Author: newsdesk

PCB asks tough questions from ICC after India refuses to come to Pakistan

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sought answers to important questions in a letter written to the head of the International Cricket Council (ICC) after India refused to come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

The PCB wrote a letter to the ICC on Tuesday after India refused to come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

According to Geo, vital answers have been sought in the letter written by the PCB to the head of the ICC.

The PCB has asked the ICC when exactly did the Indian Cricket Board inform them that the Indian cricket team will not be able to participate in the Champions Trophy, which will be held in Pakistan. PCB has also asked whether the Indian Cricket Board has informed the ICC in writing about its refusal. The PCB has also asked the next question: if India has refused in writing to come to Pakistan, then what are the reasons for it.

PCB asked the ICC for a copy of the Indian Cricket Board’s written notice so that the reasons on the basis of which the decision was taken can be reviewed.

What is your response to the Indian Cricket Board’s refusal to send the team asked PCB in the letter, PCB has asked.

After getting answers to all these questions, the Pakistan Cricket Board will take legal advice and guidance from its government so that the next course of action can be formulated.

If India really does not send its cricket team to Pakistan and the ICC accepts India’s refusal, then Pakistan will not play any match with the Indian cricket team during the Champions Trophy under any circumstances.

Earlier, there were reports that PCB is taking a tough stance on the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision not to send its team to the Champions Trophy in Pakistan: considering a ‘minus-India’ formula in response.

The PCB has decided to use examples from the 1996 and 2003 World Cup in its initial stance to adopt a tough stance against India.

However, Indian media reports are claiming that the Champions Trophy will be shifted to South Africa if Pakistan rejects the hybrid model.

The decision will be made at the board meeting, where a poll will be necessary for transferring the Champions Trophy from Pakistan.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is awaiting the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) response to an email sent on Friday, and ICC’s next course of action will depend on the PCB’s reaction, the report said.

November 13, 2024
Did Atif Aslam really say he will not perform in Saudi Arabia?

Renowned singer Atif Aslam has distanced himself from a statement attributed to him regarding a concert in Saudi Arabia.

According to sources close to the singer, “Atif did not make any statement regarding holding a concert in Saudi Arabia or not. He did not make any statement that he would not hold a concert in Saudi Arabia, adding that the statement attributed to Atif Aslam on social media is “a complete lie.”

Atif has performed in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in the past.

Atif Aslam stopped concert to fulfill a fan’s request

Singer Atif Aslam stopped in the middle of a concert to fulfill a fan’s request. A video of the interaction went viral on social media.

In the viral video, it can be seen that during a concert in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, a female fan approached the stage to take a selfie with the singer, but security personnel pushed her back, preventing her from moving forward. She stumbled after losing her balance.

Arif saw the scene unfolding while performing on stage. He paused the concert to say, “Be gentle with the fans.”

At that point, a security official told Atif Aslam, “These fans are coming forward to take a selfie with you.”

After listening to the security guard, he invited the fan on stage to take a selfie with him.

Atif Aslam and Ed Sheeran shine at Diljit Dosanjh’s concert

Indian superstar Diljit Dosanjh, Pakistani legend Atif Aslam, and British icon Ed Sheeran – who wouldn’t want to see these three music stars together? For those who missed it, Dosanjh’s tour producer Sonali Singh thrilled fans by sharing heartwarming photos on Instagram. The images showed Aslam and Sheeran meeting backstage at Dosanjh’s Birmingham concert, part of his DIL-Luminati tour.

On Instagram, Atif Aslam shared a picture with Ed Sheeran.

In the caption of the Instagram post, he wrote, “What a night it was.”

Ed Sheeran made a surprise entry at Diljit Dosanjh’s electrifying ‘Dilluminati Tour’ concert in Birmingham, captivating the audience.

Atif Aslam and Ed Sheeran unexpectedly met during the concert, with pictures shared by Atif Aslam himself and Diljit Dosanjh’s business manager Sonali Singh on social media, which quickly went viral.

Fans were overjoyed after seeing the backstage meeting photos. As soon as the pictures started circulating on social media, fans suggested that the two artists should collaborate for a concert.

November 13, 2024
Earthquake jolts areas of KP and Islamabad

Tremors have been felt in various areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the capital territory of Islamabad earlier on Wednesday. The epicentre was in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan region.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) revealed that the earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1 while the epicentre of the quake was located 37 kilometres west-southwest of Afghanistan’s Ishkashim town, with a depth of 220.7 km. On the other hand, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) reported the magnitude as 5.3.

The earthquake struck at 10:13 AM, Pakistan Standard Time, as confirmed by both the USGS and PMD.

DawnNewsTV reported that the tremors were felt in Peshawar and surrounding areas, as well as in parts of Islamabad. Residents in the affected cities reported that the quake caused people to evacuate buildings in panic.

No casualties have been reported so far.

November 13, 2024
Exemption of Urdu for O-level students on medical grounds irks educators

The recent exemption of the Urdu subject exam for O-level students on medical grounds has sparked serious concerns among educators in Pakistan.

According to critiques, the exemption conveys a strange message that sickness only impacts students’ ability to read and write a particular language. They fear that the higher-level decision will further exclude the national language from school curricula.

The Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC) has recently exempted O-level students from the Urdu exam on medical grounds. In a recent notification issued by the IBCC’s Assistant Director, it has been clearly mentioned that O-level students appearing for their examinations on medical grounds will be exempted from the compulsory subject of Urdu.

It was announced during the 173rd meeting of the IBCC on September 30 that a student must provide proof of their medical condition to be allowed an exemption for the Urdu exam.

According to IBCC’s website, English, Urdu, Islamic Studies, Pakistan Studies and Mathematics have been included in the eight compulsory subjects of O-level in Pakistan. A notification was also issued by the Federal Ministry of Education in June 2023.

Urdu, English, Pakistan Studies, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Entrepreneurship and Islamic Studies have been approved for Grades nine to 12 under the National Curriculum of Pakistan.

The IBCC’s announcement has triggered a fresh debate among the education circles in the country, with some teachers questioning why the students are being allowed an exemption on medical grounds from the subject of Urdu only when an exemption from any compulsory subject could be sought on medical grounds.

Terming it a discriminatory move, an Urdu teacher observes that the IBCC could have issued a notification in which either no subject or all the compulsory subjects were mentioned. “Students, who don’t want to study Urdu, can misuse this exemption on medical grounds,” he said.

Dr Irfan Shah, who is a Professor of Urdu at the Government City College, Karachi, is of the view that the notification is beyond the IBCC’s jurisdiction. “This matter is related to the National Curriculum and only the Bureau of Curriculum can decide all kinds of exemptions related to compulsory subjects,” he maintained. Shah wondered how such decisions are being made by the subordinate bodies of a federal minister whose mother tongue is Urdu as well.

IBCC’s Director Meetings Aamar Gilani, when contacted by the Express Tribune, conveyed his unawareness of the matter, saying this was a specific case and no general notification had been issued.

When the correspondent read out the notification to Gilani, he inquired about how the notification came to be accessible. “I have to see when and how the general notification was issued,” he responded.

COURTESY TO THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE

November 13, 2024
Block pornographic and blasphemous content, ministry urges PTA

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been urged to block and restrict public access to pornographic, blasphemous and other harmful online content.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs, in an official communique to the top telecom regulator, showed concerns that Pakistan is becoming “one of the leading countries in terms of viewing pornographic content, which is highly alarming, especially in light of its negative impact on public morality and the well-being of our society”.

“Despite the proactive measures taken by the PTA to block such content in line with the Supreme Court orders issued in January 2016, May 2016, and March 2018, it has been observed that pornographic and blasphemous material is still readily accessible on multiple online platforms.”

The ministry acknowledged the PTA’s efforts to curb this issue by blocking the accessibility of such content, but noted with concerns that such material “is still online accessible that violates our cultural and religious values”.

The letter further states that the widespread availability of such content undermines efforts to protect citizens, particularly young people, from exposure to harmful material.

It also raises concerns regarding the adherence to the directives of the top court and the authority’s ability to enforce content regulations effectively.

November 13, 2024
Constitutional bench set to begin hearings on Nov 14

The recently established constitutional bench will begin hearing cases on November 14 and 15 based on a first in and first out, the Supreme Court of Pakistan announced on Tuesday.

Earlier, the appellate court formed a three-judge committee to fix cases, issue court rosters, form benches, and decide weekly caseload for its recently established constitutional bench.

Justice Aminud Din Khan, the head of the constitutional bench, chaired the committee on Tuesday which was attended by Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar telephonically from Karachi.

According to a press release issued by the SC, the purpose of the meeting was to discuss matters for the formation of the constitutional bench.

The court’s registrar’s office briefed the committee members about the pending constitutional cases. The committee resolved that priority would be accorded to the oldest cases.

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), in its first session on November 5, had picked Justice Amin as head of the constitutional bench by a seven-to-five majority.

A seven-member constitutional bench comprised Justices Aminud Din Khan, Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Ayesha A. Malik, Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Musarrat Hilali and Naeem Akhtar Afghan. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi reconstituted the JCP.

Per the SC’s release, Justice Ayesha Malik will not be available on Nov 14 and 15 and a bench comprising all available Judges will be constituted to proceed with cases on these dates.

Muhammad Salim Khan, the Registrar at SC, released the court roster of a six-member constitutional bench which will begin hearing cases at 9:30am on Nov 14.

The bench will include Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.

The SC directed the Registrar to schedule cases for hearing before the bench. The committee will meet again at 12:30pm on Nov 13.

November 13, 2024
Mosque suicide attack: Police arrest officer linked to attacker

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police arrested a cop involved in facilitating the suicide bomber behind the blast at the police line mosque in Peshawar last year.

Inspector General (IG) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Peshawar, revealed that a policeman named Mohammad Wali was arrested a few days ago from Jamil Chowk, and two suicide jackets were recovered from him.

“It was revealed during the investigation that the suspect belonged to the police department,” KP IGP said.

The incident took place on January 2023 at the Central Hall mosque, located in the Police Line area, leading to over 100 casualties.

The suicide attacker was reportedly present in the first row of the prayer during Zuhur time when he exploded himself.

The Fitna al Khawarij (formerly Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) had taken the blast responsibility in 2023.

IG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stated that following Mohammad Wali’s contact with the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) in 2021, he travelled to Afghanistan, where he met with terrorists, including Mohammad Khurasani, spokesperson of JuA.

Moreover, IGP unveiled that Wali transported the suicide bomber on January 20, 2023, identified as Qari, an Afghan national, from Charsadda Mosque to the Police Line mosque for reconnaissance.

Wali took the bomber on a motorcycle to Rahman Baba Cemetery, where the bomber was given a police uniform and a suicide vest. Wali then left “suicide attacker near the Police Line,” IGP added.

Additionally, Akhtar Hayat Gandapur claimed: “Mohammad Wali did this in exchange for Rs 2 lac, received via hawala-hundi at Chowk Yadgar,” further noting that the suspect was also involved in the Warsak Road bomb blast.

A video was shown in which Wali confessed to his horrific crimes during a press conference.

He stated that after his arrest by Afghan forces, a Jamaat-ul-Ahrar member, Junaid, helped secure his release.

He further confessed that he contacted the JuA’s member Junaid through social media in 2021, noting, “I personally expressed my intent to join Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, support it, and work for it.”

Mohammad Wali maintained that he joined the police department on December 31, 2019.

He, however, mentioned that following the suicide blast at the police line, he was then posted to the BRT.

November 12, 2024
Champions Trophy could be shifted to South Africa: reports

Indian media reports are claiming that the Champions Trophy will be shifted to South Africa if Pakistan rejects the hybrid model.

The decision will be made at the board meeting where a poll will be necessary for transferring Champions Trophy from Pakistan.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is awaiting the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) response to an email sent on Friday, and ICC’s next course of action will depend on the PCB’s reaction, the report said.

On the issue of hosting the Champions Trophy, PCB has written a letter to the ICC asking for the reasons for India’s refusal to come to Pakistan.

Earlier, there were reports that PCB is taking a tough stance on the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision not to send its team to the Champions Trophy in Pakistan: considering a ‘minus-India’ formula in response.

The PCB has decided to use the examples from the 1996 and 2003 World Cup in its initial stance to adopt a tough stance against India.

In 1996, Australia and West Indies refused to play in Sri Lanka, while in 2003, New Zealand refused to play in Kenya and England refused to play in Zimbabwe. In response, the International Cricket Council (ICC) awarded points to the teams that were present on the ground for the scheduled matches, putting the teams that refused to participate at a disadvantage.

Geo reports that based on these examples, the PCB will assert that the ICC has never changed a venue in the past when teams failed to show up, and as a result, Pakistan will adopt a firm stance.

Pakistan may also propose a ‘minus India’ Champions Trophy on this basis, as India has not yet spoken about the Champions Trophy in writing. PCB will insist to the ICC that India submits all its positions in writing, sources have claimed.

Earlier, it was also reported that Pakistan would write a letter to the ICC in light of the government guidelines in the next day or two, for which the Board had also completed a legal consultation.

Earlier, the PCB denied all claims about the Indian team refusing to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025.

PCB source told The Current, “All speculations about Indian cricket board’s letter to PCB or India not coming to Pakistan are baseless. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s press conference in Gaddafi Stadium on November 8 is the latest update on this issue.”

Mohsin Naqvi said that there should be no politics in the game and assured that the Board will continue preparations despite India not coming.

On the other hand, reports claimed that the government of Pakistan is likely to make tough decisions regarding India’s refusal to come to the Champions Trophy.

The government is considering that if India does not participate at the agreed venues, Pakistan will not play any future matches with India, and until relations with India improve, they will not play any game with India in any tournament.

They are of the view that Pakistan always makes goodwill gestures, but India is always involved in politics.

If India does not participate in matches in Pakistan and the host country doesn’t agree on the hybrid model, then there is a strong chance that Sri Lanka will replace India.

November 12, 2024
After Minahil Malik, alleged leaked videos of TikToker Imsha Rehman go viral

In the latest episode of privacy breaches surrounding social media celebrities, multiple private videos allegedly showing TikToker Imsha Rehman have been leaked over the internet.

As per the details, Imsha became the latest victim of social media leaks when at least two alleged controversial videos of her went viral on Monday night. The videos, which allegedly show the social media influencer sharing an intimate moment with a male friend, have drawn strong reactions from netizens as they express concern over the sudden hike in number of cases pertaining to digital privacy violations.

While Imsha is yet to issue an official statement, she has deactivated her social media accounts on Instagram, Tiktok, Snapchat and Facebook. “Jab tak video viral hai mein ne id off kar di hai [I have deactivated my accounts for as long as the video is doing the rounds],” she wrote in a message on her Instagram channel.

Social media activist and fellow influencers have also called for the removal of the viral clips, advocating for a more compassionate response to such sensitive situations.

It may be noted that just last month, another TikToker, Minahil Malik, found herself in a similar situation when a number of videos allegedly showed her sharing an intimate moment with social media influencer Rana Sharyar. The videos sparked a wave of criticism against Minahil, prompting her to take a break from social media which is still ongoing.

Minahil’s departure from social media came following a video statement wherein she highlighted the severe harassment, trolling and cyberbullying she was being subject to.

“I am feeling very tired. I have taken this decision after a lot of thought. You all have given me a lot of support and love. I am grateful for that, but this world doesn’t let anyone live peacefully. The world is very cruel. I hope I never see you all again. I am feeling very helpless. Minahil is dead inside,” she also wrote in an Instagram story.

“And please, I request that you give as much love and time as you can. Spend time with your loved ones, you don’t know what time will bring. Stop spreading hatred and holding grudges in your heart. And please apologise for your mistakes on time, and mistakes happen to everyone, but if you apologise, then you have to act on it and not repeat that mistake. And the most important thing is to learn to forgive. Life is only two days, you don’t know when it will end,” Minahil had added

November 12, 2024
WhatsApp group admins will need licenses

Zimbabwe has taken the lead in controlling misinformation spread through WhatsApp, with the African nation gearing up to ask group admins to acquire a licence.

Group admins will now have to register with the Post and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), which will then issue a licence to administer the group.

The Zimbabwean Minister of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, said that the licensing would assist in tracking sources of false information which incite violence and unrest.

Group admins will be required to provide personal information for the licensing process, which will cost at least 50 dollars.

The government has defended the move, which could raise privacy issues, by saying that it is necessary for maintaining law and order in the country.

The Zimbabwean government argued that the imposition of licensing for group admins will help authorities to identify and hold accountable those responsible for disseminating misleading information that may lead to social unrest.

This requirement aligns with WhatsApp’s encryption policy and efforts to enhance user experience and security. However, it is intended to align with the country’s Data Protection Act (DPA) as well, which allows the authorities to have access to personal information that can be used to identify a person directly or indirectly. WhatsApp group admins will then come under DPA.

In October 2024, WhatsApp introduced new features, including a ‘Search on Web’ tool for users to verify shared images, an improved chat widget for iPhone users, expanded chat themes, and a new call link feature for easier video and voice calls.

Critics of the new regulation have reservations on privacy concerns, data breaches, curbing freedom of speech and government surveillance.

Notably, the new rules came amid a growing global concern about the role of social media apps in spreading misinformation and disinformation. Recently, Canada asked TikTok to pack up its operation in the country.

November 12, 2024