Author: newsdesk

  • Iftikhar Thakur credits Aftab Iqbal for saving his daughter’s life

    Iftikhar Thakur credits Aftab Iqbal for saving his daughter’s life

    Theatre, film and television star Iftikhar Thakur is a beloved comedian, adored by his fans for his humility.

    The actor was recently invited as a guest on ‘DaisBook’ show where he talked about his close bond with host Aftab Iqbal, who has lately been criticised by other big names for what they called problematic behaviour.

    The host asked, “Thakur bhai, please tell us, in your entire life and career, who is the one person you are most grateful to, and will remain grateful to?”

    Iftikhar Thaukar said, “I want to share a story, but I don’t think you will air it on your show. I have a lot of respect for Aftab Iqbal because he helped me in a big way. When my oldest daughter got hurt while playing on the sofa, I told Aftab Iqbal and he quickly stopped his show to help. He arranged for a top doctor to treat her at the hospital, even bringing the doctor to the hospital from his home. He made sure she got the best care possible, which cost PKR 21 lakhs at the time. Aftab Iqbal made sure my daughter was okay and didn’t give up until she was better.”

    Veteran Sohail Ahmed recently criticized Aftab Iqbal, saying he doesn’t respect his colleagues, thinks he knows everything, and needs to be more humble.

  • Babar Azam included Amir in the team to put pressure on Shaheen, alleges Basit Ali

    Babar Azam included Amir in the team to put pressure on Shaheen, alleges Basit Ali

    Former cricketer Basit Ali has alleged that Babar Azam included bowler Muhammad Amir in the team to put pressure on strike pacer Shaheen Afridi.

    In the ARY program ‘Har Lamha Pur Joash’ Basit said, “What was the performance of Muhammad Amir? This team is not Pakistan team but Babar XI and Wahab Riaz XI. Only the game of likes and dislikes is being played in team.”

    The former cricketer said that Hasan Ali returned to the team. “The establishment in Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) gave the chairman wrong advice, the result of which came before us today.”

    After the USA-Ireland match ended inconclusively due to rain, Pakistan cricket team is out of this mega event.

    The national team will play their last match of T20 World Cup against Ireland on Sunday.

  • Illegal Afghan citizens banned from entering Peshawar during Eid, Muharram

    The government has decided to ban illegal Afghan citizens from entering Peshawar during Eid-ul-Adha and Muharram.

    Speaking to Geo News, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Peshawar Qasim Ali Khan stated that this decision has been made due to security concerns and in order to control crime.

    He emphasised that ensuring a peaceful religious festival is the top priority, and during Eid and Muharram, illegal Afghan citizens will not be allowed to enter the city.

    Qasim Ali Khan further mentioned that security at sensitive locations and places of worship will be reassessed, and additional security measures will be implemented during Eid and Muharram.

    The CCPO added that practical steps will be taken to curb street crime.

  • Yashma Gill gushes over Hania Aamir: ‘She’s my sister’

    Yashma Gill gushes over Hania Aamir: ‘She’s my sister’

    Popular actor Yashma Gill really loves spending time with her best friend and ‘sister’ Hania Aamir. She talked very positively about Hania in an interview with former supermodel Frieha Altaf on her podcast ‘FWhy’. Yashma said that Hania has always been there for her when no one else was.

    “She’s like my sister,” Gill said when asked if the actor from ‘Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha’ is her current best friend.

    “She’s funny, but she’s also very sensitive. I don’t know if people know this because they see her funny and bold side on social media. She’s someone who always advises others on how to be happy, but she herself is very sensitive. She’s very human.”

    “Even though she’s younger than me, she’s much more sensible, and actually, she’s like my therapist,” remarked the actor from ‘Tere Ishq Ke Naam’.

    Recalling a recent incident, where Aamir spent the entire night with Gill while she underwent surgery, she added, “She was the only one who stayed with me the whole night. I’ve always said about Hania that she might skip random plans and hangouts sometimes, but when she knows you’re really in trouble, she’ll be there for you.”

    “I remember I didn’t even tell her about my surgery because I wasn’t in a state to inform anyone and was rushed to the hospital. But my house helper informed Hania. She came and stayed the whole night in the hospital room with me, even though she had a shoot the next morning,” Gill explained. “Not many people would do that.”

  • Sahiwal hospital tragedy: 11 children lost, Maryam Nawaz’s orders thwarted by YDA-Police clash

    Sahiwal hospital tragedy: 11 children lost, Maryam Nawaz’s orders thwarted by YDA-Police clash

    In an unfortunate incident on June 8, a fire broke out in the pediatric ward of the Sahiwal Reading Hospital that claimed the lives of 11 children, most of them newborns.

    After the incident, the hospital’s spokesperson Dr. Farrukh Shahzad stated that the fire was caused by a short circuit in an air conditioner in the nursery ward after which the hospital staff moved the children to the emergency room and the surgery ward; the hospital even denied reports of children’s deaths in the incident.

    However, Information Minister Punjab government Azma Bokhari spoke with BBC Urdu, and said, “Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has rejected the report presented by the hospital and has conducted her own inquiry. Action has been ordered against officers of the hospital administration.”

    During the CM’s visit to the hospital, it was found that fire extinguishers had expired since April and had not been maintained which is against safety protocols.

    The CM was outraged at the hospital’s management for failing to provide fire extinguishing equipment even after the fatal incident.

    CM Maryam Nawaz dismissed the hospital’s MS Akhter Hussain, Deputy MS Dr Usman Anwar, Assistant MS Dr Umer and Sahiwal Medical College Principal Prof Dr Imran Hasan.

    However, when the Sahiwal police tried to arrest the doctors on CM’s orders, a clash took place between the police, hospital doctors and paramedics. The clash allegedly resulted in injuries to two dozen doctors and 30 paramedics.

    The Young Doctors Association (YDA) led the protest, criticising the CM’s decision to arrest the senior doctors. It threatened to shut down all emergencies of public sector hospitals across Punjab if the detained doctors were not released.

    The YDA has demanded the withdrawal of the suspension of senior doctors and action against the police officers involved in the baton charge.

    District Police Officer (DPO) Sahiwal Faisal Shehzad held rounds of negotiations with the senior doctors and released all the doctors on orders of the Punjab government.

    Maryam Nawaz also replied to a social media user on X (formerly Twitter) complaining of the government’s high-handed action against the doctors.

  • No swimming or bathing on Karachi beach

    No swimming or bathing on Karachi beach

    Commissioner Karachi has banned bathing and swimming on various Karachi beaches for two months, from July 16 to September 15.

    The office of the Commissioner has directed Deputy Commissioners to ensure compliance with the ban.

    Citizens are advised to follow the orders to ensure safety.

    “There is apprehension expressed by the concerned Deputy Commissioners that a large number of public is expected to visit the beaches in Karachi during Eid Holidays and there is every likelihood of drowning incidents occurring due to public bathing and swimming in the sea, owing to the monsoon spell and high tides in the sea,” the notification read.

    However, bathing in the sea is banned at Canap Beach, Mubarak Village, and Sonera Beach until August 13, according to Geo News.

  • PCB likely to re-evaluate central contracts of players

    PCB likely to re-evaluate central contracts of players

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is likely to re-evaluate the central contract of Pakistan cricket team’s players.

    According to Geo, national cricketers who do not perform well in the first phase will be demoted in the central contract and many cricketers will have to lose the coveted contract.

    Cricketers were given a three-year contract from July 1 last year, but now the central contract is being re-evaluated after the team’s disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup.

    Players were alleged to have successfully gotten an increase in their salaries by applying pressure during Zaka Ashraf’s tenure. The same team then failed in the Asia Cup and ICC World Cup.

    The remunerations that were increased will now be determined as per the remunerations of the players and their retention in the contract.

  • Petrol price reduced by Rs10.2, diesel by Rs2.33 per litre

    Petrol price reduced by Rs10.2, diesel by Rs2.33 per litre

    The government has announced a reduction in the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs10.2 and Rs2.33 per litre, respectively, for the upcoming fortnight. 

    In a notification, the Ministry of Finance stated that the prices of petroleum products have exhibited a mixed trend in the international market over the past two weeks. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) calculated the new consumer prices based on these international market fluctuations.

    The revised prices set petrol at Rs258.16 per litre and HSD at Rs267.89 per litre. 

    The Prime Minister’s Office described the reduction as a gift from the premier in anticipation of the upcoming Eidul Azha. 

    Sources previously indicated that the government intended to pass the benefits of lower international prices on to consumers. 

    Over the past two weeks, the prices of petrol and HSD in the international market decreased by approximately $3.75 and $2.7 per barrel, respectively. This follows a significant drop of about $12 per barrel for petrol and $8 per barrel for HSD over the prior month.

    The international price of petrol has decreased to just over $90 per barrel from about $94 per barrel, while the price of HSD has fallen to $95 per barrel from $98 per barrel.

  • Weekly inflation rises with tomato prices up 27.14%, chicken 11.75%

    Weekly inflation rises with tomato prices up 27.14%, chicken 11.75%

    The Weekly Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the Combined Group saw a 1.3 per cent week-over-week increase during the week ending June 13, 2024, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

    The SPI also showed a significant year-over-year rise of 23.03 per cent compared to the same period last year.

    The Combined Index reached 313.93, up from 309.91 the previous week, and significantly higher than the 255.17 recorded a year ago.

    During the week, out of 51 monitored items, prices of 19 items (37.26 per cent) increased, 8 items (15.68 per cent) decreased, and 24 items (47.06 per cent) remained stable.

    Major price increases were observed in tomatoes (27.14 per cent), chicken (11.75 per cent), electricity for Q1 (8.73 per cent), pulse gram (7.19 per cent), and LPG (6.14 per cent). On the other hand, notable price decreases were recorded in onions (5.00 per cent), chilies powder (1.95 per cent), rice basmati broken (1.65 per cent), garlic (1.32 per cent), and rice IRRI (1.08 per cent).

    The SPI percentage change by income groups indicated increases across all quantiles, ranging from 1.01 per cent to 1.31 per cent on a weekly basis. The lowest income group experienced a rise of 1.01 per cent, while the highest income group saw an increase of 1.29 per cent.

    Yearly analysis of SPI changes across different income segments showed increases ranging between 16.29 per cent and 26.07 per cent. These statistics highlight the varying impact of price changes on different income groups, reflecting broader economic trends and inflationary pressures within the country.

  • Gold price hits Rs241,500 per tola after recent surge

    Gold price hits Rs241,500 per tola after recent surge

    The price of gold in Pakistan saw a significant rise on Friday, with 24-karat gold now selling at Rs241,500 per tola, marking an increase of Rs800 per tola.

    This adjustment is notable as the price has been maintained Rs1,500 below its actual cost due to a reduction in purchasing power.

    The Karachi Sarafa Association reported that the price of 24-karat gold per 10 grammes has increased by Rs686, bringing it to Rs207,047. Similarly, 22-karat gold saw a price hike, reaching Rs189,793 per 10 grammes.

    In contrast, silver prices remained steady in the domestic market. The price of 24-karat silver continued to be Rs2,750 per tola and Rs2,358 per 10 grammes.

    On the international stage, spot gold was trading near $2,331 an ounce, reflecting a rise of $28.7 or 1.25 per cent from the previous session. This upward trend in the global market has influenced the local pricing dynamics in Pakistan.

    The ongoing fluctuation in gold prices is closely monitored by investors and market participants, as it reflects broader economic conditions and purchasing power within the country.