Author: newsdesk

  • Nigar Johar becomes first woman Lt Gen of Pakistan Army

    Nigar Johar becomes first woman Lt Gen of Pakistan Army

    Nigar Johar has been promoted by the Pakistan Army to become the first woman lieutenant general, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Tuesday.

    According to the military’s media wing, Johar, who hails from the Panjpeer area of Swabi district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), also holds the accolade for becoming the first woman surgeon general of the Pakistan Army.

    Earlier, in 2017, Johar became the third woman officer to reach the rank of major general.

    Lt Gen Johar belongs to the Army Medical Corps and is the niece of Major (r) Mohammad Aamir, a former Pakistan Army officer who served in the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

    Lt Gen Nigar Johar’s father Colonel Qadir also served in the ISI. He and his wife were killed in a road accident about 30 years ago.

    Swabi has produced a number of generals, but this is the first time that a woman has reached the said army rank.

  • Singer Haroon ties the knot

    Singer Haroon ties the knot

    Lockdown weddings have become a trend with many celebrities getting married during this time. The latest celebrity to tie the knot is Haroon of the 90s pop band Awaz. The singer got married in a low-key ceremony amidst close family members and friends.

    The couple looked amazing in the shades of white and muted gold. While Haroon donned an outfit by Amir Adnan, his bride’s trousseau was done by Warda Qutub Khan. According to details, Haroon’s wife Farwa hails from Gilgit-Baltistan which explains why the singer posed with a Pakol (Chitrali cap) on his head.

    Pictures from their nikkah went viral on social media.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CCBe4mihDD6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
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    Haroon is not only a renowned singer and songwriter but he is also the creator and director behind the Pakistani animated TV series Burka Avenger, which has won two prestigious international awards.

  • India bans TikTok, Twitter floods with memes

    India bans TikTok, Twitter floods with memes

    India on Monday banned 59 — mostly Chinese — mobile apps, including TikTok and WeChat over national security and privacy concerns just weeks after a deadly border clash between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

    India’s Ministry of Information Technology said it was banning the apps after receiving “many complaints from various sources” about apps that were “stealing and transmitting users data” in an unauthorised manner.

    The apps “are engaged in activities that can be a threat to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state and public order,” the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEIT) said in a statement.

    India is TikTok’s biggest foreign market, with an estimated 120 million users.

    TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is headquartered in Beijing. The parent company faced accusations for its involvement in data sharing with the Chinese government.

    “TikTok continues to comply with all data privacy and security requirements under Indian law and have not shared any information of our users in India with any foreign government, including the Chinese Government,” said the company on Tuesday.

    In the United States, strong critics, including some senators have called for an investigation into the Chinese company.

    The list of apps banned by India also includes the microblogging platform Weino, the strategy game Clash of Kings, Alibaba’s UC browser, and e-commerce apps Club Factory and Shein.

    https://twitter.com/GureshC/status/1277642946431475712?s=20

    https://twitter.com/zaynanxari/status/1277650472711716864?s=20

    The banning of TikTok invites a flood of hilarious tweets on Twitter and users are wondering why PUBG is not being banned by the government which is an extremely popular Chinese gaming app.

    China says it is concerned about India’s decision to ban Chinese mobile apps and was making checks to verify the situation. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters on Tuesday that India has a responsibility to uphold the rights of Chinese businesses.

    “We want to stress that the Chinese government always asks the Chinese businesses to abide by international and local laws and regulations,” he said.

  • Hamza Ali Abbasi’s take on religion irks fellow actors

    Hamza Ali Abbasi’s take on religion irks fellow actors

    By now everyone knows that Hamza Ali Abbasi has taken a break from acting to focus on his spiritual journey and getting a better understanding of Islam. The actor turned evangelist also often shares his thoughts and understanding of religion on social media.

    Recently Abbasi tweeted that he fails to understand why we need a Messiah or an Imam when we have the Quran.

    When a follower shared his thoughts on the matter, Hamza said that he is “referring to terms that denote self-proclaimed directly divinely guided people.”

    Read more – Hamza Ali Abbasi says he is the ‘happiest’ he has ever been

    Hamza further asserted that all problems within Islam exist today because we have started neglecting the Quran.

    Following Hamza’s comments, Mohsin Abbas Haider and Shahroz Sabzwari expressed their reservations and disagreed with Abbasi. While Mohsin advised Hamza to keep learning, Sabzwari commented that he fails to understand why some people become the thaikaydaar (custodians) of Islam.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Hamza supported Haider’s former wife Fatima Sohail when she accused him of domestic abuse and cheating.

    “We need to make a horrible example of Mr Mohsin for all those men who dare raise there hand on the female servants of Allah & try to justify it,” Hamza had said.

    On the other hand, Yasir Hussain supported Hamza’s stance and said that he is saying the right thing.

  • Cop martyred in Pakistan Stock Exchange attack was to retire two days later

    Cop martyred in Pakistan Stock Exchange attack was to retire two days later

    One of the martyred security personnel who thwarted the attack on Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) in Karachi on Monday, was due to retire from service two days later, SAMAA reported.

    Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Muhammad Shahid of Lyari recruited 33 years ago in 1987, was due to retire on July 1.

    Senior police officials have paid tribute to the martyred officer. They say the city owes its peace to such valiant police personnel.

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa among others have also paid tribute to the brave cops and security guards who laid down their lives to foil the attack by killing all four gunmen affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) before they could enter the compound.

    Constable Muhammad Rafiq Soomro and Constable Khalil Jatoyi are also being praised for their valour and the critical role they played in thwarting the attack within eight minutes of its launch.

    Earlier, panic and fear swept across Karachi after four terrorists tried to storm the PSX building on I I Chundrigar Road Monday. The assailants came in a car and tried to enter the building, according to the police.

    They were intercepted by security guards after which the militants threw a hand grenade at them and opened gunfire. All four attackers were killed after a brief encounter with commandos of the Sindh Police’s Rapid Response Force.

  • Shireen Mazari takes notice of harassment at Lahore’s private educational institutions

    Shireen Mazari takes notice of harassment at Lahore’s private educational institutions

    Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari has taken notice of allegations of harassment and inappropriate behaviour by instructors at two of Lahore’s premier private institutions. While the minister did not name the institutions, it is being speculated that she is referring to Lahore Grammar School 1A1 Branch (Ghalib Market) and the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).

    In a Twitter update, Mazari said that she has taken notice of the matter and that the regional offices have been alerted on the matter.

    The Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR) also announced that they have taken notice of matter and said that assistance is available on their helpline 1099.

    Earlier in the day, The Current reported that the management of LGS 1A1 Ghalib Market Branch, including female teachers, had come under fire for covering up harassment and inappropriate behaviour by instructors for years. It is pertinent to mention here that most of the girls studying at the school were minors at the time.

    Read more – Private school in Lahore comes under fire for covering up harassment

    Such incidents had reportedly been going on for the past four or five years and the victims had been reporting the matter to the admin and their teachers. However, their teachers had been covering up for their colleagues and brushing the matter under the carpet. They resorted to victim-blaming and refused to take any action. Strict and immediate action was only taken after the girls shared their ordeal on social media.

    According to details, students have come forward and shared their experiences of being harassed by three teachers namely Aitezaz Rehman Sheikh, Umer Shareef and Zahid Iqbal Warraich.

    Similarly, students and alumni of LUMS shared their experiences of being harassed by instructors and fellow students on a private group. Some of the students have also decided to pursue the matter and their perpetrators through legal channels.

  • LUMS distributes free internet devices amongst students on financial aid

    LUMS distributes free internet devices amongst students on financial aid

    The Lahore University of Management and Sciences (LUMS) has sent internet devices to those students who are studying at the university on need-based scholarship.

    Wardah Noor, a student of LUMS shared the news, which went viral on social media.

    Noor shared: “LUMS sent internet devices with free data of (75GB/ month) to the students on full financial aid.”

    She shared that she was concerned about the internet package given that she doesn’t have a job and her father’s pension is Rs 25,000.

    This initiative is being appreciated because the university — LUMS — has identified a major issue and took action without any requests from deserving students. People are also urging the administration of other universities to learn from this initiative and facilitate their students.

    This development has come when a large number of students across the country were protesting against online classes due to internet connectivity issues.

    Many students from far-flung and remote areas like Gilgit Baltistan (GB), Kashmir, Sindh and Balochistan have been protesting because they do not have an internet connection. In some cases, students have to travel more than 25 kilometres to take online classes.

    Furthermore, more than 60 students were arrested by police in Quetta for a peaceful demonstration against internet connectivity issue. Later on, they were released on the same day.

  • Indian filmmaker trolled for celebrating attack on Pakistan Stock Exchange

    Indian filmmaker trolled for celebrating attack on Pakistan Stock Exchange

    The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) building was attacked by four heavily armed terrorists in Karachi on Monday morning. Police killed all four assailants who attacked the building. At least two civilians also lost their lives in the attack and multiple were injured.

    Some reports said that four guards and a policeman were also martyred.

    As the news of the incident started circulating on social media, Indian filmmaker Ashoke Pandit took to Twitter and wrote, “#TerroristsKillTerrorists in #Karachi stock exchange in Pakistan.”

    https://twitter.com/ashokepandit/status/1277483890005827584?s=20

    Following his remarks, Twitter users started criticising Pandit for his insensitive remarks and demanded him to apologise for his comments.

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    Pakistani actor Armeena Rana Khan also condemned the director’s remarks.

    https://twitter.com/ArmeenaRK/status/1277613212746252288?s=20
  • VIDEO: Khawaja Asif, Fawad Chaudhry trade barbs in National Assembly

    VIDEO: Khawaja Asif, Fawad Chaudhry trade barbs in National Assembly

    The National Assembly (NA) on Monday approved the federal budget for the fiscal year 2020-21. The session, however, was yet again marred by an altercation, this time between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif and Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry.

    “Sir, bass vee kar deo [sir, please stop]” Fawad was heard as saying as Asif addressed the Lower House of the parliament.

    To this, Asif replied, “Tuvaaday mutalak mai aisiyaan aisiyaan gallaan karaanga, Khuda di qasam tavanu jagaah nayi labnni ais hall ich [I will say such things about you that you will not find a place in this hall].”

    Asif went on to say that for the past few days, Fawad had been “involved in some activities”, to which the federal minister said the PML-N leader would not “find any space in Sialkot — Asif’s hometown — either” and asked him to apologise for his remarks.

    NA Speaker Asad Qaiser kept on asking both the lawmakers to stop.

    “No cross talk please… sit down please. Please, Fawad Sahib. Take a seat. Khawaja Sahib, continue please.”

    “No, how can you let this happen? How can one person say anything and not apologise? How dare he? He must apologise!” Fawad said.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Speaking to The Current, Fawad said he was discussing something with Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.

    “Khawaja Asif got upset because we were not paying attention to his speech. Then he made up some lies about me, for which I asked him to apologise.”

  • Every day I’m told it’s my last in power… I am the only choice: PM

    Every day I’m told it’s my last in power… I am the only choice: PM

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said that every day he is told by someone that it, or the day after, is his last in power, but he knows he can “easily complete his five-year tenure”.

    Addressing a dinner reception hosted at the PM House to muster support of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers as well as coalition partners for the passage of budget 2020-21 in the face of its rejection by the joint opposition, the premier asserted that his government would definitely complete its five-year term because he was determined to face every challenge.

    “I am the only choice,” he said, adding that all rumours regarding his government’s uncertain fate and the challenges facing his administration would cease to exist “if he strikes a deal with people”.

    He was of the opinion that opposition leaders had a bigger stake than the ruling PTI.

    According to Dawn, a participant of the event quoted PM Imran as saying that the members of opposition parties had a bigger stake because if PTI leaders lose the election they would only lose their seats while “if opposition leaders lose them, they would go to jail”.

    Responding to the allegation that the government was being run by a team of non-elected people, the premier said, “If we have included some non-elected members in the cabinet, they [opposition parties] had filled the slots with their relatives.”

    He reportedly also asked PTI leaders and all government allies to get the budget passed on Monday with a significant majority and spoke about the recent hike in petroleum prices, corruption as well as coronavirus in the country.

    The function concluded after the PM’s address, as no one spoke after him on the occasion.

    As many as 14 MNAs belonging to the Imran-led PTI, Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) Baloch­istan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), Pakistan Awami Muslim League (PAML) did not attend the dinner, reports said.

    It merits a mention that a day later, the National Assembly has approved the federal budget for the fiscal year 2020-21, despite the opposition’s vow to not let it sail through the house.