Author: newsdesk

  • Unregistered sims are being used by fraudsters, terrorists

    Unregistered sims are being used by fraudsters, terrorists

    Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crimes has submitted a report on the fraudulent acquisition of biometrics of mobile SIMs to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

    As restrictions have tightened, counterfeiters have also invented new methods, according to the FIA report, including the use of fake thumbprints for SIM registration.

    According to the report, more than 80,000 SIMs registered on silicon thumbs were reported in four years. Fraudsters are said to obtain fingerprints by luring people into registering for voter lists or for obtaining cheaper essential items etc. which are then imprinted on silicon thumbs and SIMs are consequently registered.

    According to the report, it has been revealed that unregistered SIMs are being used by terrorists. More than 3,500 SIMs obtained on fake registrations are active right now out of which 93 cases were registered over the past four years, 193 people were arrested, and 294 fake biometric devices were also used.

  • Who is contesting elections from where?

    Who is contesting elections from where?

    A day after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the schedule for general elections, political parties are yet to announce lists of candidates.

    Former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif, from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz PML-N, will reportedly contest polls from Lahore.

    Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, another former Prime Minister, who hails from Murree but was elected from Lahore, has opted to not contest the upcoming elections.

    Two ex-PMs from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf will be contesting from Multan and Gujar Khan respectively.

    PML-N Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz will be contesting from Lahore and Karachi, while PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be a candidate from Karachi and Larkana.

    Former President and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari will try his luck from Nawabshah.

    Maulana Fazlur Rehman will be contesting from Dera Ismail Khan.

    Jamat e Islami Ameer Siraj-ul-Haq will contest polls from Peshawar.

    PML-N is expected to finalise the list of all its candidates next week, The News has reported.

    As per sources, PML-N has concluded work on more than 70% of constituencies for choosing candidates and the list of the first batch of ticketholders might be made public tomorrow (Sunday).

    The party’s parliamentary board conducted 10 meetings to finalise candidate names from various areas and is expected to complete the task on Monday (December 18).

    The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Awami National Party (ANP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and regional parties will issue the list of their candidates by the mid of next week.

    They are engaged in seat adjustment with other parties while the fate of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is still hanging in the balance as the ECP gives its verdict on its intra-party elections on Monday.

  • Temperatures to fall further across Pakistan

    Temperatures to fall further across Pakistan

    Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted cold and dry weather for most parts of the country.

    Sindh is to experience a wave of cold especially in Karachi. Weather analyst Jawad Memon has said, “Mercury may drop to single digit in the suburban areas of Karachi.”

    A shallow westerly wave was affecting western Balochistan which is likely to have moved northeast. It will affect the upper parts, causing cold waves in Sindh as soon as the system moves out in the next 24 hours.

    The Met Department said that mainly cold and dry weather is expected in most plain areas of the country, while very cold and partly cloudy weather is expected in the upper parts during the next week.

    Fog is likely in upper Sindh, plain areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during morning and night, it added.

  • ‘Night with Stars’ by Shahid Afridi Foundation in Perth captivates everyone

    ‘Night with Stars’ by Shahid Afridi Foundation in Perth captivates everyone

    A meet-up and fundraising dinner “Night with Stars” by the Shahid Afridi Foundation was held on December 12 in Perth to support the foundation’s initiatives in Pakistan and Palestine.

    It was an evening where cricket legends and passionate supporters came together for an inspiring cause. World-renowned stars Shaheen Shah Afridi, Muhammad Rizwan, Sarfraz Ahmed, and Aamir Jamal, joined hands to support Shahid Afridi Foundation.

    “Your strong participation has strengthened our mission of providing education, clean water, and rebuilding homes in flood-affected areas, this is just the beginning together, we will continue our impactful evenings across Australia,” the administration of the event said.

    Further events will be held in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, and Brisbane to continue this mission.

  • NAB arrests Fawad Chaudhry in corruption case

    NAB arrests Fawad Chaudhry in corruption case

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry in a corruption case on Saturday, Geo News has reported.

    NAB Chairman Lt-Gen. Nazir Ahmed Butt issued the arrest warrant for the former federal minister, while NAB took him into custody from Adiala jail, where he is imprisoned in a fraud case.

    According to the details of the arrest warrants, he will be presented before the court.

    Earlier, Fawad Chaudhry was arrested from his Islamabad residence in a case pertaining to a five million rupee bribe in exchange for a job. The complainant registered an FIR against Chaudhry at Aabpara Police Station.

    The politico’s wife, Hiba Chaudhry, had said that Fawad was arrested without any reason. “Fawad has been arrested and taken to an unknown place,” she said.

    In January, Fawad was taken into custody from his home following public statements where he allegedly “threatened” members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) during a media talk outside the residence of former PTI chief Imran Khan in Zaman Park.

  • PCB will host Champions Trophy 2025

    PCB will host Champions Trophy 2025

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has signed an agreement with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to host the Champions Trophy 2025.

    The “Hosting Rights Agreement” between PCB and ICC was finalised in Dubai, signed both by Chairman PCB Zaka Ashraf and ICC Counsel General Jonathan Hall.

    PCB has already informed the government about hosting the Champions Trophy.

    In a recent meeting, Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar assured full government support to PCB.

  • No more free travel for students on Orange Train and Metro Bus

    No more free travel for students on Orange Train and Metro Bus

    The caretaker government of Punjab has revoked the facility of free travel for students in the Orange Line Train and Metro Bus as winter vacations commence in the city today.

    Ahmed Javed Qazi, Secretary Transport Punjab told Geo News that free travel on student cards for students in the city has been suspended during winter holidays in Lahore.

    The implementation of the decision starts today (December 16) and will remain active till the next order.

    Winter holidays officially span from December 18 to January 1.

    The Secretary of Transport elaborated that the caretaker cabinet will review whether the service should be restarted or not after the holidays end.

  • Sarfraz Bugti kis party kay ticket par election larrain gay?

    Sarfraz Bugti kis party kay ticket par election larrain gay?

    Sarfraz Bugti, former interim interior minister, sent his resignation to caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on December 13, which was accepted Friday night.

    He cited personal reasons for stepping down from his position.

    Interior Ministry spokesperson Qadir Yar Tawana confirmed the report on Friday when contacted for the version of the ministry by Geo News.

    Close aides of Bugti said he had decided to resign from the office about two months ago to take part in the upcoming general elections. His resignation was accepted hours before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the schedule of the general elections in 2024.

    As per sources of Geo News, Sarfaraz Bugti resigned to contest the election on a Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N)’s ticket.
    They said he was expected to call on the PML-N leadership in a few days.

    He is currently associated with the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP).

    Bugti had been elected as a senator from Balochistan in 2021.

    The 42-year-old had previously served as interior minister for Balochistan after winning a seat in 2013 as an independent candidate, but later joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

    In a related development, Balochistan caretaker Minister for Sports and Culture, Nawabzada Jamal Raisani and Adviser to the Chief Minister on Mines and Minerals, Mir Umair Muhammad Hasni, also resigned from the interim provincial cabinet on Friday.

  • Hina Bayat triggers outrage after she says boycott of Israeli products is ‘Nonsense’

    Hina Bayat triggers outrage after she says boycott of Israeli products is ‘Nonsense’

    Senior actress Hina Bayat has landed in a storm of public outrage after terming the campaign of boycott of foreign products against Israel nonsense.

    A clip from a recent interview has gone viral on social media, in which she is seen saying that the boycott campaign is a very strange and nonsensical kind of war going on that involves some of her acquaintances.

    Hina Bayat also described the boycotters as ignorant.

    Social media users criticised her severely.

    A user wrote that social media is a means of raising voices while fast food does nothing but increase belly fat.

    According to some users, Hina Bayat is supporting the boycott campaign and she is mocking those who oppose it.

  • ECP releases election schedule after Supreme Court order

    ECP releases election schedule after Supreme Court order

    After the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) suspended a Lahore High Court (LHC) order staying the appointment of Returning Officers (ROs) from the executive branch, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) released the much-awaited election schedule on Friday night, affirming that general polls in Pakistan are set to take place on February 8 next year.

    ECP will now resume training ROs and District Returning Officers (DROs).

    The election programme extends to reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the National Assembly (NA) as well as the four provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.

    The election schedule was released late at night in accordance with the directives of the SC.

    Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) stayed the notification of the appointment of DROs and ROs from the bureaucracy and halted their training.

    The LHC announced its judgement in response to a petition submitted by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).