Author: newsdesk

  • NAB chairman apologises to victims for Bureau’s past wrongdoings

    NAB chairman apologises to victims for Bureau’s past wrongdoings

    In a welcome turn of events, present National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Lt Gen (R) Nazir Butt has started approarching those who were victimised by the watchdog to apologise for the past misdeeds of widely criticised anti-corruption institution of Pakistan.

    The NAB chairman decided to sooth the pain of the victims by meeting them personally to apologise for how the top anti-corruption body maltreated them in the past. Multiple politicians, bureaucrats, and businessmen are on the list of NAB victims.

    Nazir Butt visited family members of the NAB victim who died a few years ago due to the torment of the institution’s officials.

    NAB’s new policy is completely different from what it was doing with multiple individuals a few years ago, The News reported on Friday.

    NAB is known for what is perceived as misuse of its power. The top anti-corruption body harassed multiple individuals, including politicians, bureaucrats, and businessmen, by keeping them behind bars for several years without any solid evidence.

    Several individuals lost their lives under NAB’s harassment.

    A few years ago, a NAB victim, Brigadier Asad Munir was found dead in his home in Islamabad. A handwritten note was discovered near his body. The note read, “I request you, the honourable chief justice, to take notice of NAB’s officials conduct so that other government officials are not convicted for the crimes they have not committed.”

  • Spain to not authorize ships carrying weapons for Israel in big win for Palestinian cause

    Spain to not authorize ships carrying weapons for Israel in big win for Palestinian cause

    In an effort to not contribute to or help Israel’s genocide in Gaza, Spain has decided that it will not authorise ships carrying weapons for Israel to call at its ports. The monumental decision was announced by foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares on Friday after the country refused to let a ship call at the southeastern port of Cartagena.

    The ship was the first to be denied access to a Spanish port, Albares asserted, adding the refusal was consistent with the government’s decision to not grant weapon export licences to Israel since Oct. 7, as Spain doesn’t “want to contribute to war”, reported Reuters.

    Previously, Spanish universities expressed willingness to suspend ties with any Israeli educational institution that failed to express “a clear commitment to peace”.

  • Yumna Zaidi will not defend ‘Tere Bin’ or her role in it

    Yumna Zaidi will not defend ‘Tere Bin’ or her role in it

    Famous actress Yumna Zaidi appeared at the ZAB Media Festival where she talked about her popular drama series ‘Tere Bin’.

    During the Q&A session at the event, a journalist asked Yumna about defending critiques of her portrayal of a rude girl in ‘Tere Bin’.

    Yumna responded confidently. “I feel that ‘Tere Bin’ is the most-watched drama of the Pakistan entertainment industry, so I do not need to defend it or my character. If the drama had a name but people were not watching it, then I would promote it. So, the answer is based on the viewership and viewers.”

    ‘Tere Bin’, now returning for a second season, after transcending geographical borders and was deemed the most watched Pakistani drama in India as well. Its popularity stemmed from audiences captivated by the story of Meerab, an ambitious woman, whose life is transformed after marrying the dominating Murtasim, played by Wahaj Ali.

  • Electric buses to be introduced in Lahore by year end

    Electric buses to be introduced in Lahore by year end

    Punjab Minister for Transport and Mass Transit Bilal Akbar has announced that electric buses will be out on Lahore’s roads by this year’s end, reports Dawn.

    “At least 27 electric buses will begin running on the Lahore roads by the months of November or December this year as a part of efforts to reduce carbon footprint in the city,” the minister told the Punjab Assembly session on Thursday.

    He also confirmed that hybrid buses will be introduced in other regions of the province too so that local commuters could benefit from them.

    Akbar said, while responding to a query by a fellow MPA, that over 200 feeder service buses in the provincial capital were being offered subsidies and around one million commuters were benefiting from the mass transit service on a daily basis.

  • Taha Shah feels honored to be compared to Pakistani superstar

    Taha Shah feels honored to be compared to Pakistani superstar

    Bollywood Actor Taha Shah who played the role of Tajdaar in web series ‘Heeramandi’ recently gave an interview where he talked about being compared to a Pakistani superstar.

    “It is an honour for me if they have compared me to leading actors Fawad Khan and Vicky Kaushal, who are both excellent actors. If they are comparing me with them, what more could a man ask for? If they see Shah Rukh Khan’s romance in my eyes, then it is a success, and Vicky is my brother, we have worked together. I don’t know about their appearances, but I believe that they both perform really well.”

    Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar on Netflix is gaining a lot of attention for its brilliant production. The series, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, stars Shekhar Suman, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Richa Chadha, Fardeen Khan, Sharmin Segal, and Manisha Koirala.

  • ‘Play the whole season or don’t come’; Irfan Pathan throws tantrum over English players

    ‘Play the whole season or don’t come’; Irfan Pathan throws tantrum over English players

    India’s tantrums over English players leaving the IPL to play in their home series against Pakistan continue.

    Former fast bowler Irfan Pathan is the latest prominent figure to use harsh language against the English cricketers who left the IPL unfinished.

    Pathan wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Either be available for the entire season or don’t come.”

    Earlier, former Test cricketer Sunil Gavaskar also showed anger on the cricketers who left the IPL. He criticized the English cricketers and demanded a cut in their salaries and asked that fines should be imposed. In his column, Sunil Gavaskar wrote that because of IPL, they get 10 percent commission which no other league pays, if they are leaving IPL for the series, then the boards and players should be fined.

    England’s top cricketers Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Will Jacks, Reece Topley, Jos Buttler, Phil Salt and Moeen Ali, who participated in the IPL, left the league to represent their country against Pakistan.

    The four-match series between Pakistan and England will start from May 22, while the finals, including the IPL playoffs, will be played during the same period, which will not include a large number of foreign cricketers.

  • Federal government begins consultations for establishment of social media regulatory authority

    Federal government begins consultations for establishment of social media regulatory authority

    The federal government has begun consultations for the establishment of a social media regulatory authority.

    According to sources, the proposed social media regulatory authority (PECA) Amendment Bill 2024 is to be tabled soon in the Parliament.

    Media houses and other stakeholders have also been invited for consultation to establish the authority of the committee.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reportedly formed a cabinet committee on this matter whose task is to consult the social media regulatory authority and give suggestions to the government on issues related to digital rights.

    The authority will ensure responsible use of the internet and compliance with regulations in addition to considering the issue of regulating online content and procedures for investigating violations of law on social media.

    The issue of summoning witnesses and violators of social media laws will also be considered in the consultation.

    The bill is intended to protect the private life of citizens from threats posed by social media.

  • Supreme Court to hear Suo Moto against Faisal Vawda today

    Supreme Court to hear Suo Moto against Faisal Vawda today

    The Supreme Court, on 17 May, will hear the suo moto case against independent Senator Faisal Vawda for his verbal attack against judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

    The case will be heard by a three-member bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan.

    Earlier, Vawda held a press conference in which he strongly criticised the IHC judges who penned the explosive letter a few weeks back to the Supreme Judicial Council alleging interference of intelligence agencies in judicial affairs.

    Faisal Vawda said that institutions are being attacked.

    “Stop targeting the institutions, enough is enough. If there is any interference by institutions, then provide evidence and we will stand together [against it],” said Vawda.

    IHC also responded to the Senator’s remarks saying that the rules do not dictate that a High Court judge needs to renounce foreign residency or citizenship.

  • Why Humayun Saeed praises Yumna Zaidi’s work ethic in ‘Gentleman’

    Why Humayun Saeed praises Yumna Zaidi’s work ethic in ‘Gentleman’

    Actor Humayun Saeed complimented fellow actress Yumna Zaidi’s on her work ethic, saying that she is entirely focused on her work and not on her styling or makeup.
    During a recent interview on Ambreen Fatima Youtube channel, Humayun Saeed gave Yumna Zaidi a lot of compliments and said he had always seen her as a journalist in the drama.

    “Working with Yumna Zaidi was a remarkable experience, realizing that the praise I had heard about her before was insufficient compared to her actual performance after working with her.”
    Humuyun said that when the role was offered to Yumna Zaidi, she asked for his opinion. “They had chosen her after considering her suitability for the character, and encouraged her to read the script to confirm that the role was perfect for her.”

  • Pakistan will not participate in warm up matches of T20 World Cup

    Pakistan will not participate in warm up matches of T20 World Cup

    The schedule of International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up matches has been released, Pakistan will not participate in warm up matches due to the series against England. Four T20 matches between Pakistan and England will be played between May 22 and 30.

    New Zealand and England are also not participating in warm up matches.

    The warm-up matches of the World Cup will be played between May 27 and June 1. A total of 17 teams will be participating in the World Cup warm-up matches before the event.

    Pakistan will leave England for America on June 1, playing its first match in the tournament against America on June 6.