Author: newsdesk

  • Ahmed Shahzad refused to play in Abu Dhabi T-Ten League

    Ahmed Shahzad refused to play in Abu Dhabi T-Ten League

    Pakistani cricketer Ahmed Shehzad refused to play in the T-Ten League in the Abu Dhabi.

    In a statement on social media platform X, Ahmed Shehzad said “He has refused to play in the Abu Dhabi T-Ten League, he wants to play domestic cricket in Pakistan and will keep trying to return to the Pakistan team”.

    Ahmed Shahzad thanked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for giving NOC to play in the T-Ten League and thanked to Bangla Tigers who allowed me to play. The national cricketer said, “I feel proud to recognize my performance in the National T20 Cup”.

  • ‘In Flames’ and ‘Kamli’ win major international awards

    ‘In Flames’ and ‘Kamli’ win major international awards

    Two Pakistani films are winning prestigious awards at international platforms. ‘In Flames’, directed and written by Zarrar Kahn, has won local and international praise since its release. The film has now won the prestigious ‘International Newcomer Award’ at the International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg. Taking to his Instagram account, Zarrar quoted a statement from the festival’s jury along with a picture where he posed with the award:

    “Our award goes to a filmmaker who manages to shift and play with genre while maintaining a connection both to his audience as well as his protagonist throughout the film. The main character is a young woman who is allowed to be both brave and fragile, and she is brought to life through a wonderful debut performance that complements the mise-en-scene. The winner is In Flames.”

    The Instagram account for the movie shared another clip from the event, adding in the caption that this was the first time in 70 years a Pakistani director had the honour to take home such a prestigious award.

    While Sarmad Khoosat’s film ‘Kamli’ continues to win accolades even a year after its release. In Belarus, the Saba Qamar starrer bagged three awards at the prestigious Minsk International Film Festival. Qamar received the Best Actor Award, director Sarmad received Best Director and the Viewer’s Choice award.

  • PSL 9 trade: Iftikhar joins Multan Sultans, Rilee Rossouw moves to Quetta Gladiators

    PSL 9 trade: Iftikhar joins Multan Sultans, Rilee Rossouw moves to Quetta Gladiators

    In what is the most surprising move of the HBL Pakistan Super League 9 trade window, Multan Sultans have snapped Iftikhar Ahmed, while Rilee Rossouw has moved to Quetta Gladiators.

    The trade deal with Quetta Gladiators also sees Multan Sultans get the first pick in the platinum round one in exchange for Rilee Rossouw and the first Silver category pick.

    Iftikhar has evolved into a formidable all-rounder for his power-hitting and foxy off-spin. He brings the experience of 229 T20 matches and 4,476 runs. He also has a century in the format to go with 30 half-centuries. Since the start of his career in October 2010, the muscular batter has been smashing a boundary every 6.75 balls. He recently reached the 50-wicket landmark and his economy stands at 7.31.

    Iftikhar Ahmed said in press statment: “I am delighted to become a Sultan. It is an honor for me to represent the people of Multan as their passion for this game is second to none. Multan Sultans have evolved into a strong team and their record in the last three seasons speak for itself. Now, it is my ambition to help them bag the prestigious HBL PSL trophy.”

    Multan Sultan’s captain Muhammad Rizwan said: “I am very excited to welcome Iftikhar Ahmed. He brings outstanding all-round skills, which we need to be a champion team. He was not only his on-field skills that made us finalize this trade, but he is also a brilliant team player who uplifts dressing rooms with his presence. We are eager to put together a set of players whose skills are in sync with our positive, bold and aggressive brand of cricket.”

    Chief executive Ali Khan Tareen said: “Multan Sultans have always had experienced and aggressive batters in the middle order and that has been one of the keys to our success. With our focus on developing and protecting a domestic core, Iftikhar Ahmed aka Iftimania is the best middle order hitter in Pakistan. He adds destructive power against spin and pace and brings calmness with years of experience.”

    “I also want to thank Rilee Rossouw for giving us some incredible memories. While he will not be in our dressing room this season, we will definitely remember him for his services to the franchise. Wherever he will go, he will always be remembered for his time at Multan Sultans, as once you become a Sultan, you always stay a Sultan.”

    Amidst this, Ali Tareen and Iftikhar had an interesting interaction on X (formerly Twitter).

    General Manager Hijab Zahid said, “After putting together a highly professional, knowledgeable and skillful coaching staff, we are now committed to getting together the best set of players. I am sure our passionate, cricket-loving fans will be over the moon when we announce our complete retention list in due course.”

    Head coach Abdul Rehman declared it the biggest trade deal in the history of the HBL PSL.

    He further said, “I am delighted to welcome Iftikhar Ahmed to our camp. I have seen Iftikhar grow into a fabulous cricketer and considering the match-winner he has become, every coach wants to have him in his team.”

    “We will definitely miss Rilee Rossouw who has been an outstanding team player and has had a great role in taking us to where this franchise is today. Rilee was our Mr dependable and whenever we wanted him to deliver, he got the job done for us. We wish Rilee well for everything that is ahead of him.”

  • Day-long extension of Israel-Hamas truce agreed

    A truce between Israel and Hamas was extended on Thursday just before it was due to expire, the two sides announced, with mediator Qatar reporting it would continue for one day under the same conditions that saw hostages exchanged.

    Minutes before the halt in fighting in the Gaza Strip was due to expire at 05:00 GMT, Israel’s military said the truce would be prolonged.

    “In light of the mediators’ efforts to continue the process of releasing the hostages and subject to the terms of the framework, the operational pause will continue,” it said.

    The prime minister’s office subsequently confirmed the extension, saying it had received a new list of hostages.

    “A short time ago, Israel was given a list of women and children in accordance with the terms of the agreement, and therefore the truce will continue,” it said, without specifying the number of captives to be freed.

    Hamas said there was an agreement to “extend the truce for a seventh day”, without further details. It had earlier said Israel initially refused to extend the truce after it offered to hand over seven hostages and the bodies of three more.

    Qatar, which has led the truce negotiations supported by Egypt and the United States, confirmed the pause had been extended for a day “under the same previous conditions”.

    The announcement came hours after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Wednesday night, and with growing pressure for an extension of the pause.

    The truce agreement has brought a temporary halt to fighting in Gaza, where authorities say almost 15,000 people have been killed in Israel’s military campaign. Israeli authorities say some 1,200 people were killed and around 240 taken hostage in Hamas’s surprise 7 October attack inside Israel.

    The truce agreement allows for extensions if Hamas can release another 10 hostages a day, but earlier both sides warned they were ready to return to fighting.

  • No pictures of Mohsin Naqvi with promotion of flyovers, underpasses allowed: Lahore Court

    The Punjab government provided assurances to the Lahore High Court on Wednesday, that the image of the caretaker chief minister of Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi, would not be utilized in advertisement campaigns promoting development projects.

    Justice Sultan Tanvir Ahmad presided over the proceedings, which involved a petition challenging the promotion of the caretaker CM in ads related to the construction of flyovers and underpasses in Lahore.

    Additional advocate general represented the government and made a commitment to the court that the image of the caretaker CM would not be incorporated into any official campaign from now on.

    Read more: Awam ka kitna paisa laga hai Mohsin Naqvi ki publicity par?

    Acknowledging the government’s undertaking, Justice Ahmad resolved the petition while cautioning against a recurrence of such practices in the future.

    The judge emphasized the importance of responsible use of public funds, stating that individuals using public money for self-promotion would be held accountable.

    A citizen, Hafiz Israrul Haq, filed a writ petition on November 17, challenging the promotion of the caretaker chief minister on the construction of flyovers in the city.

    The judge declared that those who promoted themselves with public money would be held accountable.

    The petition stated, “The Govt. of Punjab designed a plan in order to construct a flyover at Shahdara Chowk to facilitate the public and started to construct the Fly over at Shahdara Chowk Lahore to make smooth flow of traffic as it is the duty of the Govt. to create easiness in the life of the inhabitants and to facilitate them but the Govt. of Punjab after completion of Construction of project of Fly Over started to advertise on electronic, Print Media and by displaying flexes/ sign board to make publicity with the name and style of “MUHSIN SPEED” which they are not authorized as if they have completed the work before time it is not permitted to advertise the same from the public exchequer rather they may advertise for publicity from their pockets not form the public money.”

  • Husband-wife fight forces plane to make emergency landing in India

    Husband-wife fight forces plane to make emergency landing in India

    A Lufthansa plane that took off from Germany had to make an emergency landing in New Delhi’s Indra Gandhi’s airport after an intense fight broke out between a husband and wife.

    On November 29, right after the take-off from Munich, a couple started fighting in the plane. Seeing the situation getting worse, pilots informed the control room. It directed the plane to land in Pakistan. On not getting permission, the pilots made an emergency landing in New Delhi and handed over the two passengers to airport security there.

    The wife, a native of Thailand, complained that her German husband was threatening her. Passengers as well as the crew also witnessed him shouting and hurling things at his wife while reportedly being drunk.

    According to Indian media, the German embassy has been contacted to handle the matter. The police is talking to airline staff to ascertain the sequence of events and check if an FIR needs to be registered.

    The wife was travelling on a separate ticket and later asked the airline to continue her journey to Bangkok alone but she too was deboarded.

  • What upgrade has Pakistan Cricket Board made to Shan Masood’s central contract?

    What upgrade has Pakistan Cricket Board made to Shan Masood’s central contract?

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has upgraded the central contract of national Test team captain Shan Masood.

    The board has decided as part of its policy that if any player on a central contract who is below the A or B category becomes captain, his contract will be shifted to the B category till he captains. doing. As per PCB policy, Shan Masood has been upgraded from D to B category after upgrading the central contract.

    The 34-year-old Shan Masood was appointed the captain of the Pakistan Test team on November 15 and has been made the captain till the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship 2023-25.

  • ‘Police took nine-year-old son in raid,’ former PTI MNA

    ‘Police took nine-year-old son in raid,’ former PTI MNA

    In a startling turn of events, Gul Zafar Khan, a former MNA associated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has accused Bajaur police of raiding his residence in the Gat Kai area of Mamond tehsil on Wednesday night.

    He also claimed that police took his nine-year-old son, who reportedly has special needs.

    Khan took to X(formerly Twitter) to share the distressing incident.

    However, in a statement issued from the office of the district police officer (DPO) on Wednesday night, police confirmed that the raid was conducted on Khan’s house owing to his violation of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, but said that no one was arrested in the raid as the former MNA was not present in his house.

    A day earlier, Khan had attended a party meeting at the residence of former provincial minister Anwerzeb Khan in connection with the PTI’s convention, to be held a few days later.

    Adding to the complexity of the situation, a police official said that Khan was also wanted by police in a case registered in Upper Dir district a few days ago.

    Meanwhile, police on Wednesday also arrested PTI’s former MNA Gul Dad Khan for violating Section 144 CrPC, police and party sources said.

  • Kyrgyzstan to remove ‘fickle’ sunflower from flag

    Kyrgyzstan to remove ‘fickle’ sunflower from flag

    Kyrgyzstan’s supreme council (Jogorku Kenesh) on November 29 supported a bill on changing the state flag in its first reading in parliament after 66 deputies voted for and eight people’s representatives voted against the document.

    President Sadyr Japarov had recently criticised the design, saying that its central element looked more like a sunflower which in the local culture symbolizes fickleness and servility. Others joined in the criticism and the bill was proposed in the parliament.

    Speaker Nurlanbek Shakiev, one of the authors of the document, said that if the flag is changed, funds will not be lost from the budget, and if the flag is changed in places where it is necessary, sponsors will bear the cost.

    However, critics are opposing the hasty adoption of the draft in the first reading without discussion, calling it rushed. Representative Erulan Kokulov said that the flag is for every citizen. “This issue should have been resolved by a referendum,” he said.

    The goal of the draft law is to “improve the flag, which is one of the main state symbols of the country.”

  • Early-morning rain lessens smog in Lahore, Karachi takes over second spot

    Early-morning rain lessens smog in Lahore, Karachi takes over second spot

    Usually the most polluted city in the Air Quality Index, Lahore has been demoted to number six in the chart after a short spell of rain.

    The late-night and early-morning drizzle in the city has improved the air quality to the extent that the sky seems a bit clearer and the status of air quality has moved from hazardous to unhealthy with 158 particulate matter in the air.

    On the other hand, Karachi has taken over Lahore’s spot, landing at number two on the list, right behind New Delhi with a very unhealthy status of 268 particulate matter.