Author: newsdesk

  • Babar, Rizwan to visit American Islamic center before T20 World Cup

    Babar, Rizwan to visit American Islamic center before T20 World Cup

    Cricket captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batsman Muhammad Rizwan will visit the Islamic Center of America before participating in the T20 World Cup.

    A post shared by East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) is going viral on social media in which the details of Babar and Rizwan’s visit to the Islamic Research Center have been confirmed.

    Both cricketers will participate in a charity event on June 1 in Dallas, USA, where interest-free loans and donations will be given to students for their education.

    Earlier Mohammad Rizwan had visited the Islamic Center of New Zealand and Australia, where a video of his teaching went viral on social media.

  • Faysal Quraishi mother opens up about her son’s success and personality

    Faysal Quraishi mother opens up about her son’s success and personality

    An old interview of senior actor Faisal Qureshi’s mother, Afshan Qureshi, discussing her son’s success has gone viral on social media, sparking speculation about the actor.

    The interview, given two weeks ago to ‘Metro Live TV,’ was edited and widely shared on social media. In the viral clip, Afshan Qureshi talks about her son’s character and personality.

    In the video, she mentions, “I prayed for my son’s success, and my prayers were answered, but I didn’t pray for him to be a good son and person.” The edited clip also shows her discussing the issue of children leaving their parents in old-age homes.
    Social media users speculated that she might be hinting at her son’s disobedience. However, she was giving a general message to all children: respect and care for their parents.

    Afshan Qureshi also said, “There is no one in the position where my son is today, and my son has repeatedly told me not to work, but he is continuing to do everything of his own free will.”

    Social media users were surprised by the edited clip of Faisal Qureshi’s mother. They commented that Faisal Qureshi appears to have a very good personality and is obedient.

  • Shehbaz Government cracks down on wheat scandal, leaves Caretakers unscathed

    Shehbaz Government cracks down on wheat scandal, leaves Caretakers unscathed

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday ordered the suspension of four senior officers of the Ministry of National Food Security for “poor planning and negligence” regarding the wheat scandal.

    Interestingly, no action has been taken against the previous caretaker setup or its key officials under whom the wheat scandal took place originally.

    Earlier, PM Shehbaz had given Secretary Cabinet Division Kamran Ali Afzal the task of investigating the import of wheat last year despite a “bumper crop”, which has led to excess wheat stock leaving Balochistan and Punjab governments unable to purchase the crop from the farmers.

    The stock surplus has, so far, been attributed to the decision of the caretaker government — led by former caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar — allowing the import of 2,758,226 226 metric tonnes of wheat worth Rs225.783 billion till February 2024.

    Geo News reported that the Ministry of National Food Security had apprised PM Shehbaz’s cabinet that 28.18 million tonnes of wheat was produced last year and the caretaker government decided to import 2.45 million tonnes more.

    The government allowed for relevant action to be taken against federal Secretary of National Food Security Muhammad Asif and also ordered the suspension of former Director General Plant Protection AD Abid, Food Security Commissioner Dr Wasim and Director Sohail and Punjab Director of Food Security Imtiaz Gopang.

  • Pakistan’s Sirbaz Khan climbs Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen

    Pakistan’s Sirbaz Khan climbs Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen

    Pakistani mountaineer Sarbaz Ali Khan has climbed the world’s highest peak- Mount Everest- without supplemental oxygen.

    Sarbaz Ali is the second Pakistani to climb Mt Everest without artificial oxygen after Sajid Sadpara previously achieved the feat.

    Sarbaz Ali has climbed 11 out of 14 peaks above 8,000 meters making him the only Pakistani to climb 11 peaks without oxygen.

    He has climbed a total of 13 peaks above 8,000 meters.

  • Lahore High Court grants bail to Parvez Elahi

    Lahore High Court grants bail to Parvez Elahi

    Former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi received significant relief on Tuesday when Lahore High Court (LHC) approved his bail application in a case involving illegal appointments in Punjab Assembly.
    Justice Sultan Tanveer Ahmad of the LHC announced the decision on the reserved verdict.

    During the hearing, Parvez Elahi’s counsel argued that the former Punjab chief minister did not receive any money from candidates in exchange for hiring them. He alleged that the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) framed Parvez Elahi with fabricated evidence.

    In contrast, the ACE lawyer maintained that the case against Elahi is lawful, and he was arrested on October 25, 2023.
    According to an ACE spokesperson, Elahi made 12 illegal recruitments in the Punjab Assembly for grade 17 positions.
    The candidates were hired in the Punjab Assembly by illegally altering records.

  • Civilians’ military trials are ‘no-no’ under international law, says Amnesty International

    Civilians’ military trials are ‘no-no’ under international law, says Amnesty International

    Amnesty International’s Secretary General Dr Agnès Callamard said on Tuesday that according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, military courts can not conduct trials of civilians.

    In an exclusive interview with Dawn, Dr Agnès Callamard, who is on an official visit to South Asia, said that conducting civilian’s trials in military courts is a “no-no” under international law; “sadly it has happened throughout Pakistan’s political history… [and] is not a novelty”.

    Dr. Callamard said that Pakistan must maintain its international obligations and follow the country’s constitution for fair trials. She stressed the importance of transparency, due process, and urged Pakistan to protect civilians’ rights. 

    “The use of military courts is threatening the constitutionality of what’s happening right now,” she said.

    Talking about the ban on X (formerly Twitter) in Pakistan, she said yhat Amnesty is quite concerned by constricting space for freedom of speech in Pakistan.

  • Maira Khan is having the most laid back London vacation

    Maira Khan is having the most laid back London vacation

    Actress and model Maira Khan is currently in London enjoying a hard-earned vacation.
    Maira Khan enjoys travelling and she has visited many countries. In pictures that she posted on Instagram , she can be seen wearing a white casual yet chic outfit as she goes sightseeing in the British capital.

    Here are the pictures of Maira Khan from her London trip:

  • College timings changed in Punjab as heatwave lingers on

    College timings changed in Punjab as heatwave lingers on

    Working hours of colleges in Punjab have been changed as the prevalent heatwave intensifies across the province.

    Department of Higher Education Punjab has announced that from May 21 to 31, colleges will be open from 7:30 am to 11:30 am and on Fridays from 7:30 am to 11:00 pm, while the second shift of colleges will be from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

    Provincial Disaster Management Authority Punjab has issued a heatwave alert from May 21 to 27 and the district administration has been directed to create awareness through a helpline, announcements in mosques, and media.

    The Health Department is directed to set up special counters in hospitals, ensure the availability of medicines, and cancel the leave of doctors and paramedical staff.

  • Cricket Australia to start ticket sales for Pakistani fan zone

    Cricket Australia to start ticket sales for Pakistani fan zone

    Cricket Australia will start the sale of fan zone tickets for this year’s Pakistan-Australia white ball cricket matches and India-Australia Border Gavaskar Trophy from June 4.

    The Pakistan and Indian fan zone tickets will cost between $30 and $70.

    According to Cricket Australia, there will be a discount in the first part of the ticket sale from June 4 to 14. Cricket fans have to register to get discount tickets, while in the second part, they can book their tickets without registration.

    Pakistan will tour Australia for six white ball matches and India will play the Border Gavaskar Trophy this year.

  • Train fares reduced by more than 50 per cent

    Train fares reduced by more than 50 per cent

    Railway authorities have reportedly reduced train fares from one kilometer to 200 kilometers following the decrease in price of diesel.

    According to the notification, the fares of all classes of trains have been reduced.

    Prices for economy class of some trains have been reduced by up to 54 per cent; whereas the AC class fares have been reduced by 40 per cent.

    The minimum fare of the train railcar economy class running between Lahore to Rawalpindi route was 250 rupees, which has now been reduced to 100 rupees.

    Similarly, the fare of Khyber Mail Train economy class from 1 km to 130 km was also Rs 250 which has been reduced to Rs 100.

    The decision has been taken to facilitate passengers traveling in trains on short duration routes.

    The new lease came into effect today, May 21.