Author: newsdesk

  • Pakistan Stock Exchange surges 2.33% to reach 66,223.63 points

    Pakistan Stock Exchange surges 2.33% to reach 66,223.63 points

    The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) maintained its upward trajectory, with the benchmark KSE-100 index reaching a new pinnacle on Friday. 

    At the close, the index concluded at 66,223.63, marking a noteworthy increase of 1,505.56 points, or 2.33 per cent.

    While surpassing the 66,000 level earlier in the day, a temporary slowdown occurred in the second half due to profit-taking. 

    Nevertheless, bullish activity returned during the final hour, propelling the benchmark index to an intra-day peak of 66,273.73.

    The market displayed widespread buying across key sectors such as cement, chemicals, commercial banks, fertiliser, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs, and power generation and distribution sectors. 

    Thursday’s trading session had already seen a positive trend, with the KSE-100 settling at 64,718.08, reflecting a gain of 800.35 points, or 1.25 per cent.

    This continued momentum is attributed to enhanced economic indicators following the recent agreement between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) authorities on the first review of the Stand-By Agreement (SBA) last month.

  • Fans do not like Bollywood star-kids Netflix film The Archies

    Fans do not like Bollywood star-kids Netflix film The Archies

    Netflix’s The Archies, a launch pad for Shahrukh Khan’s daughter Suhana, Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda, the late Sri Devi’s daughter, Khushi, has just been released on Netflix. The film made headlines for its close-to-the-original comic depiction but after its release on December 7, the film has mostly been planned, especially on Twitter. Netizens have varying things to say, most of them, uncomplimentary.

    Critics like Sucharita said the movie felt like a whole lot of nothing.

    One user said that the movie was cute. “The actors aren’t the best but they all look gorgeous”.

    Others outrightly criticised the film as “pathetic” and a “disgusting display of nepotism”.

    The meme brigade actively took part in roasting the film as one user posted, “If you’re struggling with heart problems, don’t watch this series. These kids’ acting might just trigger a heart attack, and I don’t think even CPR could save you from that drama!”

    One user was also reminded of Abhishek Bachchan while seeing Agastya.

    Some criticised that the new actors were not given due credit even though they performed better.

    Others are strongly criticising the promotional PR as a waste of money.

  • Mahira Khan snapped with Hollywood star Andrew Garfield

    Mahira Khan snapped with Hollywood star Andrew Garfield

    The Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is unfolding right now. Pakistani cinema is gaining recognition on the global platform with movies like Wakhri and In Flames being featured at the event. showcase the talent and creativity of Pakistani filmmakers.
    On Thursday, Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt walked the red carpet at the festival. She not only attended the event but also posed with several Pakistani celebrities. Alia was dressed in an elaborate floral silver gown for the red carpet event.
    Hollywood actors including Johnny Depp, Will Smith, Sharon Stone, Michelle Williams, Freida Pinto, Joel Kinnaman, Paz Vega and Sofia Vergara were also in attendance at the festival.
    Pakistani stars, including Mahira Khan, Humayun Saeed, Ahad Raza Mir were also there, mingling with international stars like Alia Bhatt and Andrew Garfield. Humayun Saeed was also photographed with Adrien Brody, Nicolas Cage, Henry Golding, and Joel Kinnaman. His wife, Samina Humayun Saeed, was captured in a picture with Alia Bhatt. Take a look at the pictures below to see our Pakistani stars at the festival.

  • Minor child worker Rizwana’s first day at school

    Minor child worker Rizwana’s first day at school

    Rizwana, 13, a domestic worker who was assaulted by the wife of a civil judge, has started her education.

    Sarah Ahmed, chairperson of the Child Protection Bureau, stated that the girls studying in Child Protection School welcomed Rizwana on her first day.

    She added that along with education, Rizwana will also be taught cooking, given psychological counselling, and her medical monitoring will also continue.

    The young domestic worker, beaten up during employment by the wife of a civil judge in Islamabad, was under treatment in Lahore General Hospital for five months. Rizwana was brought to the facility from Sargodha with injuries on her head, face and back.

    According to the medical report, due to lack of timely treatment, Rizwana’s wounds were infected with worms, the girl had 15 injury marks on her body including her head, while her internal organs were also affected.

  • Farah Gogi declared proclaimed offender in £190 million scandal case

    Farah Gogi declared proclaimed offender in £190 million scandal case

    The names of the suspects in the £190 million scandal case were published as proclaimed offenders by an Accountability Court of Islamabad on Friday, SAMMA has reported. 

    The names of individuals allegedly involved in the corruption case, including former Accountability Adviser Shahzad Akbar, ex-Special Assistant Zulfi Bukhari, Zia Al Mustafa, and Farah Gogi, were displayed on Friday outside the Judicial Complex as proclaimed offenders. Farah Gogi is currently not in Pakistan, having successfully evaded authorities till now.

    The Accountability Court asked individuals facing charges in the said case to appear before the court on January 6.

    Judge Muhammad Basheer of the Accountability Court ordered to publish the names of suspects involved in the £190 million scandal. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, are also suaoects in the same case.

    According to the order issued by Judge Muhammad Bashir, the investigation officer of the case, Mian Umar Nadeem, stressed that the arrest warrants for Shahzad Akbar, Zia-ul-Mustafi Naseem, Zulfi Bukhari, Ahmed Riaz, Farhat Shahzad, and others implicated in the reference should be strictly implemented.

  • Lahore High Court orders Rs. 50,000 fine for late-night restaurants

    Lahore High Court orders Rs. 50,000 fine for late-night restaurants

    Justice Shahid Karim on Friday ordered local authorities to fine late-night restaurants a whopping 50,000 rupees. The Lahore High Court (LHC) has imposed a fine on restaurants and cafés violating the time bar imposed on eateries to curb smog. Last month the court ordered the government to close restaurants, particularly in the Johar Town area, by 10 pm as a measure to tackle smog, Arshad Ali reported on Samaa News.

    The court also directed the government to take immediate action against those running cafes without permission. In addition to that, the court sought a reply from the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) about the final date for the completion of city underpasses till the next hearing.

    “If the underpasses are allowed to be renovated even during the day, then how many days will it take to consult on this and give a date of completing the decoration of the underpasses,” the judge remarked.

    The court also sought a report on green projects from the Central Business District (CBD).

    “Has Central Business District (CBD) launched any green projects,” the court inquired. “They are erecting high-rise buildings, but who will start the green project,” the court further inquired. Judicial Water Commission said that CBD had said that they would start the green project. The court issued stay orders against the launch of the new CBD project on Walton Road. The court sought a report from the CBD on the next hearing on Monday.

  • Mizna Waqas was wrongly told by doctors that her unborn baby had died

    Mizna Waqas was wrongly told by doctors that her unborn baby had died

    Pakistani actress Mizna Waqas revealed her personal struggles with her pregnancy during a recent interview on a digital platform. Best known for her role as Fazila in Geo TV’s drama ‘Mannat Murad,’ Mizna shared insights into career challenges and personal life. The actress disclosed that she faced criticism initially due to her fair complexion. “In the early days of her career, roles were assigned based on skin colour,” Mizna revealed.
    Talking about pursuing a master’s degree before diving into acting, Mizna said she followed her dreams.

    Moving on to personal milestones, she said that she became a mother eight years into her marriage. In 2019, she welcomed her son Ahil, after experiencing three miscarriages.
    During her fourth pregnancy in 2018, Mizna went through a harrowing ordeal when doctors at a famous hospital initially gave her unborn baby a negative prognosis, saying that the baby’s vital signs were not there and suggesting that the pregnancy be terminated. But after seeking a second opinion and getting another ultrasound, Mizna was shocked to find out that her baby was actually alive and healthy. “When the doctor showed me the second ultrasound, the baby was alive. The doctor even showed me the heartbeat. I was surprised why the last doctor told me that the baby was dead,” the actress shared.

    Her mother’s support was crucial during this difficult time. She encouraged Mizna to get a second opinion, and it turned out to be a game-changer.

    The actress’s story sheds light on the challenges faced by women, both in the entertainment industry and in their personal lives. Mizna’s resilience and determination to pursue her passion despite criticism, as well as her journey through pregnancy struggles, make for a compelling and inspiring narrative.

  • Denmark’s parliament passes law banning Quran burning

    Denmark’s parliament passes law banning Quran burning

    Denmark’s Parliament on Thursday passed a law widely known as the Quran Law, banning the “inappropriate treatment” of religious texts. Offenders now face a fine or up to two years in jail after a vote followed a five-hour debate in parliament and 94 members voted in favour, 77 against.

    During Thursday’s heated debate in Denmark’s 179-strong parliament, The Folketing, many opposition MPs argued against the bill but the country’s center-right coalition government of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen argued that criticising religion would remain legal, as the bill would only have a marginal impact.

    It follows a series of burnings of Islam’s holy book that led to uproar in Muslim countries.

    Denmark and neighbouring Sweden have recently seen several street protests over such incidents, raising security concerns in Scandinavia.

    Sweden is also considering a similar bill.

  • Palestinian poet Dr. Refaat Alareer killed in Israeli strike in Gaza

    Palestinian poet Dr. Refaat Alareer killed in Israeli strike in Gaza

    Palestinian poet, writer, literature professor, and activist Dr. Refaat Alareer was killed in an Israeli airstrike, announced on Thursday evening.

    “My heart is broken, my friend and colleague Refaat Alareer was killed with his family a few minutes ago,” wrote his friend, the Gazan poet, Mosab Abu Toha.

    The Israeli airstrike also killed his brother, his sister, and four of her children. He is now survived by his wife, Nusayba, and their children.

    Dr. Alareer was one of the leading contemporary authors in Gaza who settled on writing in English to tell stories of the besieged strip. He was one of the most prominent voices conveying details of the atrocities Israel is committing to global audiences.

    He had been working as a professor of literature and creative writing at the Islamic University of Gaza since 2007.

    His other contributions included co-editing Gaza Unsilenced (2015) and being editor of Gaza Writes Back: Short Stories from Young Writers in Gaza, Palestine (2014).

    Dan Sheehan quotes in LitHub that in his contribution to the 2022 collection Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire, titled “Gaza Asks: When Shall this Pass?”, Refaat writes:

    “It shall pass, I keep hoping. It shall pass, I keep saying. Sometimes I mean it. Sometimes I don’t. And as Gaza keeps gasping for life, we struggle for it to pass, we have no choice but to fight back and to tell her stories. For Palestine.”

    He was also one of the founders of We Are Not Numbers, a nonprofit organisation founded in Gaza following the 2014 Israeli attack and devoted himself to establishing “a new generation of Palestinian writers and thinkers who can bring together a profound change to the Palestinian cause.”

    In November, Alareer published a poem on X entitled “If I must die” that was shared tens of thousands of times. It concludes with the words: “If I must die, let it bring hope, let it be a tale.”

    Via his X (formerly Twitter) account, “Refaat in Gaza“, Dr. Alareer also openly condemned Israeli atrocities being committed in Gaza and was also vocal against the US who has been supporting Israel in its operations.

    Remembering Refaat

    The announcement of Dr. Refaat Alareer’s death evoked a cascade of sorrow and anguish across social media, shared by his friends, colleagues, former students, and followers:

  • Israel drops leaflets containing ayats from The Quran on Palestinians

    Israel drops leaflets containing ayats from The Quran on Palestinians

    Residents of Khan Yonis in the besieged Gaza Strip have received leaflets quoting a verse in the Quran which states “The flood overtook them as they were wrongdoers.”

    The witnesses say that the Israeli army has showered the leaflets through a plane in the area, the latest focus of Israeli military’s ground offensive.

    Journalist Aamer Tabsh in Khan Younis says he saw Israeli planes drop thousands of fliers.

    Tabsh says residents are convinced the reference to the epic flood of Noah in the Quran and the Bible “means that something much worse is coming.”
    Some are linking it to Hamas’ name for its October 7 onslaught against Israel, “Al Aqsa Deluge,” or flood.

    Al-Jazeera points to recent reports that the Israeli forces are considering flooding Hamas’s subterranean tunnel network with seawater to force out its fighters.