Author: newsdesk

  • Inquiry report rejected for presenting wrong evidence in Ranipur’s Fatima’s case

    Inquiry report rejected for presenting wrong evidence in Ranipur’s Fatima’s case

    Sindh’s caretaker health minister Dr. Saad Khalid has rejected the report of the inquiry committee in the death of Fatima, the child found dead in Ranipur.

    According to the spokesperson of Sindh Health Department, wrong evidence was presented in the report, stating that the people with whom Fatima’s DNA was matched were not disclosed in the report.

    A meeting was called by the caretaker health minister in which the report of the inquiry committee was rejected, said the spokesperson of the Sindh Health Department.

    Fatima’s case
    A domestic maid, 10-year-old child Fatima Phuriro, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in Ranipur.

    The child had been working as a domestic worker at a haveli owned by an influential local, Pir Asad Shah Jilani.

    Fatima’s mother, Shabana, was informed about the death by the employer who asked her to remove the body from the premises.

    According to DIG Sukkur Javed Jiskani, the parents initially did not share the facts of the case with the police and claimed that the girl was suffering from gastroenteritis.

    While her diagnosis was also confirmed by Dr Abdul Fatah Memon who treated her, the DIG revealed that Fatima was taken to the hospital either by the Pir or his staff and that the SHO was present at the time she was pronounced dead.

    It was not until videos of the child were leaked by an unknown source and circulated on social media that the case caught the media’s eye. By then, the family had buried Fatima on August 15.

    The body was later exhumed and sent for an autopsy which revealed that the girl had been raped both vaginally and anally.

    Fatima’s parents revealed heartbreaking details when we talked to them in September this year.

  • After court blocks appointment of DROs, ROs, election date could be delayed

    After court blocks appointment of DROs, ROs, election date could be delayed

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) issued an order on Wednesday to decline a notification to appoint Returning Officers (ROs) from bureaucracy. General elections, set to take place on February 8 2024, could be delayed as a result of the decision.

    Former secretary of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and current caretaker Punjab CM’s Adviser on Law, Kanwar Dilshad, told The News that polls are likely to be late after the LHC verdict, stating that a few days delay in the polls is expected as the issue regarding suspension of ECP notification for appointments of ROs and District Returning Officers (DROs) will soon be taken up and decided by a larger bench of the LHC.

    He also said that after the LHC judgment, ECP declined its December 11 notification regarding the appointment of DROs and ROs.

    The LHC, in its order, said, “On factual ground, the apparent absence of a level playing field for the political party of the petitioner is visible to all and has also been seriously noted by many independent groups. With top political leadership locked inside the jail or gone underground, the electioneering by his political party would be a big question mark. The apprehension of the petitioner of avoiding fair and free elections by the Election Commission of Pakistan appears to be well founded as some District Returning Officer, Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers are appointed from the presently posted members of administration throughout the country with whom the petitioner’s political party does not inspire any confidence.”

  • ‘Judge and his family should be beaten the way they beat me’; Rizwana’s demand

    ‘Judge and his family should be beaten the way they beat me’; Rizwana’s demand

    14-year-old Rizwana, who was allegedly beaten up by a civil judge and his wife in Islamabad, has not fully recovered yet. She is neither able to talk much nor walk properly.

    Islamabad Police recorded Rizwana’s statement at the Child Protection Bureau in Lahore where she alleged that the judge himself beat her up, hitting her head against the wall, while his wife and children would also assault her, adding that they should be treated in the same manner.

    Talking to Geo News, Rizwana said that she was beaten with sticks and bats, stabbed with knives, and the judge would shove her head into a wall.

    Child Protection Bureau Punjab Chairperson Sarah Ahmed said that the Islamabad Police has recorded Rizwana’s statement while her legal team was also present at the time.

    She said that before the statement, Rizwana was told to not panic, and to not change her statement on anyone’s advice.

    Case

    Rizwana had been allegedly tortured and abused while working at a civil judge’s home in Islamabad, after she was accused of stealing jewellery. Rizwana’s family revealed that the girl was not paid a single penny by the family for the extensive workload she was doing and was instead subjected to violence.

  • Turkish member of parliament suffers heart attack during speech

    Turkish member of parliament suffers heart attack during speech

    Turkish member of parliament Hasan Bitmez suffered a heart attack while delivering a passionate speech against the government’s policy towards Israel, reports Al-Jazeera.

    Hasan, 54, collapsed in the parliament while addressing the House. He was taken to a hospital in Ankara where he died two days later, on Thursday. He was a member of the Islamist Saadet Partisi or Felicity Party.

    In his speech, Hasan called out President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government for the duplicity of its policies, “You allow ships to go to Israel, and you shamelessly call it trade. … You are Israel’s accomplice.” He criticised Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in his speech on Tuesday and raised a poster on the podium that said, “Murderer Israel; collaborator AKP.”

    Hasan delivered a 20-minute-long speech before collapsing where he warned the President by saying, “Even if you escape the torment of history, you will not be able to escape the wrath of God.” He was immediately given first-aid after the coronary episode.

    Hasan, a prominent figure of the opposition, graduated from Cairo’s Al-Azhar University, worked for Islamic nongovernmental groups and was chairman of the Centre for Islamic Union Research.

    His speech accused the government of continuing friendly economic relations with Israel during its assault on Gaza, which has killed nearly 19,000 Gazans.

    As he delivered the speech, he was mocked by AK Party members.

  • Ahmed Shehzad says goodbye to Pakistan Super League

    Ahmed Shehzad says goodbye to Pakistan Super League

    After not getting a place in any Pakistan Super League (PSL) team, Ahmed Shehzad has made a major decision about his future.

    Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account, Ahmed Shehzad said goodbye to PSL.

    All the teams have completed their squads for season 9 of the Pakistan Super League during the drafting, but now some players will be selected in the supplementary as well. Ahmed Shehzad seems to be quite depressed for not being part of any team in the draft.

    “A heartfelt goodbye to Pakistan Super League! I’m writing this note which I thought I wouldn’t be writing this year. Another PSL draft goes by and the same old story – didn’t get picked. God knows why, but they plan, and Allah plans. Indeed ALLAH is the best of Planners. I have tried hard by giving it all in the domestic circuit consistently in the last few years and did reasonably well in the National T20 Cup just before the PSL draft.”

    “There seems a deliberate effort to keep me out, even when franchises have opted for other performers with inferior numbers than me. But when everything is pre-planned it doesn’t matter. I don’t know whose responsibility it is to get top domestic performers in the PSL then. But I exactly know the reasons why I’m not made part of the PSL – the whole country, and my fans will know it very soon.”

    He wrote, “I’m parting ways and saying goodbye to Pakistan Super League for my own self-respect. I’ve never played for money and will never do it. While many chose international leagues across the globe, I decided to grind in the domestic circuit to prove my love for the game, and to wear the Green Flag again. I’m taking this decision to keep money out of it (was offered several contracts to play leagues yet chose Pakistan)”.

    “I will not play the PSL again with these 6 teams. It seems like a shared responsibility to keep me away from PSL, and all franchises have shaken hands”.

    “Lastly, I’m thankful for all the support I’ve received from my fans across the world. I can only assure one thing and that’s never giving in to unfair demands or accepting anything that lets my country down”.

    “All I know is in this day and age being patriotic and putting your nation first goes against you. I’m thankful to Allah that I always stood firm on my moral responsibilities and have never let myself, my family, and my country down. If that’s the price I have to pay for my honesty and dedication, it’s a small price to pay and I will continue doing it. Pakistan Zindabad!”

  • Perth Test: Aamir Jamal becomes 14th Pakistani to take 5 wickets on debut

    Perth Test: Aamir Jamal becomes 14th Pakistani to take 5 wickets on debut

    Pakistani bowler Aamir Jamal took six wickets on his debut against Australia in the Perth Test. Aamir Jamal has become the 14th Pakistani to take five or more wickets on debut and second to achieve this feat on Australian soil.

    Before Aamir Jamal, Arif Butt had achieved this feat on Australian soil in 1964.

    Apart from this, Pakistan’s Arif Butt, Muhammad Nazir, Shahid Nazir, Muhammad Zahid, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Sami, Shabbir Ahmed, Yasir Arafat, Wahab Riaz, Tanveer Ahmed, Bilal Asif, Nauman Ali, and Abrar Ahmed also won this honor in the first match.

    Aamir Jamal took a total of six wickets in the first innings of the Perth Test while the Australian team was bowled out for 487 runs in the first innings.

  • Wahaj Ali tops UK publication’s 2023 Celebrity List

    Wahaj Ali tops UK publication’s 2023 Celebrity List

    Heart throb, Wahaj Ali, has achieved an amazing milestone by being named the top celebrity of 2023 by a prestigious UK entertainment publication. He was ranked 9th globally among Asian stars in the highly regarded Top 50 Asian Celebrities In The World list by the Eastern Eye newspaper.

    Wahaj outshone celebrities from Hollywood and Bollywood with his exceptional performances on television. He expressed gratitude and said that his main focus is always giving his best for his fans.
    The list, curated by Entertainment Editor Asjad Nazir, recognizes Wahaj’s significant contributions to the entertainment industry, highlighting his performance in the record-breaking drama serial ‘Tere Bin’, which received acclaim from audiences worldwide. Asjad Nazir described Wahaj as the biggest surprise package of 2023.

    “Wahaj Ali showed that he is one of this generation’s finest Pakistani actors with strong performances throughout the year,” and added, “He has laid the foundation for fantastic work in the future.”
    Wahaj Ali’s accomplishment not only signifies personal success but also represents a triumph for the Pakistani entertainment industry on the global stage. Fans and industry peers eagerly anticipate his future projects as he continues to make significant strides in his career.

  • Perth Test: Australia bowled out for 487 in the first inning

    Perth Test: Australia bowled out for 487 in the first inning

    In the first Test between Pakistan and Australia, the host team has been bowled out for 487 runs in their first innings.

    First day:

    The Kangaroos scored 346 runs for the loss of five wickets on the first day of the game.

    David Warner was dismissed for 164 runs, Usman Khawaja scored 41 and Travis Head put up 40 runs.

    Second day:

    Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey started the second day aggressively, however, Australia suffered their sixth loss at 411 when Alex Carey was bowled by Aamir Jamal.

    The seventh wicket of the Australian team fell on 449 runs when Mitchell Starc returned to the pavilion after playing an inning of 12 runs, he was also dismissed by Aamir Jamal. Mitchell Marsh played an inning of 90 runs. Captain Pat Cummins was also dismissed for nine runs on a total of 481.

    From Pakistan, Aamir Jamal has taken six wickets for 111 runs.

  • Big name missing from FIFA Player of the Year award nominees

    Big name missing from FIFA Player of the Year award nominees

    The International Association Football Federation (FIFA) has announced final nominees for the men’s and women’s players of the year awards but one prominent name is missing from the list. Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is not included in the nominations.

    According to FIFA, this award will be given to the player who has shown the most outstanding performance in the game from December 19, 2022, to August 20, 2023.

    The nominees for the men’s Footballer of the Year award include Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Norway’s Erling Haaland, and France’s Kylian Mbappé.

    The nominees for the Women’s Footballer of the Year award include Aitana Bonmatí, Linda Caicedo, and Jenni Hermoso.

    The FIFA Footballers of the Year award ceremony will take place on January 15 in London.

  • Friendship ended with PPP, now PML-N and IPP are best friends

    Friendship ended with PPP, now PML-N and IPP are best friends

    The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) took a significant step on Thursday by submitting a list to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) committee, outlining its demands for seat adjustment ahead of the upcoming elections.

    The IPP is pushing for seat adjustments in 45 constituencies of the Punjab Assembly and 27 constituencies of the National Assembly.

    The deliberations unfolded during a joint meeting of the committees from both parties, hosted at the residence of former Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq. The meeting saw the participation of prominent PML-N figures including Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Atta Tarar, and Malik Ahmed Khan, while IPP was represented by Ishaq Khakwani, Aun Chaudhary and Nauman Langriyal.

    The discussions primarily revolved around seat adjustments for the National Assembly constituencies, with the IPP formally handing over its list to the PML-N committee. Both parties explored various options during the joint meeting, demonstrating a commitment to finding common ground.

    IPP has decided to field Jahangir Tareen from Lodhran, Aleem Khan and Aun Chaudhry from Lahore, Farrukh Habib from Faisalabad, Ghulam Sarwar Khan from Taxila, Aamir Kiyani and Ali Nawaz Awan from Islamabad, Firdous Ashiq Awan from Sialkot and Imran Ismail, Mahmood Maulvi will be party’s candidates from PML-N.

    Both parties agreed to continue talks on seat adjustment while another meeting is scheduled for Friday.