweeted.

    The interview comes days after a mother of three was raped by two men after her car ran out of fuel on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway past midnight.

    As per the details, the woman, along with her three children, was driving to Gujranwala in her car when she was forced to stop at the Gujjarpura section of the motorway after running out of fuel at around 1:30 am. She immediately called a relative and sent him her location. He asked her to also dial the Motorway Police helpline 130 but she was reportedly refused help.

    In the meantime, two robbers approached the car, broke the window and took the woman and her children to nearby bushes where they raped her repeatedly in front of the children. They also snatched her purse that had cash around Rs100,000, one bracelet, car registration and three ATM cards. 

    The Gujjarpura police have registered a case, while motorway police spokesperson said they had not been able to take action as the incident did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police.

    Amid a strong reaction by the public and countrywide protests, at least one of the two culprits has been identified.

    PUBLIC HANGINGS:

    While a number of people are demanding public hanging of the accused such as sought for serial child rapist and killer Imran Ali of Kasur, the premier’s belief contradicts that of federal science and technology minister and his government’s former spokesperson, Fawad Chaudhry.

    A day earlier, Fawad had said that calls for hanging and burning the rapists alive from prominent members of his party and the educated faction were a reflection of the society’s violent thinking.

    The minister’s comments had come after two members of the ruling party, namely Senator Faisal Javed and Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, called for extreme punishments for those behind the gang-rape and the rape and murder of minor Marwah in Karachi.

  • Bushra Ansari urges Maulana Tariq Jamil to break silence over motorway gang-rape

    Bushra Bashir, formerly known as Bushra Ansari, has urged Maulana Tariq Jamil to break his silence over the motorway gang rape and hold a ‘dharna‘ or ‘ihtejaj‘ (protest) in this regard.

    In a social media post, the actor wrote: “Thinking what to ask and what to think.”

    “Just want the rapist to be alive, not to be hanged. They should live the rest of their lives, with the pain and helplessness with broken legs broken arms and without the organs which destroy women and their souls,” she continued.

    “I demand and strongly demand to cut and throw their sickness tools and make them impotent and break their legs and hands so that they just become a symbol for all others who are going to do this today tomorrow or day after. Because they will keep doing this until they don’t see these results,” said the actor, adding that they should be made an example out of.

    Bashir then went onto say that she has had enough.

    “Islam ki bohat [baatein] karty hain toh practical banain. Aankh k badly aankh, toh izzat or zilat k badley zilat.”

    Addressing Maulana Tariq Jamil, Bushra said: “Please Maulana Tariq Jameel, koi dharna, koi ihtejaj aap bhi toh karain. Aap ki yahaan bohat zuroorat hai. Boliye please.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CFEGUS9hkmu/

    Read more – Bushra Ansari lashes out at fan for criticising her drama ‘Zebaish’

    Later the actor also said that those who are protecting the criminals should also be punished for doing so.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CFFM1cEBkVD/

    Meanwhile, as per the latest reports, the police have identified one of the suspects behind the gruesome incident that shook the nation. The individual, namely Abid Ali is a resident of Haroonabad town of Punjab’s Bahawalnagar district, is a proclaimed offender, and has been nominated in multiple cases earlier as well. While Ali is still at large, the other suspect identified by the Punjab government Waqarul Hassan reportedly surrendered himself on Sunday at Lahore’s Model Town police station. He claimed that his brother-in-law was using the mobile phone which had wrongly implicated him in the crime, adding that he himself was not involved. The police have said that they will conclude the matter after they receive the DNA report of the suspect.

  • No India-Pakistan cricket till political relations normalise: PCB Chairman

    Discussions on resuming bilateral cricket exchanges between India and Pakistan cannot start between the India and Pakistani cricket boards unless political relations between the two countries become normal and stable, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani told IANS in an exclusive interview.

    “Over the years, PCB has had a number of discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding bilateral cricket. Whether it is T20 cricket or bilateral, all things are in the hands of the BCCI. At this moment I don’t have any intention of playing any T20 league with India. First, they have to sort out the bilateral (political) relations with us, and then we will talk,” said PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani.

    India has not played a Test series in Pakistan for more than 14 years, and Pakistan have not visited India for almost eight years, though they have played against each other in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) events like the World Cup and the Champions Trophy all these years.

    “The ICC constitution says there should be no government interference. So, I think ICC should be talking to them [BCCI],” Mani, a former ICC president, said, referring to the mandatory permission that BCCI has to take from the Indian government to play against Pakistan.

    Read more – Afridi says he has ‘old and strong relations’ with Yuvraj, Harbhajan

    Mani also made it clear that he wouldn’t request BCCI President Sourav Ganguly to let Pakistani players compete in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, he fondly recalled the harmonious relations between the BCCI and the PCB in 1990s, when he, as the PCB representative, interacted with Madhavrao Scindia and Jagmohan Dalmiya who ruled both the BCCI and the Asian Cricket Council.

    “I had enough discussions with Mr Dalmiya; not just him but with Mr Sharad Pawar and going back to the time of Mr Madhavrao Scindia. We have had very, very good and open relations with the BCCI. Over the last 12 years, I find the relationship is not what it used to be. There has to be trust and openness on both sides — and honesty in dealing with each other,” he emphasised.

    “To find that the relationship was not what it used to be, I was surprised and disappointed when I came back (as PCB chairman in August 2018). A lot of improvement can be done on this. We could talk to anybody (in normal times), but it takes two hands to clap,” said Chairman PCB.

  • Khalil ur Rehman Qamar called a ‘hypocrite’ after he attends protest for motorway rape victim

    Khalil ur Rehman Qamar called a ‘hypocrite’ after he attends protest for motorway rape victim

    Social media users are calling Khalil ur Rehman Qamar a “hypocrite” after he was spotted at the protest in Lahore held to demand justice for the motorway rape victim.

    According to details, Qamar was also called out by a member of the civil society Husnain Jamil Faridi while he was addressing local media channels, the clip of which has gone viral on social media. Netizens lauded Faridi for bashing Qamar and hit out at the writer for his misogynistic comments.

    Khalil ur Rehman Qamar has been at the receiving end of criticism and hate ever since he publicly abused journalist Marvi Sirmed on live television, back in March.

    ICYMI, a few days before the Aurat March, Qamar and Marvi were invited to be a part of a panel discussion on Neo TV’s show Aaj Ayesha Ehtesham Kay Saath. The topic of discussion was a petition against the Aurat March in the Lahore High Court (LHC). The petition, which had called the march “un-Islamic” with a “hidden agenda to spread vulgarity”, had been dismissed by the court that said it couldn’t be banned under the law of the land. Qamar while speaking against the slogan ‘Mera Jism Meri Marzi‘ launched a tirade against Sirmed when she murmured the same as he was talking. He hurled expletives her way and abused her on live television. The TV channel was later fined Rs500,000 (0.5 million) for airing Qamar’s abusive and misogynistic remarks.

    Meanwhile, as per the latest reports, the police have identified one of the suspects behind the gruesome incident that shook the nation. The individual, namely Abid Ali is a resident of Haroonabad town of Punjab’s Bahawalnagar district, is a proclaimed offender, and has been nominated in multiple cases earlier as well. While Ali is still at large, the other suspect identified by the Punjab government Waqarul Hassan reportedly surrendered himself on Sunday at Lahore’s Model Town police station. He claimed that his brother-in-law was using the mobile phone which had wrongly implicated him in the crime, adding that he himself was not involved. The police have said that they will conclude the matter after they receive the DNA report of the suspect.

  • Ex-foreign minister Khawaja Asif under fire for glorifying Taliban

    Ex-foreign minister Khawaja Asif under fire for glorifying Taliban

    As United States (US)-Taliban talks continue with the aim of achieving peace in Afghanistan, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker and former foreign minister Khawaja Asif has glorified the fundamentalist political movement and military organisation in a statement that drew strong criticism.

    “You may have the power, but God is with us… Allah is great,” he wrote while tweeting a picture of Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

    His statement wasn’t very well received by netizens who trained guns at the ex-foreign minister for having forgotten how the Taliban not only brutalised the people of Afghanistan but also harboured militants who targeted many, including Asif’s boss and former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif.

    https://twitter.com/ZahirMoein/status/1305395808439799808

    Meanwhile, after nearly two decades of war that has killed tens of thousands, peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban have opened in Doha.

    Key speakers at the opening ceremony at a hotel included Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation Chairperson Abdullah Abdullah, Mullah Baradar and Pompeo.

    The negotiations, where the two warring sides will sit face-to-face for the first time, will start today (Monday).

    For his part, Abdullah on Saturday spoke about seeking a dignified and lasting peace.

    “I believe that if we give hands to each other and honestly work for peace, the current ongoing misery in the country will end,” Abdullah said, calling for a “humanitarian ceasefire”.

  • PM welcomes children back to school, deletes tweet after realising schools are re-opening tomorrow

    PM welcomes children back to school, deletes tweet after realising schools are re-opening tomorrow

    Confusing days and dates once again, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Monday tweeted to welcome children back to school after a long coronavirus break, only to delete the post after realising that educational institutions won’t be re-opening until tomorrow.

    As per the details, the premier took to Twitter and wrote:

    While he deleted the tweet soon after, in a subsequent tweet PM Imran said:

    “Tomorrow we will welcome millions of children back to school. It is our priority and collective responsibility to ensure that every child can go to school safely to learn. We have worked to ensure that school operations are aligned with public health safety rules on #COVID19,” he wrote.

    This isn’t the first time that the premier, on top of several verbal blunders, has confused the dates.

    Earlier this year, he had asked Muslims “to offer special Nuwafil prayers and seek Allah’s blessings and forgiveness on the occasion of Shabe Baraat tonight”, later deleting his tweet when people had told him the night had already been observed a day ago.

    Mid-Sha’ban or Shabe Baraat is a holiday observed by Muslim communities on the night between 14 and 15 of the Islamic month of Sha’ban. It is regarded as a night when the fortunes of individuals for the coming year are decided and when Allah forgives sinners.

    Twitterati, as usual, had not let go of PM Imran’s faux pas easy.

  • COVID-19 cases increasing through hospitals in Islamabad

    COVID-19 cases increasing through hospitals in Islamabad

    COVID-19 cases continued to drop in the capital city in the last few weeks. It is now revealed that the virus is again spreading through hospitals.

    DC Islamabad Muhammed Hamza Shafqaat, in a recent tweet said, “COVID cases going up. We have traced each and every case in Islamabad. In the recent surge, 80 percent infection is spreading through hospitals.”

    He also urged people “to be extremely careful while visiting hospitals.”

    The total number of reported cases in Islamabad are 15,941 so far.

  • ‘I am sorry’: Lahore CCPO apologises after blaming mother of three for gang-rape

    ‘I am sorry’: Lahore CCPO apologises after blaming mother of three for gang-rape

    Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Umar Sheikh on Monday apologised over his controversial statement regarding the motorway rape incident.

    “I apologise to the victim and all others who were hurt by my remarks. I had no intention of giving any wrong impression,” he said.

    The Lahore CCPO had earlier remarked that the rape victim should have been more careful and taken a safer route.

    “I am shocked… you are a mother of three and the only driver late at night… [she] should have taken the GT [Grand Trunk] Road instead, which is densely populated,” he had said while speaking to Dunya News.

    Sheikh went had further said that the woman should “at least have checked her fuel before taking the motorway”.

    On Tuesday night, it was reported that two robbers had gang-raped a mother of three on the Motorway within Gujjarpura police’s jurisdiction.

    The woman, along with her three children, was driving to Gujranwala in her car when she was forced to stop at the Gujjarpura section of the Motorway after running out of fuel at around 1:30 am. She immediately called a relative and sent him her location. He asked her to also dial the Motorway Police helpline 130 but she was reportedly refused help.

    In the meantime, two robbers approached the car, broke the window and took the woman and her children to nearby bushes where they raped her repeatedly in front of the children. They also snatched her purse that had cash around Rs100,000, one bracelet, car registration and three ATM cards. 

    The Gujjarpura police have registered a case, while motorway police spokesperson said they had not been able to take action as the incident did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police.

    At least one of the two culprits has been identified.