Author: newsdesk

  • Peshawar barber sets up shop in BRT underpass

    Peshawar barber sets up shop in BRT underpass

    The fate of Peshawar’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) continues to be undecided as the KP provincial government tries to iron out the various setbacks in its completion.

    As a result, the already standing structures have been left desolate with no security keeping an eye on them. A poor man saw this an opportunity and set up a barbershop in the Hashnagri underpass which is used by locals to cross the road.

    The shop, which consists of a few chairs and a mirror, has gained popularity on social media and the city and is being visited by many.

    The BRT authorities have not reacted to the barbershop yet.

    Meanwhile, more than a year has passed since the initial launch date of the much-awaited service. Launched with the Asian Development Bank’s assistance, the project had been announced by then Chief Minister Pervez Khattak who had said that the 26 km long project would be completed by April 2018. However, to date the project appears to be nowhere near completion.

  • 2800cc luxury car worth Rs8 million imported for KP minister

    2800cc luxury car worth Rs8 million imported for KP minister

    Amid the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s claims of continuing its austerity drive to save taxpayers’ money, a luxury car worth Rs8 million (Rs8,000,000) has been imported for a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) minister.

    According to Dunya News, the 2800cc luxury car has been imported for KP Information Minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai, who is only entitled to an 1800cc vehicle.

    It was decided that a double cabin worth around Rs5.5 million would be imported, however, the minister insisted on getting the luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV), reports said.

    The move comes despite Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan pushing for austerity measures to reduce the burden on the national exchequer ever since he assumed office last year.

    The austerity drive has faced multiple setbacks over the past 10 months owing to the apparent reluctance of the lawmakers in cutting down expenses.

  • Gandapur mistakes GTA V video for real-life footage, praises pilot for ‘narrow escape’

    Gandapur mistakes GTA V video for real-life footage, praises pilot for ‘narrow escape’

    Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur has shared the video of a simulation from popular video game Grand Theft Auto (GTA) V, assuming it to be real.

    Tweeting the video which showed a plane miraculously avoiding colliding with an oil tanker as it descended on the runway, Gandapur wrote, “Narrow escape of an aircraft which could have ended in a great disaster. Miraculous save by the pilot’s presence of mind.”

    The clip had originally been shared to Youtube on June 20 by The UiGamer, who has amassed millions of views with clearly labelled videos of plane stunts on GTA V.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://twitter.com/securepakistan/status/1147489515071836166

    While Khurram mistook the animated video for a real-life clip, Twitterati did not and most of them were quick to troll anyone who thought it was actually a “miraculous save”.

    “As if our politicians are super intelligent,” one said while suggesting in a joke the United States (US) might sell virtual fighter jets to Pakistan instead of F-16s. “These innocuous mistakes are what we live for,” another wrote.

  • ‘Friends’ to bid goodbye to Netflix

    ‘Friends’ to bid goodbye to Netflix

    A moment of silence for all Friends fans. US reruns of the popular television sitcom Friends will be moving from Netflix Inc to a new streaming service, HBO Max in 2020.

    The service, from AT&T Inc’s WarnerMedia is scheduled to launch next spring, and is expected to offer more than a dozen original shows and movies from stars including Reese Witherspoon and Anna Kendrick. Programming from AT&T-owned networks such as HBO and TBS and classics from the Warner Bros film and TV library will also be part of the service.

    A subscription price for HBO Max has not yet been announced.

    Friends, a TV hit in the 1990s, was the second-most-watched show on Netflix in the United States when measured by minutes streamed, according to Nielsen data for 2018. The most-viewed Netflix show is The Office, which will switch from Netflix to a planned digital offering from Comcast Corp’s NBCUniversal in 2021.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix lost Friends in a bidding war with WarnerMedia, which agreed to pay $85 million per year for five years for the show. Netflix reportedly made a Herculean effort to keep the show, spending $80 to $100 million to keep the series for 2019, but couldn’t manage beyond that.

    Netflix, in a comment on Twitter, said it was “sorry to see ‘Friends’ go.”

    “Thanks for the memories, gang,” the company said.

  • What do people think about Yasir Hussain’s public proposal to IqraAziz?

    What do people think about Yasir Hussain’s public proposal to IqraAziz?

  • Resolution in Punjab Assembly seeks ‘Medal of Democracy’ for Gen Bajwa

    Resolution in Punjab Assembly seeks ‘Medal of Democracy’ for Gen Bajwa

    A resolution seeking ‘Medal of Democracy’ for Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, has been tabled in the Punjab Assembly, a private media outlet reported.

    According to reports, ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Haroon Gill submitted the resolution wherein he stated that the provincial house acknowledged Gen Bajwa’s unbiased role in promoting democracy in the country.

    “The [Punjab] assembly sees with respect the role army chief has played in establishing peace,” the resolution said further.

    It also demanded that the government awards ‘Medal of Democracy’ to the army chief for promoting, stabilising and protecting Pakistan’s democratic institutions.

    “I got this idea because the 2018 general election was free and fair,” Gill said when approached by a private media outlet. He added that all political parties were independent and the military was playing a crucial role in these testing times.

  • Four monkeys create havoc in Rawalpindi

    Four monkeys create havoc in Rawalpindi

    Four wild monkeys have sent waves of fear and panic among residents of Rawalpindi as they attack cows and chickens and injure them in the Rata Amral neighbourhood of the city.

    According to residents, the monkeys climbed the mobile tower in the area and would jump onto the roofs of houses and attack their domestic animals. As a result, parents in the locality are also fearful of letting their children go out onto the streets fearing an attack.

    Rescue 1122 officials said that they are working to catch the monkeys but have been unable to. They added that they’ve reached out to the local wildlife department for assistance.

    Last year, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had blamed monkeys for damaging street lights in Islamabad.

  • Meesha Shafi responds to Ali Zafar’s win at the Lux Style Awards

    Meesha Shafi responds to Ali Zafar’s win at the Lux Style Awards

    Despite all the shor sharaba and nominations withdrawl from the 18th Lux Style Awards, Ali Zafar won the award for Best Actor Viewers Choice for his role in Teefa in Trouble.

    In case you missed it, several members of the Pakistan entertainment industry withdrew their nominations in solidarity with Meesha Shafi and because they did not want to share the platform with an “alleged harasser”. Among those who withdrew their nominations were model Eman Suleman, hair and makeup artist Saima Bargfrede, The Sketches, and Faris Shafi.

    Those who withdrew their nominations also boycotted the event, including Meesha. While Ali Zafar also did not attend the event, he took home an award and that too for Best Actor Viewers Choice.

    While Ali took to Twitter to thank his fans for supporting him, Meesha thanked all those who supported her in this time.

    Meesha also decided that it was a good time to share her two cents on all the controversy surrounding Ali’s defamation case and all the conspiracy theories that have been circulating on social media.

    She also took a jibe at all those who are saying that her case is being ‘foreign-funded.’

    Meesha also “saluted” her legal team for their unending support.

    Meesha signed off by asking women to stand up and work towards change.

  • Hamza Ali Abbasi has something to say on Iqra Aziz & Yasir Hussain’s engagement

    Hamza Ali Abbasi has something to say on Iqra Aziz & Yasir Hussain’s engagement

    You have to be living under a rock if you don’t know about Yasir Hussain and Iqra Aziz’s very public engagement. Yasir proposed to his long-time alleged beau during the Lux Style Awards which means thousands of people were watching him get down on one knee. Like NBD.

    Anyways, Yasir’s very public proposal has the whole country divided. While romantics are loving Yasir’s public display of affection, others are hating on the couple for being too public with their romance.

    Hamza Ali Abbasi who likes to comment on all matters under the sun also had a few words to share. Taking to Twitter, his favourite social media platform, Abbasi defended Iqra and Yasir and congratulated them on getting engaged. Quoting verses from the Quran, Hamza requested people to not judge the two and instead appreciate them for wanting to opt the halal route i.e. nikkah.

    He asked fellow Pakistanis not to point out flaws in other people and instead enjoy the good part.

    Of course, no Hamza Ali Abbasi debate is complete without at least one reference to item songs.

    Despite the backlash Hamza received from the public, he continued to defend Iqra and Yasir asking people to refrain from name calling and abusing the newly-engaged couple.

    We have to agree with Hamza’s stance here. Just because you disagree with someone doesn’t mean you have to resort to name-calling or being rude to them. Cyberbullying is real and has detrimental effects on a person’s health. Just a few days ago, Iqra opened up on being bullied online and the negative effects it has on a person’s mental health.

    Meanwhile, other celebrities including Mahira Khan and Gohar Rasheed congratulated Iqra on social media.

  • Rawalpindi traffic wardens directed to remove games from mobile phones

    Rawalpindi traffic wardens directed to remove games from mobile phones

    After receiving complaints about traffic wardens playing mobile games on duty, city police officer (CPO) Muhammad Faisal Rana instructed the chief traffic officer (CTO) to make sure that traffic wardens do not have games on their phones during duty hours.

    CPO Rana, in this regard, also warned that he will be conducting surprise visits to check if the traffic wardens are performing their duties properly. He added that if they’re found being negligent, they will face departmental action.

    Moreso, CPO Rana asserted that aerial firing is banned on wedding ceremonies and other events and if anyone violates this rule, the police have the authority to register a case against those involved.