Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to skip voting on the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendments as both the Upper and Lower Houses are expected to go to vote on Sunday evening.
Chairman of PTI, Barrister Gohar, again met Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on Sunday afternoon to discuss the Amendments again.
Talking to the press after the meeting, Barrister Gohar said, “We appreciate Maulana’s role but Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will not vote on this Amendment.”
He said that he hoped to continue the fruitful relation the party has with Fazlur Rehman.
Maulana himself them took to the podium to make a few short comments.
“In the process of [formulating] the Constitutional Amendments, we have broken the teeth of the black snake and removed it’s venom. I think PTI will agree with this.
Abstaining from voting as protest is PTI’s right.”
Actress and model Areej Chaudhary, who plays the character of Natasha in the hit drama serial Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, recently opened up about her role and the lessons viewers can learn from the storyline.
Recently, she gave an interview to Connect Cinne, where Areej reflected on the chemistry between Mustafa and Sharjeena.
The host, Fardioon Shahryar, asked, “There has been a lot of discussion about Mustafa and Sharjeena’s chemistry. What’s your take on it? Do you find it amazing and one of the reasons it has connected with audiences worldwide?”
Areej said, “Their connection is very different. The first thing I want to tell you about them is that Sharjeena was getting married to someone else, but it didn’t happen, so what happened was she got married to Mustafa.”
The Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum actress also spoke about the unexpected turns of life, sharing her thoughts.
“But you see how things turned out—you didn’t like a person at first, and suddenly you end up marrying them. Sometimes you feel like your chemistry with someone isn’t going to work, but you never really know. You never know when you might develop amazing chemistry with someone. A person you didn’t expect can become the best companion for you,” Areej said.
“I think this is a lesson for people, and it’s a beautiful thing that shows us that sometimes the decision we make, thinking, ‘This person is perfect for me, I should marry them,’ doesn’t turn out to be right in the long run. And sometimes things happen accidentally, by nature or by God’s will, and it turns out to be a miracle for you, becoming much better than expected,” the Sitam actress added.
Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum is written by Farhat Ishtiaq and directed by Badar Mehmood.
The drama airs every Monday and Tuesday at 8:00 PM on ARY Digital.
Gold price in Pakistan witnessed an increase of Rs6,300 per tola within six trading sessions during the week ending on October 19, 2024.
On a week-over-week basis, the price of 24-karat gold surged by Rs6,300, breaking all-time high record and ending the week at a new record high rate of Rs281,800 per tola as compared to its price recorded on October 12, when the yellow metal was priced at Rs275,500 per tola in the local gold market.
A number of experts have attributed the latest surge in local and international gold prices to escalating tensions in the Middle East, along with uncertainties regarding US elections, coupled with relaxed monetary policy expectations.
The latest increase in gold’s rate was witnessed on Saturday, when gold prices saw an increase of Rs900 per tola ad closed at new historic high.
According to All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA), which shares gold prices on a daily basis, the ten-gramme gold also witnessed a single-day surge of Rs772, clocking in at Rs241,598.
The recent surge in local gold rates comes after gold prices, in the international market, were seen at their highest level after rising by $9. As per APGJSA, the price of gold was recorded at $2,721 per ounce, including a premium of $20.
Silver prices in the local market were also up for the second straight session. According to the associaton, silver rate was recorded about Rs50 up, settling the week at Rs3,150 per tola.
Israel has closed the Rafah crossing, which has resulted in a food blockade in Gaza, leaving almost 400,000 Palestinians facing starvation.
A recent report by Maram Humaid and Alia Chghtai of Al Jazeera elaborates that at least 2.15 million people, or 96 per cent of the population, are facing high levels of food shortages, with one in five people facing starvation across the besieged enclave of Gaza.
Israeli airstrikes and forced evacuations have closed food distribution points, kitchens and bakeries.
Additionally, the only functioning bakery in Northern Gaza, supported by the World Food Programme (WFP), also caught fire after an Israeli airstrike.
10-year-old food blogger Renad Attallah has frequently spoken about the shortage of food in Gaza as she makes her recipes with the available ingredients.
In one of her videos she excitedly examined two sugar packets inside an aid package, an item usually considered unaffordable for her family as it costs 99 Dirhams in the war-torn Gaza.
On top of that, the prices of basic essentials are very high.
Gazans lack basic essential goods, lost their jobs and are dependent upon charity kitchens and aid distributions for food and cash coupons. Their cash savings have run out.
Al Jazeera journalists compiled a summary of the prices of food items as of September.
Prices of essential items have increased to a great extent. Flour, for example, costs $150 for a 25kg (approximately 55-pound) bag in the south and up to $1,000 per bag in the north.
However, a dozen eggs that cost $3.50 before the war now sell at $32 in the South and about $73 in the North.
Non-dairy powdered milk is now being sold in the north for $1 a spoonful or $124 a kilo (2.2 pounds).
Infant formula, which is imperative for children’s growth, is largely unavailable in the North and costs $15 a tin in the South. Meanwhile, an average tin is approximately 350gm (12 ounces).
The price of the biggest source of protein, frozen meat, has increased 17 times and sells at $90 per kg in the North and 41 dollars in the South.
Fresh produce, including cucumbers and tomatoes, are among the most expensive after Israel destroyed most of Gaza’s farms.
Satellite images show the once-fertile regions of Beit Lahiya- known for its juicy strawberries that locals called “red gold”- are now destroyed with vehicle tracks and barrenness.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has postponed the most important first-class tournament, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. The event was supposed to start on October 20, but the details of the season have not been finalized yet.
According to reports, the announcement of the new dates for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is expected soon, and the domestic department is waiting for the approval of Chairman Mohsin Naqvi in this regard.
Regional teams were supposed to participate in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, and the players of different regions were busy preparing for it, but the final teams have not yet been announced, and the schedule has not been decided.
This is not the first time that PCB has changed the domestic cricket schedule. Earlier, the U-19 tournament was also stopped and postponed on the first day after it started.
The PCB Domestic Department has also instructed the departments to be ready for the President’s Trophy as a backup plan.
If there is further delay in organizing the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, a first-class departmental tournament will be organized first. This tournament was earlier scheduled for January 6.
Lahore High Court (LHC) announced in a recent hearing that college authorities should prohibit the presence of men wherever there are female students. The remarks came with regard to an alleged case of sexual harassment in LCWU.
A full court bench heard the case.
On Friday, Chief Justice Aalia Neelum ordered the authorities to note down the statement of the alleged victim linked to the claims of rape in Punjab College. The High Court took up the matter of three separate incidents, including the protests against alleged rape in Punjab College Campus 10 and a case of harassment in Lahore College of Women University (LCWU).
Punjab College case
Punjab Inspector General Usman Anwer and officials from the colleges appeared before the court with a complete report.
Justice Neelum expressed displeasure with the police chief. She asked him the reason for the delay. She also remarked that removing the video from social media would have only taken half an hour. The IG replied that they had reached out to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, but it wasn’t within the police domain to delete a video to prevent it from going viral.
Advocate General Punjab told the court that the relevant assistant superintendent of police met family of the concerned student linked to alleged rape and checked CCTV footage.
“Every child protesting was claiming that rape had been committed but no one has the evidence,” he stated in the court.
He, however, admitted that there were some failures on the authorities’ part.
“It is quite unfortunate if all this happened due to fake news,” the CJ remarked during the hearing.
LCWU case
Moreover, she inquired about the number of complaints regarding harassment case in the LCWU.
The public prosecutor and college registrar told the court that there was only one such complaint and the person facing the allegations has been suspended from his post.
CJ Neelum asked the authorities if the students were in such a “state of mind” that they can join their colleges again and she said for this the college administration should regain the trust of parents.
The court ordered the authorities to take the statement from the girl who is being named in the claims pertaining to alleged rapein LCWU. It also warned the college authorities against pressurising the student.
The court also ordered a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) committee to investigate all three cases.
Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has claimed that PPP and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) have reached a 100 per cent consensus on the Constitutional Amendments.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Bhutto expressed his wish by saying that Maulana Fazlur Rehman should himself present the Constitutional Amendments draft in parliament.
Regarding the positive role of political parties on the 26th Constitutional Amendment, he urges the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party by saying, “Prove that you PTI are a political party, not social media Lashkar.”
“Politics is a name of compromises,” Chairman PPP added.
He further said that he hoped that Maulana Fazlur Rehman could convince the PTI leadership of the government’s proposed Constitutional Amendments.
Meanwhile, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Barrister Gohar Khan clarified his party stance on Constitutional Amendments by saying, “Jab tak Khan sahab ki final guidance nahi a jati tab tak hum is position ma nahi hu sakte ke hum is par vote kar sakain.”
He remarked that the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, gave a message to his followers from Adiala Jail Rawalpindi that Khan is firm in remaining in jail for “100 years” for the betterment of the sovereignty of the constitution.
Veteran journalist Azaz Syed has revealed the names of opposition senators who might vote in favour of the government’s proposed Constitutional Amendments.
Speaking on the YouTube channel Talk SHOCK, Azaz Syed disclosed that there is a possibility that Senator Faisal Saleem, Senator Ahmad Khan, Senator Abdul Shakoor Qasim, Senator Naseema Ehsan, Senator Dr Zarka Suharwardy Taimur and Senator Saifullah Abro might vote in favour of the 26th Constitutional Amendments in the Upper House.
“Although, these Senators did not confirm their support for the government,” he added.
Commenting on the suggestion of military court inclusion in the 26th Constitutional Amendment draft, Syed cleared that it is not part of the coalition government’s proposed Constitutional Amendment draft.
Meanwhile, talking to media outside the parliament, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif today claimed that the coalition government has achieved the magic number to pass the Constitutional Amendments from parliament.
Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh has made history by becoming the first South Asian artist to appear on the cover of Billboard Magazine. Known for blending Punjabi folk music with rap and hip-hop, Dosanjh will be featured on the cover of the first-ever print edition of Billboard UK, which will be released in December.
Despite controversy over unpaid dancers during his Dil-Luminati tour, it has proved to be one of the most successful so far by any South Asian artist. The special edition of Billboard will feature exclusive behind-the-scenes stories from the tour, shared by his manager, Sonali Singh, according to Billboard.
The magazine will feature four collectible covers, which reflect another dimension of Dosanjh’s journey. One cover released within an international project with Billboard will come out in December. Limited signed copies and a special box set with multilingual editions will be available for collectors, “representing his global influence.”
The singer left fans excited after the sold-out O2 Arena show in London as he declared that the pre-ordering of the magazine is live.
Being on the cover of Billboard is one of the many firsts for Dosanjh, a South Asian artist who just continues to break barriers.
Originally from a small village in Punjab, India, Dosanjh’s unique style blends modern and traditional influences, and his soulful music showcases his deep, emotional baritone voice.
Model and makeup artist Nadia Hussain has firmly opposed Punjab government’s actions against protesting students, questioning why such swift and effective measures aren’t taken against actual culprits when incidents of violence against women occur regularly in the country.
She went further to demand justice for all victims of sexual assault, especially those accused of spreading misinformation for propaganda purposes.
On Instagram, she posted a video in which she stated:
“I want swift action against the rapists the same way as how swiftly videos were made by the ASP, or how quickly press conferences were held by the CM or the PGC principal! I demand immediate justice for any rape victim! Justice delayed is justice denied! And why is there such a fear of protests?
This is something I have been advocating from day one! Protests are a right of every citizen of this country! Violence against protestors will not be tolerated, be it in Lahore, Pindi, or anywhere!”
Earlier, she posted another video on Instagram where she explained:
“Yesterday, I made a video expressing my happiness over the fact that the Punjab college incident was perhaps based on misinformation and that this unfortunate event may not have occurred,” she said.
“The only reason I said I was happy was because I believed and wanted to believe what ASP Shehrbano was saying, as she is a responsible officer.”
“I want to make one thing clear: I am not related to Shehrbano, nor am I connected to the Punjab police or PGC. When I uploaded the video, I expressed happiness over the student protests and the outrage.
I believe protests are extremely important to raise awareness and make noise, but a lot of people messaged me, saying, ‘I’m sorry this incident happened,’” Hussain shared.
“I faced significant backlash for my video, despite always standing up for women’s rights. I am one of the only celebrities who speaks openly about incidents involving women being harassed.
So, I would just like to add that if anyone has any information regarding this incident, they should share it with me because, honestly, I am not the type to be silenced by anyone regarding women’s issues and rights,” she added.
Hussain called the incident “very serious” and reiterated that she is not connected to any of the authorities investigating it. “I want to verify this matter, and if it is true, I will raise my voice. If not, I will hold anyone accountable if they have spread false information,” she concluded.
