Author: newsdesk

  • PTI’s Pakistan: ‘Govt to achieve Rs4,960 billion revenue target’

    PTI’s Pakistan: ‘Govt to achieve Rs4,960 billion revenue target’

    Federal Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar has said that the government is confident of achieving the tax collection target of Rs4,960 billion set in the 2020-21 federal budget through Federal Board Revenue (FBR).

    Concluding discussion on the Finance Bill 2020-21 in the National Assembly, the minister on the floor of the House pointed out that the present government inherited a weak economy, but due to its concerted efforts, the government succeeded in stabilising it.

    He said that all the international financial institutions are praising Pakistan government’s performance on economic front.

    Hammad said that presenting a tax free budget while enhancing allocations for development shows the true leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said the government is trying to minimize the impact of Covid-19 on the economy by pursuing a prudent strategy.

    The minister categorically stated that the federal government has not withheld any funds of the provinces under the National Finance Commission (NFC). He said that the recommendations of the Senate for the Finance Bill 2020-21 would be given due consideration.

    Earlier, the National Assembly approved 96 demands for grants pertaining to different ministries, divisions and departments for the next fiscal year.

    Presented by Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar, these demands were related to Climate Change, Commerce Division, Communications Division, Pakistan Post, Defense Division, Survey of Pakistan, Economic Affairs Division, Power Division, Petroleum Division,  Geological Survey of Pakistan, Foreign Affairs Division, Housing and Works Division, Human Rights Division, Information and Broadcasting Division, Information Technology and Telecommunication, Inter Provincial Coordination,  Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Division,  Law and Justice Division, Federal Shariat Court, Council of Islamic Ideology, National Accountability Bureau, District Judiciary Islamabad Capital Territory, Maritime Affairs, Narcotics Control, National Assembly, The Senate, Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Division, Parliamentary Affairs Division, Planning Development and Special Initiatives Division, CPEC Authority, Privatization Division, Religious Affairs and Inter Faith Harmony Division, Science and Technology Division, States and Frontier Regions and Water Resources.

    No cut motions were moved on these demands for grants.

  • Farhan Saeed celebrates the living legends of Pakistan

    Farhan Saeed celebrates the living legends of Pakistan

    Following the deaths of legends Sabiha Khanum and Tariq Aziz, Farhan Saeed has taken the initiative to celebrate and honour the living legends of Pakistan. The actor-singer also requested his followers to join him in honouring them for their services to the country.

    “2020 has been revelatory for so many reasons. A pandemic has pushed the world to its limits. Racial differences have sparked outrage and so many revered innocent souls have left us,” said the singer.

    Remembering those who passed away, Farhan said, “In this uncertain age, we Pakistanis must not waste time in appreciating the Living Legends among us.”

    He added: “I wish to honour their lives and cherish their presence among us, and I wish to express gratitude for sharing this world with someone of their stature.”

    Saeed has so far honoured four legends including Qavi Khan, Javed Miandad, Abida Parveen and Umer Sharif.

    Writing about Qavi Khan, Farhan said: “As my first tribute to the #LivingLegends of Pakistan, I pay homage to Qavi Khan sahab, the legendary actor par excellence who has been serving the country since 1952.”

    “I recently had the privilege of sharing the screen with him – both on television as well as in a film. Anyone who has worked with Qavi sahab would know his demeanour only commands the utmost respect. He is an institution,” he continued.

    Farhan added: “He motivates younger actors by encouraging them to push the bar with each performance. To encourage us, Qavi sahab always tells us, we are better at what we do than his generation was. His wealth of experience is a guide book for those who have only just recently joined the industry.”

    Next Farhan, celebrated Abida Parveen, whose soulful voice has touched hearts across the world.

    “Abida Parveen is globally recognised as an iconic representation of the Sufi genre. Her soul-stirring voice and melodies have long had listeners across the globe in absolute awe,” wrote the singer, adding: “As a person, Abida Ji embodies the very essence of Sufism. The few times I have had a chance to meet with her, I have witnessed first hand her absolute humility and respect for others.”

    “Abida Ji is undoubtedly a source of pride and inspiration for every Pakistani. She has paved the way for generations to come and pursue their journey. I too take inspiration from her unmatched passion – her work has always been a major source of inspiration and motivation for me.”

    Farhan then paid a rich tribute to comedian Umer Sharif, describing him as “an absolute showman for whom no specific place or audience is required to exhibit the versatility of his craft. He will undoubted have you laughing hysterically, anywhere and everywhere you meet him.”

    “I can’t forget his very gracious advice: “Yeh log hain, tou hum hain – inko kabhi inkaar nahi karna“. His words have since been etched in my memory,” said Saeed.

    Farhan’s latest tribute was to “legendary cricketer extraordinaire – the one and only, Javed Miandad sahab“.

    “I am grateful for the privilege of knowing Javed sahab off the pitch. He is friends with an uncle and is undoubtedly one of the most down to earth human beings I have known. He is a true friend and showers love and affection upon everyone around him,” said Farhan.

    “Javed sahab, aap sada khush rahain, salaamat rahain, aabaad rahain. Pakistan kay liyay aap ki khidmaat ka bayhad shukriya.”

    Miandad, later, thanked Farhan for his efforts.

    Earlier, Yasir Hussain and Shaan also honoured legends and thanked them for their services.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_nGIdPDa-K/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_osBnFDBru/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_o74_JD6Em/
  • Woman finds out she is a man during treatment

    Woman finds out she is a man during treatment

    A woman in India discovered that she was a man suffering from testicular cancer while getting treatment for abdominal pain at a Kolkata hospital.

    According to reports, the woman led a normal life with no complications for 30 years. Her 28-year-old sister, who underwent necessary tests following the revelation, was also diagnosed with ‘Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome’ — a condition in which a person is born genetically male, but has all physical traits of a woman.

    Read more – Peshawar High Court allows woman to change her sex

    The 30-year-old woman is also married for the last nine years. She visited city-based Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Cancer Hospital with severe pain in lower abdomen a couple of months ago, following which clinical oncologist Dr Anupam Dutta and surgical oncologist Dr Soumen Das conducted her medical tests, and found out her “true identity”.

    “From her appearance, she is a woman. Starting from her voice, developed breasts, normal external genitalia, everything is that of a woman. However, uterus and ovaries have been absent since birth. She has also never experienced menstruation,” Dr Dutta said.

    It’s a very rare condition, and can be found one in every 22,000 people, he said. A biopsy was conducted, following which she was diagnosed with testicular cancer, also called seminoma.

    Currently, she is undergoing chemotherapy and her condition is stable.

    “The person has grown up to be a woman. She is married to a man for almost a decade. Currently, we are counselling the patient and her husband, advising them to continue living life as they have been.”

    Reports reveal that the couple had tried for babies a number of times but failed. The patient’s two maternal aunts were also diagnosed with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome in the past, the oncologist said.

    “It’s probably in the genes. We have come to know that two of her aunts from the maternal side were also suffering from a similar condition,” he added.

  • The Current data: Are Lahoris actually ‘weird creatures’ not taking coronavirus seriously?

    The Current data: Are Lahoris actually ‘weird creatures’ not taking coronavirus seriously?

    Punjab government has finally once again sealed worst-hit areas of Lahore for at least two weeks despite which the number of coronavirus infections in Punjab rose to 71,987 on Friday.

    The development came days after Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid slammed the people of Lahore for not taking precautionary measures against COVID-19 and held them responsible for the surge in the number of infections in the country’s most populous province.

    “Lahoris are weird creatures. For them, everything is a joke. They are so ignorant… they do not listen and don’t care. No other nation is more ignorant and stupid than Pakistanis,” she had said.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Seven COVID-19-affected areas have been sealed in Lahore over the past week. These include Gulberg, Model Town, Faisal Town, Garden Town, Defence Housing Authority (DHA), Gulshane Ravi and the Walled City.

    A complete ban has been imposed on transportation and businesses in the sealed areas where 3,606 cases have so far been reported. The actual number of cases is likely to be way more than official figures that are as follows:

    DHA Gulberg Model Town Faisal Town Garden Town Gulshan-e- Ravi Walled city
    1,403 736 659 188 238 212 170

    Government guidelines were issued before re-opening business ahead of Eidul Fitr, under which shopkeepers were told not to let people gather at their stores, social distancing was stressed, availability of sanitisers for general public’s use was to be ensured and wearing gloves with masks was made necessary in most spaces.

    However, none of the SOPs [standard operating procedures] were followed by most Lahoris, resulting in the provincial capital of Punjab becoming the epicenter of COVID-19 in the province.

    At present, there are 71,191 coronavirus cases in Punjab while 35,582 cases (about 49.98 per cent of the total number of infections) are in Lahore alone with the local spread in the city standing at 69.4 per cent.

    Despite a lockdown being put in place again, government SOPs are still not being followed by people as many believe that coronavirus “does not even exist”, and throng to markets, destroying social distancing among other guidelines.

    A look at stats of police actions against violators of SOPs amid the government’s “smart” lockdown, also proves the same.

    According to Lahore police stats from June 16 to June 24, almost 238,400 citizens violating coronavirus guidelines were warned and sent back home. As many as 8,251 motorcycles and vehicles were confiscated while 4,599 citizens submitted surety bonds for not unnecessarily leave their homes again.

    During the ongoing lockdown, 8,927 cases have been registered and 1,888 shops have also been sealed for violating SOPs in Lahore.

  • Peshawar High Court allows woman to change her sex

    Peshawar High Court allows woman to change her sex

    The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday granted a young woman permission to undergo sex reassignment surgery (SRS) to become a man and directed the administration of Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) to facilitate her.

    According to a report in Dawn, the order was issued by a division bench, which heard a petition filed by the woman requesting the court to allow her the surgery. The case was discussed in detail in light of the Constitution, transgender rights act and other medico-legal aspects.

    The petitioner’s lawyer Saifullah Muhib Kakakhel argued that it is the woman’s constitutional right to opt for any surgery or procedure to change her sex as per her desire. He added that Section 2 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 also gives permission to his client to have her gender changed.

    According to Kakakhel, the petitioner was diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a condition that involves a conflict between a person’s internal gender identity and the biological sex assigned to them at birth and that it can be treated through SRS. He told the court that his client felt and acted like a man since childhood, even though she looked like a woman because of which she suffered great mental stress.

    After examining the case in detail, the bench granted the petitioner the permission and ordered the HMC to facilitate her and present a report on the matter within three months. The report is to detail the sexual status of the petitioner and whether it is possible for her to undergo sex reassignment surgery as well as the risks involved; the medico-legal aspects of the case and how the hospital can facilitate the petitioner.

    Read more – Peshawar’s Sunheri Masjid allows women to offer prayers after two decades

    This is not the first time courts in Pakistan are hearing such a case. In 2015, a resident of Kohat successfully transitioned from female to male after undergoing surgery at a local hospital and later got engaged to a childhood friend. In the same year, two sisters in Chakwal had a sex change after doctors declared them male following a physical examination.

  • Unilever Pakistan to rename ‘Fair & Lovely’

    Unilever Pakistan to rename ‘Fair & Lovely’

    Unilever Pakistan on Thursday announced that it would rename it’s skin lightening cream ‘Fair and Lovely’ and stop using the word ‘fair’ to become more inclusive.

    Read more – Celebrities who refused to endorse skin-lightening products

    According to reports, the new name of the product would be announced after the needed regulatory approval.

    In a statement, the brand said: “The brand is committed to celebrating all skin tones.”

    Unilever Pakistan Chairman and CEO Amir Paracha, speaking on the matter said: “Unilever is an organisation that is evolving continuously, and today we have taken the next bold step in our evolution by committing to a more inclusive and diverse portrayal of beauty. This ambition has been in the works for some time with significant steps such as the removal of the dual-faced cameo and shade guides from the packaging of Fair & Lovely in 2019.”

    In addition to the changes to Fair & Lovely, the rest of the brand’s skincare portfolio would also reflect the new vision of positive beauty, the statement said.

    The company’s skin lightening range of products have been strongly criticised for promoting stereotypes against people with darker skin.

    The move comes after the cosmetics companies faced a severe criticism on social media in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

    Earlier, Johnson & Johnson said it would stop selling skin-whitening creams.

  • PIA & 150 pilots ‘with fake licences’

    PIA & 150 pilots ‘with fake licences’

    The Supreme Court (SC) has taken notice of reports of pilots allegedly flying planes in Pakistan without licences.

    Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed has summoned a reply from the director general (DG) of civil aviation within two weeks, directing him to explain how and why these fake licences are issued and what action is being taken against the people who issue them.

    Putting passengers’ lives at risk is a major crime, the CJP said and also summoned the heads of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Air Blue and Serene Air at the next hearing, directing them to submit reports verifying the licences of their respective pilots.

    PIA GROUNDS 150 PILOTS:

    In a related development, PIA announced on Thursday that it will be grounding nearly 150 out of its 426 pilots amid an inquiry that they hold “dubious” licences.

    A day earlier, Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan said 262 pilots, out of total 860 in the country, have suspicious flying licences and would be grounded immediately.

    Talking to media in Islamabad, he said licences of these pilots are dubious.

    The minister stated that there are some pilots, who did not appear in any paper but managed to get the licences.

    He informed that the government has decided that all such pilots would be issued show cause notices and charge sheets so that they could not fly any plane.

    Sarwar said criminal proceedings would also be initiated against pilots with fake licences as the government could not allow anyone to put the lives of its citizens at risk.

    The decision comes at a time when an initial inquiry into a PIA plane crash was presented before the parliament by the country’s aviation minister, who also highlighted irregularities at the national carrier.

    PIA’S REACTION TO MINISTER’S CLAIM:

    Earlier, PIA asked the Aviation Division to provide a list of all quack pilots associated with the airline.

    PIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Air Marshal Arshad Malik wrote a letter to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) DG in reference to the minister’s claim that out of 264 fake or suspicious licences, around 150 belonged to PIA pilots.

    As an operator as well as the national flag carrier, he said, “It is a grave concern for us as many out of these 150 pilots must be flying PIA aircraft, which cannot be allowed after disclosure of fake/suspicious licences scam by [the] aviation minister”.

    Arshad Malik reminded the top CAA official that he had penned a similar letter to the aviation secretary for the provision of a list of those PIA pilots having fake or suspicious licences but no response had so far been received.

  • Iffat Omar asks Pakistani artists to talk about ‘nepotism in your own backyard’

    Iffat Omar asks Pakistani artists to talk about ‘nepotism in your own backyard’

    Iffat Omar is not one to hold back and her show Say it All with Iffat Omar is proof.

    In a recent Twitter update, the model turned talk show host, fired some shots after she told Pakistani industry to focus on nepotism in their own backyard instead of sharing news of “coffee in Karan in hot water”.

    “Ever wondered how many actors we have in our industry?” questioned Omar.

    Following the untimely death and suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput, audiences and fans are lashing out at Bollywood bigwigs for endorsing star kids and not giving the same number of chances to ‘outsiders’. Koffee with Karan, in particular, has come under fire, because of the catty and insensitive remarks that are occasionally passed on the couch. Moreso, Karan Johar’s production company, Dharma Productions, usually launches these star kids placing the director in the direct line of fire.

    Read more – Sushant Singh Rajput’s death exposes the toxic side of Bollywood

    Iffat did not elaborate her tweet further, but we wonder what sort of nepotism she is referring to. Because, in the Pakistani entertainment industry, star kids are a rarity.

  • Imran reminded of Pakistanis and armed forces’ sacrifices as he calls Osama bin Laden a ‘martyr’

    Imran reminded of Pakistanis and armed forces’ sacrifices as he calls Osama bin Laden a ‘martyr’

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s words have yet again landed him in crosshairs of the general public as well as opposition leaders, who are training guns at him for calling notorious terrorist and al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden a “martyr”.

    Making a rare appearance in the National Assembly (NA), Imran on Thursday took the floor and among other things, elaborated how Pakistan had been humiliated despite having sacrificed lives in the war against terrorism.

    “The way we helped America in the war on terror and the humiliation that my country had to face. I don’t think there has ever been any other country that supported war on terror and had to face criticism from them. If they are not successful in Afghanistan, Pakistan is held responsible for that too,” he said.

    The premier went on to add that the United States (US) “martyred” bin Laden in Abbottabad.

    “Pakistanis were deeply embarrassed when Americans killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad. Shaheed kar diya [was martyred]. But what happened after that? The entire world hurled abuses at us. Our ally [the US] entered our country and killed someone without even telling us. It was a big humiliation,” he said before going on to describe the drone attacks as the second set of incidents that embarrassed the country.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://twitter.com/ventdeInde/status/1276144510121148417

    Osama bin Laden was killed in a military operation by US Navy Seals in 2011 in Abbottabad — a few kilometres away from the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) — and ended a nearly 10-year search for bin Laden, following his role in the 9/11 attacks on the US.

    “Whose side are you on? The head of al-Qaeda, a terrorist organisation, who died in Abbottabad or the 70 to 80 thousand Pakistani civilians and military men who laid down their lives in the war on terror?” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair said while reacting to Imran’s statement.

    He, however, wasn’t the only one the premier’s speech attracted a strong reaction from. Here’s what Twitterati have to say:

    Meanwhile, a viral clip showed former foreign minister Khawaja Asif also calling Imran out in his speech on the floor of the Lower House.

    Addressing the NA, he reminded the premier that Osama bin Laden was responsible for instability in the region, especially Pakistan, and was nothing but a terrorist.

  • Fawad vows not to resign as ministers urge Imran to take action against him

    Fawad vows not to resign as ministers urge Imran to take action against him

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has said that politics is not for the “weak-hearted” and vowed not to resign for as long as he has the confidence of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    “I will stay on as a minister till I have the trust of Prime Minister Imran Khan. There is no question of resigning on someone else’s wish,” Fawad tweeted Thursday, referring to Punjab Information Minister Fayazul Hasan Chohan, who had asked the federal minister to step down following the former’s claims pertaining to rifts among the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    In an interview from earlier this week, Fawad had claimed that the PTI failed to bring “tabdeeli” [change] due to the in-fighting between Asad Umar, Jahangir Tareen and Shah Mahmood Qureshi after the formation of its government, which was followed by the ouster of the political class from PM Imran’s core team.

    “This political vacuum was then filled by new and non-elected people who did not have anything to do with politics,” the minister had said while also making other explosive revelations that did not sit well with many.

    READ: Tareen got Asad Umar fired; Asad settled score by getting rid of him: Fawad Chaudhry

    With Fawad drawing criticism from his colleagues for also disclosing that the premier had warned his ministers to perform within six months, many reportedly approached PM Imran, urging him to take action against the science and technology minister.

    It was followed by the PM telling his cabinet members to maintain unity within the party. Addressing a presser after a meeting of the federal cabinet chaired by PM Imran, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz said that Fawad’s interview with the Voice of America came under discussion during the cabinet meeting.

    “Fawad Chaudhry’s interview was discussed in the cabinet [meeting] and the prime minister said we should maintain unity within the party,” Faraz said.

    During the cabinet meeting, the information minister said that the prime minister has instructed the ministers and party leaders not to talk about things that “affect” the party or the government.

    READ: ‘Hold your tongues’: Imran tells cabinet members to not say things that affect PTI, govt

    According to reports, the premier has now also held separate meetings with federal ministers. Those who held meetings with Imran included Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Asad Umar.

    During the meetings, the PM discussed the disorder and heat during the federal cabinet meeting.

    On the occasion, Umar and Qureshi apprised the premier on their respective positions and offered explanations.

    Umar reportedly raised before PM Imran the issue of Fawad’s statements, to which the premier directed his cabinet members to exercise caution and maintain unity.

    Vawda, on the other hand, openly criticised policies of Umar, Adviser to PM on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood as well as Special Assistant to PM on Petroleum Division Nadeem Babar. He also reportedly accused some people of “conspiring from within the cabinet”.

    “There is a game being played here and we cannot sit silent,” he said, adding that people thought that they had become the prime minister.