Author: newsdesk

  • After 35 years together, Firdous Jamal’s wife seeks divorce

    After 35 years together, Firdous Jamal’s wife seeks divorce

    Veteran actor Firdous Jamal’s wife is divorcing him after 35 years of marriage, their son Hamza Firdous has confirmed while reacting to a recent interview about his father leaving the family after cancer diagnosis.

    “I was very sad while making this video and I wish I didn’t have to make this video. But when a person starts getting punished for the sins he has committed, if you don’t do it, you have to talk.”

    He added, “First of all, I want to tell everyone on behalf of my mother that she has divorced my father.”

    He continued, “No woman wants to get divorced after 35 years of marriage and my mother only stayed in a complicated relationship with my father for so many years hoping that one day everything would be fine but nothing got better.”
    Hamza Firdous pointed out his father’s mistakes and said, “My father had many bad habits which were painful for our family and we also talked about it with my father’s brothers but still my father admitted his mistakes.”

    Talking about Firdous Jamal’s cancer treatment, he said “When father got cancer, it was a very painful time for us and we got him fully treated. I should not mention this because it was our duty to treat father if he was sick, but since the videos of father’s interviews are giving the impression that his children….is that why I have to give the details?”

    He further said, “One son sent money for my father’s treatment, the other took care of him in the hospital and the daughter fed him with her own hands even when he was sick.”
    He added, “During the treatment, the doctor showed a wound on my father’s body, so he fainted after seeing my father’s wound because he did not want to see my father in such a condition.”

    He finally said, “How can such sensitive children leave their father alone in illness?”

    A few days ago Firdous Jamal said in an interview about living alone after suffering from cancer, “I have spent my whole life in a lot of noise and turmoil but now I want to live in peace, that’s all. I live alone.”

    He also said, “I stayed with my family as long as I was healthy, but after I fell ill, I decided to separate from my wife and children because I did not want to hurt them.”

    He called his marriage the biggest regret of his life and said, “I got married to the wrong person at the wrong time.”

  • Punjab education minister’s wife has a problem with smog school timings, and we agree

    Punjab education minister’s wife has a problem with smog school timings, and we agree

    As new school timings amid smog add to the already heavy traffic load on the roads of Lahore, the wife of Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat, like all of us, also has an issue.

    All public and private sector schools in the provincial capital have been told to push their opening time to 8:45 am or later in view of the hazardous air quality in major parts of the city. The instructions from the government were issued on a health advisory by the environment department in view of smog engulfing major parts of the city, especially during the wee hours. This, however, has led to a further load on the city’s roads due to a clash between school and office timings.

    “Every year, smog cum fog is more intense earlier in the day. So, to beat that, we thought of opening schools one hour later,” Hayat said during an exclusive interview with The Current.

    When asked about the traffic situation the new arrangement has led to, the minister said, “That’s what my wife was saying this morning.”

    “The thing is that last week so many children in schools were getting sick [because of smog] with flu, early morning, so the environment department and the weather department consider [consulted] and decided to extend the school timings by an hour,” the minister reasoned, adding he agreed that office timings should also be altered to avoid all the rush and trouble.

    To a question about the relation between flu and changed timings, the minister said, “Yes, the reason behind this has been conveyed to us […] early in the morning, smog situation is worse, and as the sun comes out, it gets better.”

    The exclusive interview with the provincial education minister is set to be released on The Current’s YouTube channel this Sunday, November 3.

    On Tuesday, a private media outlet has also quoted Hayat as indicating that schools might be shut down altogether if the smog situation worsens any further.

    “The situation of pollution is getting worse, and for the elimination of smog, the government as well as the people will have to play their role,” the minister reportedly said as the provincial capital yet again becomes the most polluted city in the world.

    Meanwhile, authorities have implemented several measures aimed at combating the situation. Prominent steps include making it mandatory for citizens to wear masks. While around 2,500 vehicles with faulty engines or excessive emissions have been grounded, the government has also sealed 469 factories and demolished a number of brick kilns.

    According to reports, 318 FIRs have also been registered against those burning crop residues.

    Read more: Maryam Nawaz hints at starting smog diplomacy with India

  • Khawaja Asif hints at possibility of deal after Bushra Bibi’s release

    Khawaja Asif hints at possibility of deal after Bushra Bibi’s release

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif suggested on Tuesday that Imran Khan’s wife’s recent release from prison and departure to Peshawar were not usual developments, hinting at a “behind the scene story.”

    Asif also posted a message on his social media account saying that the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, had “tricks” to make tall claims, threaten, appear and suddenly disappear from his party rallies.

    “Perhaps the entire PTI are in the process of making a fool of themselves. There is an indication of a behind-the-scene story in saying goodbye to Punjab by Begum Sahiba and her camping in the annexe of the Peshawar Chief Minister House. These two personalities give news of a fixed wrestling and some sort of an apology. And this is not happening without the will of the PTI founder,” the Federal Minister wrote.

    He also stated that all of them are fooling party workers. Furthermore, while talking to a reporter outside the Parliament, Khawaja Asif said, “We need to observe why she [Bushra Bibi] went to the frontier [KP]? Even though their own supporters say that their CM KP has his software updated, why did she go there?”

    The PML-N leader clarified that he was not speculating but only observing the current circumstances. “She has a house here in Islamabad, and another in Lahore, but why did she decide to go to Peshawar,” the minister asked.

    On October 24, Bushra Bibi was released from Adiala Jail a day after being granted bail in the new Toshakhana case, ending nearly nine months of detention.

    The former first lady was taken into custody on January 31 after an Islamabad accountability court sentenced her and Khan to 14 years in jail in the Toshakhana reference.

    Bushra had been incarcerated in Adiala Jail, and in the most recent case, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has accused the couple of retaining an expensive Bvlgari jewellery set gifted by a foreign leader — including a necklace, earrings, bracelets, and rings — at a low price, saying it caused significant loss to the exchequer.

    Later in the day, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Saif said she safely reached Peshawar, where she would stay for some time.

    Speaking outside Adiala Jail, PTI Chairman Gohar Khan highlighted that the former first lady had “endured jail for nine months in extreme conditions with a lot of courage”.

    Earlier this week, Gohar also clarified that Bushra’s release is on merit and has nothing to do with any alleged deal. Similarly, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram defended Khan’s spouse, saying that Bushra Bibi is a housewife and can live wherever she likes to.

  • Maryam Nawaz hints at starting smog diplomacy with India

    Maryam Nawaz hints at starting smog diplomacy with India

    Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Maryam Nawaz spoke at a Diwali ceremony earlier today, during which she hinted at writing a letter to the Chief Minister of Indian Punjab on the issue of smog.

    “We need to have diplomacy with India regarding the issue of smog in Lahore. I’m thinking of writing a letter to the Punjab Chief Minister [Bhagwant Mann] in India that this is not just a political issue, this is a humanitarian issue,” CM said while addressing the ceremony in Lahore, adding that if Pakistan makes this move, India should reciprocate.

    On a lighter note, she pointed out, “The winds don’t know there’s a border in the middle.”

    “Until both Punjabs come together, we won’t be able to tackle the issue of smog,” she asserted.

    CM Maryam Nawaz also congratulated the Hindu community on the festival of Diwali and paid tribute to the services of the minorities in the country.

    She pledged that she would “stand by the minorities if someone tried to hurt them.

    “Minorities are the crown of our head; their protection and respect is the responsibility of the government. We are all Pakistanis without any discrimination,” she said.

    Chief Minister also announced a gift of 15 thousand rupees to 1400 Hindu families on Diwali and that the funds for minorities have been doubled.

    She further announced the launch of the Minority Card by December 20, according to which the minorities will get ten and a half thousand rupees in three months.

    “All minority members across Punjab, especially poverty-stricken minorities who don’t have a lot of resources, will receive Rs10,500 through the Minority Card,” she said.

    CM Maryam Nawaz also addressed the incidents of extremism in the country, stating, “In the recent past, there have been incidents with minorities that have made my head hang in shame, and it has caused me great pain to see trivial misunderstandings become full-blown fights.

    “Because there are few minorities, it is our responsibility to provide a safe Pakistan, a safe Punjab for them so that they can stay in their houses safely, without any fear of danger, and that they feel that this is their country and they have every right to be here,” she stressed.

    Lahore and Delhi are again in tight competition to lead the list of most polluted cities in the world this year. Lahore reached as high as 708 points on the Air Quality Index.

    Today, IQAir recorded Delhi holding a top rank with 196 points, while Lahore lagged six points behind it.

  • Saud Shakeel, Noman Ali jump to top 10 in ICC Test rankings

    Saud Shakeel, Noman Ali jump to top 10 in ICC Test rankings

    In the new International Cricket Council (ICC) player rankings, the national Test team’s vice-captain Saud Shakeel and spinner Noman Ali have made a significant jump into the top 10.

    Saud Shakeel has moved up 20 spots to the 7th position, while Noman Ali has moved to the 9th spot.

    Saud Shakeel recently scored 280 runs in the three-Test series against England, including a century and a half-century in five innings, earning him the title of the series’ best player.

    Pakistani spinner Noman Ali, after his stellar performance in the third and final Test of the recent series, has also made it into the top ten. Noman took nine wickets in the match and moved up eight spots to reach a career-best 9th position, while fellow spinner Sajid Khan also improved his career rating by 12 places.

    Jasprit Bumrah’s reign as the number one Test bowler has ended, with South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada becoming the number one bowler in the latest ICC Test player ranking. Rabada took nine wickets in the first Test against Bangladesh. Hazlewood is now second in the Test bowlers ranking, with Bumrah in third and Ashwin in fourth.

    Among Test batters, England’s Joe Root maintains the top position, followed by New Zealand’s Kane Williamson in second place. India’s young Yashasvi Jaiswal has moved up one spot to third, while Virat Kohli has dropped six spots to 14th.

    New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra has also entered the top ten, moving up eight spots to 10th.

  • Sher Afzal Marwat thinks Imran can be released from jail if Nawaz agrees to it

    Sher Afzal Marwat thinks Imran can be released from jail if Nawaz agrees to it

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat has stated that party founder Imran Khan’s release from jail is linked to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s assent.

    Appearing on Samaa’s programme Nadeem Malik Live, Marwat stated, “Imran Khan’s release from jail is not possible until Nawaz Sharif agrees to it.”

    Commenting on former first lady Bushra Bibi’s arrival in Peshawar, Marwat clarified that she went to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s capital to avoid harassment and illegal arrest.

    “Bushra Bibi ka ghar yaha hai laikin chaddar or Chaar diwaari ka taqaddus hai hi nahi yaha and Qanoon ki pamali roz ka mamool hai,” Marwat further added.

    He also declared Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Barrister Gohar Ali Khan the most loyal companion of ex-premier Imran Khan.

    Imran Khan has been sentenced to 14 years and three years in two separate cases of illegally selling state-owned gifts for personal gain. A High Court suspended his sentence; however, since then, multiple new cases have been filed against Imran Khan and other party leaders after a protest at D Chowk in Islamabad on October 4.

    The gift included seven watches and diamond jewellery; six of them were Rolex watches.

    Imran Khan had been given ten years imprisonment for leaking a state secret cable to the public. The Islamabad High Court also overturned the sentence in June of this year.

    Khan was of the view that cable was evidence of a conspiracy by the Pakistani establishment and the United States (US) government to topple his government in 2022 following his visit to Moscow.

    A day after Khan’s landed in Moscow, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine in 2022.

    Meanwhile, Bushra Bibi, wife of founder PTI Imran Khan, was granted bail in the ToshaKhana case on Thursday, ending a nine-month long imprisonment.

    Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of Islamabad High Court, while hearing her plea, she stated, “The instant petition is accepted, and the petitioner is admitted to post-arrest bail subject to her furnishing bail bonds in the sum of Rs10,00,000/—with two sureties in the like amount to the satisfaction of the learned trial Court.”

    Bushra Bibi, along with her husband, Imran Khan, was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on allegations of selling a Bulgari jewellery set received from Saudi Arabia and failing to submit the set in Toshakhana.

    According to FIA, the items are worth Rs 71.5 million, but the accused got it valued at Rs 5.8 million from a private firm, Business Recorder reported.

  • ‘Can somebody please give me some auto tuner here’: Aima Baig’s snappy reply to Sara Raza

    ‘Can somebody please give me some auto tuner here’: Aima Baig’s snappy reply to Sara Raza

     
    Aima Baig, one of Pakistan’s most popular singers, yesterday found herself the target of controversy when fellow singer Sara Zara openly questioned her singing abilities.

    Raza appeared as a guest on Zarbardast where she suggested that Aima’s success was more about entertainment and less about genuine singing skill. 
     
    “If we take away auto-tune, then Aima Baig isn’t a singer,” she said.
     
     
    Raza’s criticisms didn’t stop with Aima, she also commented on actress Mehwish Hayat’s musical abilities, claiming that while Hayat is a fantastic performer and actor, singing isn’t her strong suit.
     
     Sara remarked, “There are many like this, we might enjoy them as actors or entertainers, but if I needed someone to act or model in a film or an item song, I’d hire Mehwish Hayat for her performance, not for singing because she can’t sing. I’m sorry, but that’s true.”                     
     
     
    However, Aima Baig isn’t one to take the criticism lightly. Known for candid personality, she responded directly to Raza remarks on her Instagram account. Aima posted a video confidently asking her followers, “Can somebody please give me some autone tuner here .”      
     
     
    She even took a jab at Sara’s age, referring to her as ‘Aunty’ adding,  
    “Allah nay jisko jitna talent diya, baii humnay kabool hai baaki mjy koi bata dy. Ye aunty sahiba ha ikon actually miss krao. Mai to vaction enjoy karu LOL.”
     
     
     In response to the remarks, Momina Mustehsan took to Instagram to express herself, saying, “Not that I have to say it, but not true, Aima sings very well, and so does Sara. Neither of them need auto tune.”
     
     
    This exchange led Aima’s fans to rally in her defense, with many praising her live singing skills and viewing her response as a strong comeback to Sara’s criticism.  
     
     
     This back and forth brings up a larger question in music about what makes a true artist, a real talent or digital support. Many fans noted that Aima stands out in live shows and has a special energy on stage. Some critics, however felt that Sara comments might start a much-needed conversation about auto tune in the music industry.
     
      Despite different views, this incident has only boosted Aima Baig’s image as a strong and fearless personality in Pakistani music, unafraid to stand up for her talent and career.
     
    Sara Raza sang songs like Mere Dholnam Tere Mere Beech Mein, Wo Ishq Jo Humse Rooth Gaya, and Aima Baig sang songs like Kalabaz Dil, Befikriyan, Sajna Door, and Baazi.

    Here is the story of Aima Baig.

  • CNN removes Zionist from panel for verbal attack on Mehdi Hasan

    CNN removes Zionist from panel for verbal attack on Mehdi Hasan

    Mehdi Hasan, internationally renowned broadcast journalist and founder of media company Zeteo, recently appeared on CNN NewsNight, where right-wing fellow panellist Ryan James Girdusky told him that he hoped his “beeper doesn’t go off”.

    The reference to a series of pager blasts in Lebanon last month that specifically targeted Hezbollah fighters came in response to Mehdi saying that he supports Palestinians.

    “Did your guest just say I should be killed on live TV,” Hasan asked the show’s host, Abby Phillip.

    The other guests also sprang to Hasan’s defence, calling out the conservative panellist.

    However, after a commercial break, the program host issued an apology to Hasan while viewers were informed that Ryan Girdusky had been removed from the show.

    “I want to apologise to Mehdi Hasan for what was said at this table. It was completely unacceptable,” she said. “I want to apologise to the viewers at home.”

    Later, CNN also issued a public apology in a statement that said, “Zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air” while announcing that Girdusky “will not be welcomed back at our network”.

    Mehdi Hasan also retweeted the statement on X (formerly Twitter).

    The panel on CNN Newsnight was debating the upcoming United States presidential elections and Republican candidate Donald Trump’s controversial remarks.

    Hasan criticised the racist and sexist comments aimed at several minority groups, including Black Americans, Latinos and Jews. However, he still acknowledged that the accusation against Trump and his supporters being Nazis is “inflammatory”.

    Earlier, in their heated discussion, Mehdi Hasan had said that if people on the far right “don’t want to be called Nazis, stop doing, stop saying”. To this, Girdusky butted in by saying Hasan has been called an “antisemite more than anyone at this table”.

    Hasan responded by saying that he is used to being labelled an antisemite due to his support for the Palestinian people. Girdusky interjected by saying, “Well, I hope your beeper doesn’t go off.”

    Ryan attempted to apologise amid crosstalk and tried to justify his comment by indicating he assumed Hasan said he supported Hamas.

    Girdusky continued with his opposing approach in a tweet: “You can stay on CNN if you falsely call every Republican a Nazi and have taken money from Qatar-funded media. Apparently, you can’t go on CNN if you make a joke. I’m glad America gets to see what CNN stands for.”

  • National legendary athlete Muhammad Younis passes awaay

    National legendary athlete Muhammad Younis passes awaay

    Legendary athlete Muhammad Younis, who won 27 gold medals in international competitions for Pakistan, has passed away at the age of 77. According to the Athletics Federation, Malik Muhammad Younis is considered one of the top athletes in the 800 and 1500-meter races.

    Muhammad Younis won the gold medal in the 1500-meter race at the 1974 Asian Games held in Iran. He also won silver medals for Pakistan in the 1970 and 1978 Asian Games.

    According to the Athletics Federation, Younis also won a gold and a silver medal for Pakistan in the 1973 Asian Track and Field Championship.

    In the 1970s, many of the national records set by Muhammad Younis still stand today. His 1500-meter record set in 1970 remains unbroken by any Pakistani, and his records in the 3000 and 5000-meter races also remain intact.

    The Athletics Federation reports that his athletics career came to an abrupt end in 1979 following an accident. In 1991, Muhammad Younis was awarded the Pride of Performance by the Government of Pakistan.

  • Khan’s sisters are respectable, but party policy will be made by our committee: Shandana Gulzar

    Khan’s sisters are respectable, but party policy will be made by our committee: Shandana Gulzar

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shandana Gulzar, while talking to a reporter, has stated that despite what Imran Khan’s sisters say, party policy “will be made by the parliamentary or political core committee.”

    In recent times, controversy and infighting have surrounded the PTI as its founder, Imran Khan, has been in jail for more than a year while reportedly jail conditions become tougher for him. Party supporters are generally disappointed with the current leadership for their failure to get Khan out of jail or stop the recent 26th Amendment.

    One controversy is that Khan’s sisters, especially Aleema Khan, have taken a significant role in delivering Khan’s message to the people.

    Aleema Khan, the most politically active member of his family, and Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, have also clashed multiple times since Khan’s arrest and subsequent incarceration.

    In August this year, many journalists talking to Imran inside Adiala Jail reportedly said that they heard Aleema and Bushra shouting at each other in a tiff over a female lawyer.

    Around the same time, a message allegedly sent by Aleema Khan to Raoof Hasan asking him not to spread a “foolish” message that Bushra Bibi had sent was leaked to the public. However, the two have never publicly criticized each other.

    However, the PTI leader Shandana Gulzar has stated: “Khan saab’s sisters are respectable but PTI follows parliamentary leaders, policy will be made by parliamentary party as Salman Akram Raja has clearly explained.”

    Furthermore, in the short clip getting traction on X (formerly Twitter), the PTI leader also stated, “They [Khan’s sisters] have been very useful for the party. They gave us that information from Khan SB in difficult times when no one else could have. As for our party, Khan has always hated family or dynastic politics, but we’ll wait for Khan’s further orders.”