Author: newsdesk

  • COAS Gen Bajwa ‘takes notice’ of misbehaviour of army colonel’s wife towards police

    COAS Gen Bajwa ‘takes notice’ of misbehaviour of army colonel’s wife towards police

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has reportedly taken notice of the mistreatment of police personnel by a woman claiming to be the wife of an army colonel, a video of which went viral on social media on Wednesday night.

    According to journalist Gharidah Farooqi, Gen Bajwa has ordered “prompt disciplinary action” against the military officer.

    “[The case of the] video of a serving military officer’s wife misbehaving with police at a check post on Hazara Motorway. COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa takes prompt notice. Immediate disciplinary action initiated against the officer concerned,” she tweeted while welcoming the army chief’s decision.

    It was also tweeted by Senator Rehman Malik of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

    “We must appreciate the prompt notice taken by Gen Qamar Javed Bajawa by ordering disciplinary action against the officer whose family misbehaved with the police,” he said, adding that the development spoke volumes of the army’s accountability system.

    READ: Inflation: Armed forces demand 20 per cent increase in salaries

    On Wednesday night, a viral video showed a woman misbehaving with police officials at a check post on Hazara Motorway in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) after she was stopped for what netizens say were security reasons.

    Claiming to be a colonel’s wife, the woman seemed insulted as she launched verbal attacks against the cops who continued to calm her down. The woman was also seen maneuvering her car at the police personnel until finally driving off after removing the barricade.

    WATCH VIDEO [STRONG LANGUAGE WARNING]:

    As ‘#ColonelKiBiwi’ trends on Twitter in Pakistan, a group of netizens has claimed that the woman’s husband, Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Farooq Khan, has also had a similar reaction to police officers conducting their job and doing a routine security check.

    READ: From interior to info, health, telecom, power, civil aviation among others: Military men serving Pakistan

    While The Current has not yet been able to independently verify the claim, here’s a video of the woman’s alleged husband.

    Support is pouring in for the cops who were and are mistreated by those who think they are above the law, as people demand an end to the culture.

    Have anything to add to the story? Let The Current know in the comments.

  • NAB to host hi-tea for all its prisoners on Eid

    NAB to host hi-tea for all its prisoners on Eid

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) will give “relief” to its prisoners by offering hi-tea on Eid day, a statement issued by the anti-graft watchdog has revealed.

    “Keeping its past tradition alive, the bureau has arranged hi-tea for all detained suspects and they will also be presented bouquets on Eid day,” a NAB spokesperson said Wednesday.

    The bureau said it had decided to present bouquets to all its suspects detained at Kot Lakhpat and Camp jails on judicial remand. It said the bureau was doing so out of a goodwill gesture.

    Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz, Jang/Geo Media Group editor-in-chief Mir Shakilur Rehman and Lahore Development Authority (LDA) former director general Ahad Cheema are among the prominent NAB suspects on judicial remand.

    Meanwhile, a report in a local English daily has claimed that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) suspects a serious foul play behind sudden appearance and circulation of a fake draft purported as a government bill that undermined its efforts to fix anomalies in the accountability regime.

    The report quoted a member of the cabinet as saying that the issue of NAB amendments had been pushed to the back burner yet again and now the government would see after Eid what could be done. The PTI government had recently decided to consult all stakeholders, including the opposition parties, to amend NAB law either through an ordinance or if possible by convening a session of parliament to carry out the required legislation.

  • Meethi Eid: Places to order Eid cakes from

    Meethi Eid: Places to order Eid cakes from

    Eid ul-Fitr means new beginnings, celebrations and eating a lot of food and starting this exciting day with something sweet. Keeping in view the social distancing rules, everyone must avoid going out unnecessarily but that doesn’t mean we give up on our sweet tooth.

    Here are a few places where you can order Eid cakes online and have them delivered to your doorstep.

    Islamabad

    Waima’s Kitchen

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Wasimas-kitchen-102480028076161/

    Baked Temptations by Saira

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Baked.Temptations.by.s/

    Lahore

    Rabi’s Food Studio

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/rabifoodstudio/

    Cake Cloud

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/cakecloudlahore/

    The Baking Studio

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thebakingstudiolhr/

    Theobroma

    If you’re a fan of the Tres Leches, then the Tres Leches from Obroma is a must-have. Order it now and thank us later.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_703cLg2aW/

    Vanilla by Hafsa Zulfiqar

    The richest, creamist chocolate cake you’ll ever have.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B5iS6gehryx/

    Karachi

    Cakesh

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/cakeshbysadiakanwal/

    Contact Number: 03343324381

    Sugar Mama

    Their Lotus Cheesecake is a bestseller and one everyone needs to try at least once. They are also offering a variety of Eid packages you can send to your loved ones.

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/sugarmama.khi/

    Pie in the Sky

    Website: https://pieinthesky.com.pk/

  • Karachi’s top salons opt to remain closed

    Karachi’s top salons opt to remain closed

    While most salons across the country have opened their doors for business with the necessary SOPs in place, two of Karachi’s leading salons, Natasha’s Salon and Bina Khan, have decided to remain closed despite permission from the Government and the Supreme Court to resume business.

    Read more – Nabila says that she will not be bullied

    Natasha Khalid of Natasha’s Salon and Bina Khan announced on social media that they will not be opening their salons due the continuous increase in corona cases.

    “We have since yesterday received a barrage of calls asking if we’re open for services for Eid, mostly because the Supreme Court of Pakistan has ordered ‘resumption of normalcy’,” wrote Khalid.

    “First things first. Nothing is normal or back to normal! We have just been allowed to open shop & remove all corona-related limitations in the midst of a peak.”

    “This is being done due to enormous economical/social pressures, which have nothing to do with the fact that numbers of COVID-19 affectees are increasing on an hourly basis; that people both young and old, sick and healthy, are dying from it,” she remarked, adding, “We already have put extraordinary pressures on our health systems and are ever-increasingly encumbering hospitals and health workers with exponential risks.”

    Urging everyone to stay home, Natasha wrote, “Blow-dry your hair at home this time and if you can’t, tie that loose braid. Have hair on your arms and legs. Or just shave. Get a facial with the help of a plethora of ‘at home facials’ available online and watch one of the dozens of tutorials to get ready this Eid.”

    Announcing her decision, she wrote: “I will not risk my staff, myself, or anyone walking through my doors getting unwell. I am trying to generate cash from online classes to pay my staff and keep my business alive, but I will not risk opening my doors because I know I can’t guarantee 100% that someone will not get ill.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CAYUb6ljhuA/?utm_source=ig_embed

    Similarly, Bina Khan said that her salon will remain closed “because we care”.

    In a note, Khan wrote that she spoke to a couple of doctor before making her decision and they all explained to her that “providing normal salon services undeniably comes with some risk”.

    “I do not think that anything that goes on in a salon is an essential service so we have decided to keep our doors closed,” she stated, adding that her salon will open as soon as it’s medically advisable.

    Like Natasha, Bina said that online classes are allowing her to generate income so she is able to pay her staff.

    However, Bina said that she will make exceptions for her brides, but with strict precautionary measures in place.

    “I will open for my brides when they come because I understand that their weddings have been scaled back so hugely that looking like a bride and feeling special is a service that has started to feel more essential than it normally is. I am willing to risk my health for these poor corona brides, whose dream days have been so severely tarnished. But I will go alone and will only ask one staff member to help, taking every precaution known to man while we do so,” wrote the makeup artist.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CAaEvNxlp0l/

    Meanwhile, other salons across the country have opened with the necessary precautions, including PPEs, sanitizers and masks, in place.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_pgjS8he47/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/CAXEL-Xl2IB/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/CAVC-TbDzVK/
  • Singaporean court hands out death sentence through video-link

    Singaporean court hands out death sentence through video-link

    A Singaporean court has handed via video-link the death sentence to a Malaysian man, Punithan Genasan, who was found guilty of being involved in drug trafficking.

    He facilitated the trafficking of 28.5 kilograms of heroin back in 2011, which has a zero-tolerance policy for illegal drug use. He was then extradited in 2016, later he was found guilty and sentenced to death via a Zoom call by high court officials.  

    Singapore’s Supreme Court said in a statement that in line with measures to minimise the further spread of the COVID-19, courts have been conducting hearings, including hearings on criminal matters remotely.

    Therefore, for the safety of all involved in legal proceedings, trials are being conducted virtually. Genasan’s lawyer did not object to the sentence being handed out via video conference.

    Since much of the western world was placed on coronavirus lockdown in late February through March, Zoom’s usage has skyrocketed. This has led to questions about what business the software is and isn’t fit to handle.

    Companies like Google and SpaceX have banned employees from using Zoom out of security concerns. School districts in New York, as well as teachers throughout Singapore, have also been barred from using the software.

  • Cambridge University suspends all in-person classes until summer 2021

    Cambridge University suspends all in-person classes until summer 2021

    The University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom has become the first university to announce that it will move all “face-to-face lectures” online for the upcoming 2020-21 academic year. The institution added that it was “likely” social distancing would continue to be required.

    According to a report in The Guardian, the university said that while lectures would continue virtually until summer 2021, it may be possible for smaller teaching groups to take place in person if it “conforms to social-distancing requirements”.

    A statement from the university read: “The university is constantly adapting to changing advice as it emerges during this pandemic. Given that it is likely that social distancing will continue to be required, the university has decided there will be no face-to-face lectures during the next academic year.

    “Lectures will continue to be made available online and it may be possible to host smaller teaching groups in person, as long as this conforms to social-distancing requirements. This decision has been taken now to facilitate planning, but as ever, will be reviewed should there be changes to official advice on coronavirus.”

    All teaching at the university was already moved online in March and exams were being carried out virtually.

  • VIDEO: Unusual snowfall in Ayubia in May after a century

    VIDEO: Unusual snowfall in Ayubia in May after a century

    In an unusual occurrence, the lush green mountains of Abbottabad district’s Ayubia village, after over a century, have received snowfall in the month of May that is known for bringing warmer weather.

    According to The Express Tribune, nearby areas, including the Galiyat region, also received light snowfall on Tuesday, which was very unusual even for the local population.

    A report by the local English daily quoted a 90-year-old resident of Ayubia as saying that he hadn’t seen such weather since the British colonial rule. The resident said that his elder brother told him how in the 1920s the beautiful hilly region received snowfall for the last time in the month of May, while back when his forefathers resided in the region, the cold weather used to be very harsh even in June.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Galliyat Development Authority (GDA) Director General (DG) Muhammad Raza Habib said he had received reports from his team in Ayubia about the weather, adding that there was no causality or disturbance for civilian life in the region due to the unexpected snowfall.

    Rina Saeed, an Islamabad-based writer and author, said the changes in weather were due to coronavirus pandemic as most of the world was under lockdown.

    READ: Improved air quality leads to breathtaking view of Kashmir from Sialkot

    “The environment is much cleaner now as compared to pre-coronavirus period. Since there is no pollution in the atmosphere, the flora and fauna of this region would benefit from it,” she said.

  • Indian TikToker banned for ‘glorifying’ acid attacks

    Indian TikToker banned for ‘glorifying’ acid attacks

    Indian TikToker Faizal Siddiqui’s account was banned after he ‘glorified’ acid attacks in a clip posted recently. The famed TikToker’s account was revoked “due to multiple community guidelines violations”.

    Siddiqui, who has a following of 13 million people on the social media app, came under fire after he enacted a scene that shows Siddiqui is throwing a liquid on a girl’s face for betraying him.

    “Keeping people on TikTok safe is a top priority and we make it clear in our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines that clearly outlines what is not acceptable on our platform. As per the policy, we do not allow content that risks the safety of others, promotes physical harm, or glorifies violence against women,” the app spokesperson was quoted as saying.

    Many people called out the app and the star for the action. Acid attack survivor Laxmi Aggarwal on whom the film Chhapaak also raised her voice on social media, “We are working day and night to stop the acid attacks, violence against women. This cringe activity is not called influencing but promoting crime. Such persons are a curse to our society. So it is important to ban such videos and accounts from social media.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CAUtS1NHtMJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
  • Iranian hackers attack 3 major Pakistani telecom companies

    Iranian hackers attack 3 major Pakistani telecom companies

    A group of Iranian hackers has targeted three telecom firms in Pakistan and breached data servers, revealed a cyber security company, Symantec.

    While the report does not reveal the names of the companies that were targeted, it discloses that the group uses virtual “tunnels” to stay connected to the victims’ machines without a trace.

    Using virtual tunnel technique, they can also access other machines on the same network to extract valuable information.

    Jon DiMaggio, senior cyber threat analyst at Symantec explained, Iranian “Greenbug” is capable to breach telecom network repeatedly. “As we would close one door, they would attempt to come back from another.”

    Besides, this is not the first time a hacker group has been involved in cyberattacks against telecom companies. According to Symantec, 18 different groups linked to various governments around the globe targeted telecom firms in 2019.

    Telecom companies will always get these cyberattacks because they have valuable information in their databases, says Symantec. Big telecom companies like AT&T and Verizon have heavily invested in protection against cyberattacks, however, not all companies have the same resources.

    The reports recommended firms to keep their systems up to date with the latest security tools and features. There are tools that can automatically eliminate vulnerabilities from the databases of companies.

  • Murad Saeed trolled as Donald Trump ‘follows footsteps of PM Imran’

    Murad Saeed trolled as Donald Trump ‘follows footsteps of PM Imran’

    Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed, who had falsely claimed that New York was to follow Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s coronavirus lockdown model, has been trolled by lawyer Reema Omer among others as United States (US) President Donald Trump expressed the desire for his country, worst-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, to reopen.

    The tweet by the lawyer came as Trump, who has been voicing his concerns over the adverse effects of the lockdown on the economy, tweeted, “REOPEN OUR COUNTRY!”

    The tweet by the US president coincided with PM Imran allowing to ease restrictions across Pakistan ahead of Eid to “wisely” provide relief to the labour class, daily wagers and lower-middle strata of the society.

    “Epic trolling,” tweeted senior journalist Abbas Nasir in response to Reema’s dig at the federal minister.

    ‘NEW YORK TO FOLLOW PAKISTAN’S LOCKDOWN MODEL’:

    In a May 11 viral video, Saeed had claimed that the US state of New York was going to follow the “smart lockdown” concept after being inspired by Imran Khan and Pakistan, however, fact checks revealed otherwise. Meanwhile, netizens shared videos and pictures of how the partial lockdown measures were failing even in Pakistan.

    The clip instantly gained popularity on social media and was reported by several Pakistani and international news outlets.

    “If you look at the smart lockdown concept implemented by PM Imran Khan even the governor of New York has quoted Pakistan’s contact tracing and tracking concept and are following it now,” the federal minister is heard saying while speaking at the National Assembly.

    Saeed also reportedly said that the cluster lockdown concept discussed by Khan is being taken forward by his counterpart Boris Johnson in the United Kingdom (UK).