Author: newsdesk

  • New HRCP report reveals human rights violations in Northern Sindh

    New HRCP report reveals human rights violations in Northern Sindh

    Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has released a fact-finding report titled “Northern Sindh: In Search of Solutions”, detailing violations of human rights in the region.

    The report is based upon a mission conducted by HRCP in February 2023 in which the team conducted interviews and consultations in Ghotki, Mirpur Mathelo, Kandhkot, Jacobabad, Larkana and Karachi where they met human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, students, workers, political leaders, government representatives and law enforcement authorities.

    The report reveals the lack of law and order, inaccessibility of education and healthcare, and other barriers on basic rights.

    Due to lack of shelters for survivors, the conviction rates in gender-based violence including physical and sexual assault, abductions, premature burials and murders, cases are low and hence, violence is high. Many cases, in fact, remain unreported. Existing shelters lack medical care and legal assistance, where victims are kept in unpleasant conditions. The rooms are few while the management and staff lacks sensitivity as they are untrained.

    Similarly, religious minorities are at a threat due to discrimination, arbitrary blasphemy accusations and faith-based conversions.
    People of the province, especially those residing in kachi abadis, are vulnerable to organised crime, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and exploitative feudal power systems. This too, is linked to poor governance and lack of accountability.

    Conflicts are further topped by tribal feuds, stagnating the socio-economic development.

    And then, the rehabilitation of flood victims and long-term climate sustainability measures are issues still unaddressed.

    Over and above, law enforcement personnel and fake FIRs against journalists are used a weapon to stop coverage of human rights violations.

  • Nawaz Sharif confirms return to country next month

    Nawaz Sharif confirms return to country next month

    Nawaz Sharif, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has announced that he will be returning to Pakistan in October of this year, Geo News has reported.

    Nawaz, who has been living in self-imposed exile in London since November 2019 for medical treatment, confirmed his return for the first time on Friday at a meeting with party members and supporters at Stanhope House. Former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as well as PML-N leaders Chaudhary Tanveer, Danyal Chaudhary, Chaudhary Nadeem Khan, Dr. Anjum, and others were present.

    Although Nawaz will arrive in Pakistan next month, according to sources present at the meeting at Stanhope House, no specific date has been confirmed as yet.

    Geo News had reported that the three times former Prime Minister was expected to return to Pakistan in the middle of October.

  • Nepra approves Rs1.46 per unit fuel charge adjustment

    Nepra approves Rs1.46 per unit fuel charge adjustment

    In the midst of widespread protests over surging electricity bills in Pakistan, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has taken a significant step.

    They have given the green light for power distribution companies to impose an additional charge of Rs1.46 per unit on consumers in the form of a fuel charge adjustment (FCA) for the month of July.

    This decision, rooted in the Regulation of Generation, Transmission, and Distribution of Electric Power Act of 1997, comes as an attempt to address financial challenges in the power sector.

    The FCA, however, excludes electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) and lifeline consumers. This means that this adjustment will be itemised separately on consumers’ bills based on their electricity usage in July 2023. The billing for this adjustment is scheduled for September 2023.

    The background to this move involves costly imported coal inventory held by coal-based power plants, particularly the Sahiwal coal power plant, and limitations in the power transmission system. The latter includes issues such as the HVDC transmission line’s inability to efficiently transport cost-effective power from southern generators. These factors have placed a considerable financial burden on power consumers.

    This tariff increase compounds the woes of consumers, who are already grappling with record inflation, high fuel prices, and elevated electricity rates. As a result, consumers are expected to bear a cumulative burden of Rs24.76 billion in their September 2023 bills due to over 14 billion units sold in July.

    In response to public protests and growing dissatisfaction, the interim government, led by Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, has sought assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to provide immediate relief to electricity consumers.

    According to Geo News, Pakistan is under an IMF programme, making any relief or subsidy contingent upon IMF approval. Negotiations between the government and the IMF have been intense, resulting in some relief for consumers using up to 200 units, allowing them to pay electricity bills in installments.

    However, the IMF rejected the government’s plan to provide relief to those consuming up to 400 units of electricity per month, which could have benefited 32 million consumers. Instead, the IMF stressed the need to address electricity and gas theft and improve revenue collection.

    Furthermore, the IMF has proposed a 45 to 50 per cent increase in gas tariffs starting July 1, pending approval by the federal cabinet. These developments reflect a challenging situation in Pakistan’s energy sector as the government grapples with the need for reform amid rising consumer discontent.

  • Madhuri Dixit was fired from a film for refusing to do this scene

    Madhuri Dixit was fired from a film for refusing to do this scene

    Bollywood queen Madhuri Dixit can pretty much call herself a legend with a storied career and dominance over the box office. But even an A-lister like Madhuri is not immune to sexist demands by film makers.

    Veteran director Tinnu Anand, who directed Madhuri Dixit in Shanakht (1989), has revealed how the actress was fired after she refused to take off her blouse for a scene. Tinnu told Radio Nasha that he had discussed the scene with Madhuri prior to the shot, and she had consented to doing it. This was the first shot of the film in which Amitabh Bachchan was suppose to be captured by villains, which is when Madhuri’s character comes out and says “Why are you attacking a man in chains when a woman is in front of you?”

    “I had narrated the entire sequence to Madhuri,” said the director. “And I told her that you have to remove your blouse and for the first time, we should see you in your bra. And I am not going to hide anything behind a haystack or anything. Because you are offering yourself to help a man who is trying to help you. So it is a very important situation and I want to shoot it on the first day. She said okay.”

    Tinnu recalled that on the first day of the shoot, everything was ready but Madhuri backed out from doing the scene. When the director went to visit her, the ‘Devdas’ actress said she had some reservations about the scene.

    “I said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to do this scene.’ She said, ‘No, I don’t want to.’ I said, ‘Okay, pack up, say goodbye to the film. I’ll cancel my shoot.”

    Afterwards, Madhuri’s secretary called up Anand and reassured him that the actress was willing to do the role. Madhuri came back five days later and completed the scene. However, afterwards the two didn’t work together on any film.

  • 75 crores on opening day: Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Jawan’ makes history

    75 crores on opening day: Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Jawan’ makes history

    The King is back

    Shah Rukh Khan has made Bollywood history with his film ‘Jawan’ making around INR 75 crores on the opening day, the highest amount earned by any Hindi film. Box office pundits compared the opening with the actor’s previous film ‘Pathaan’ which made INR 55 crores on its first day.

    Directed by Atlee, ‘Jawan’ also stars Deepika Padukone, Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi. The movie centers around a jailer Azaad (played by SRK) who guards the women’s prison in Mumbai, then gathers an army to hijack the Mumbai Metro in order to demand negotiations from the government.

    Since the movie’s release on Thursday, celebrations have broken out across India as hardcore fans of the superstar have flocked to theatres to watch ‘Jawan’. Viral clips on social media show fans dancing in theatres with the hashtag #JawanDay.

  • Supreme Court seeks reports on Sikh target killings, Jaranwala riots

    Supreme Court seeks reports on Sikh target killings, Jaranwala riots

    As reported by Geo News, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has, on Friday, asked the Inspectors General (IG) of Police to provide reports on cases pertaining to minority rights, asking what steps have been taken by the government on the Jaranwala tragedy and target killing of minority citizens.

    Sardar Bishna Singh, chairman of Baba Gurunanak Welfare Society, appeared in the Supreme Court, where he pointed out that while some of the people from Sikh community went to India in 1947, “We stayed in Pakistan, our religion also started from here. We are not claiming that we are being wronged because we are Sikhs but the Qabza group (land grabbers) does not take anything into consideration — temple, mosque, gurdwara.”

    He also highlighted the destruction of gurdwaras across the country, including Lahore.

    The Supreme Court described the target killing of the Sikh community as deplorable with Justice Ijazul Hassan stressing that the murders have forced Sikh community to move to different places or leave Pakistan, emphasizing that practical steps need to be taken to ensure their safety.

    The Supreme Court asked all the IGs for a detailed report on the recent target killings and also issued notices to the Attorney General and all Advocate Generals.

    The Apex Court also called for a report from a JIT on the Jaranwala tragedy, asking that the initial report be given to the petitioner.

    The petitioner said that after the Jaranwala tragedy, hateful speeches continue unabated.

    The court sought the report on Jaranwala tragedy from the Advocate General Punjab and the IG Punjab and also sought a report from the Punjab Interior Department on the steps taken after the incident, adjourning the hearing of the case for two weeks.

  • Hira Mani says husband Mani has ‘Hritikh ki body’ and she’s not accepting any doubt

    Hira Mani says husband Mani has ‘Hritikh ki body’ and she’s not accepting any doubt

    You thought your man was hot, but actress Hira Mani has six reasons for why her husband is better than everyone else’s, including Bollywood leading actors.

    The actress shared a hilarious post on her Instagram stories, where she pointed out how Mani embodies six of the best qualities from Bollywood actors:

    “Hrithik ke body, Shah Rukh ke adayien, Bobby Deol jaisay mazboot baal, Sallu bhai jaisa commitment, Akshay jaisa manly, Amir Khan jaisa cute papu, 6 mardoun ki khasosiyaat wala Mani.”

    True love aisa hi hona chahiye I guess?

    Hira Mani is known for her outspoken nature, making headlines with some of the most hilarious one-liners but this one takes the cake. Speaking on the ‘Mazaaq Raat’ show, the ‘Teri Meri Kahaniyaan’ actress talked about her marriage to actor and television host Mani:

    “If I had not married Mani, then I would have been married 5-6 times by now.”

    “I am very flirtatous person by nature. When I found Mani, I married him because it was my choice. If I hadn’t found him then I liked a lot of boys…I f hadn’t been Mani’s wife then I would have been married several times.”

    This isn’t the first time that actress was quite bold about her love for her husband. In 2021 Hira said to a media outlet that had Mani been married to anyone else, she still would have married him. Referring to the viral incident where she confessed about going behind her friend’s back and stealing Mani’s number, the ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’ actress said she has no regrets.

    “People criticise me because I stole Mani’s number from my friend’s phone and messaged him behind her back, but the truth is, I have no regrets. People can say what they want. Even if Mani was married to someone else, I would have married him regardless.”

  • Netflix isn’t paying any amount to star of this massive hit series

    Netflix isn’t paying any amount to star of this massive hit series

    As the SAG-AFTRA strikes continue to loom across Hollywood, several major stars have spoken up against streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon and Disney, accusing them of exploiting actors and writers.

    Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, who played Jessie on the hit show, has spoken at a picket line about not receiving any residuals from Netflix.

    Residuals are financial compensation provided to actors and writers who are innvolved in TV shows or movies aired after the release.

    Speaking next to co-stars Bryan Cranston and Jesse Plemons, Paul told Entertainment Tonight Canada:

    “I don’t get a piece from Netflix on ‘Breaking Bad’ to be totally honest and that’s insane to me, you know what I mean.”

    “Shows live forever on these streamers and it goes through waves,” said the three-time Emmy award winner. “And I just saw the other day that ‘Breaking Bad’ was trending on Netflix, and it’s just such common sense, and I think a lot of these streamers, they know they have been getting away with not paying people just fair wage and now it’s time to pony up, and that’s just one of the things we’re fighting for.”

    Aaron played the eccentric high schooler who partners with his chemistry teacher Walter White (played by Cranston) to make drugs. The show received critical acclaim and led to a spin-off ‘Better Call Saul’ which centered around the crook lawyer Saul Goodman.

    In light of the protests, several actors have come forward to make shocking revelations of how little compensation they received from platforms, even though their shows received massive ratings on streaming platforms.

    ‘This Is Us’ actor Mandy Moore revealed in July that despite being a lead actor on the hit series, she received only 81 cent checks as residuals from 21st century Fox.

    Katie Lowes, who starred in the ABC political drama ‘Scandal’ for several seasons, also revealed she didn’t receive any residuals for her work:

    “If you are someone who has been fortunate enough in our positions to do 120-plus episodes of a successful show in previous years — 10, 15, 20 years ago — that re-airing would be the thing that could sustain you on years where I did this smaller project or I wanted to go do a play or you have kids and you have a family to provide for,” Lowes said. “And that’s just not a reality anymore. The entire model has changed.”

  • Ranking our favourite Deepika-Shah Rukh Khan movies in accordance of sizzling chemistry

    Ranking our favourite Deepika-Shah Rukh Khan movies in accordance of sizzling chemistry

    Every one can agree that Shah Rukh Khan’s best on-screen partner is Kajol, but we have to admit that another actress has time and time again proven that she can match the Bollywood superstar’s charisma and sensuality. Deepika Padukone has once more proved her star power with ‘Jawan’ releasing in theatres across India, and fans can’t get enough of the three-times Filmfare Award winning actress for the way she commands the screen, even in a 20 minute cameo.

    So we’d like to make a case: Kajol has the wittiness and feisty attitude to balance Shah Rukh’s intensity but it is Deepika whose domineering presence, poise and sultriness makes her the ideal on-screen partner for Shah Rukh.

    Deepika and Shah Rukh first won hearts back in 2007 with ‘Om Shanti Om’, then continued to dominate the box office, proving that the chemistry between the two is powerful enough to blow us over. In celebration of ‘Jawan’, the duo’s fifth partnership, we rank our favourite films:

    1 Om Shanti Om (2005)

    Deepika set the standard for everyone to come in an iconic entry scene. Even eighteen years later, fans remain in awe of the moment where Shanti (played by Deepika) arrives at her premier in a glittering pink saari and Om (played by SRK) watches her in admiration from the sidelines. Since then, the film has become a cult favourite for fans of one of the best tragic romances Bollywood has ever producer. We recommend every non-Bollywood fan to check out the film to understand why the SRK-Deepika partnership leads to box-office hits.

    2 Pathaan (2023)

    ‘Pathaan’ demonstrated how the duo’s powerful chemistry worked for different genres. The two start off as enemies working on opposing sides with Deepika playing Pakistani doctor and ISI agent Rubina Mohsin, who is being chased across the continent by Indian agent Pathaan (played by SRK), and then both come together to take down a former RAW agent who is trying to unleash a virus across the country. The film was praised for Deepika’s flawless action sequences, as well as electrifying chemistry with the Bollywood Badshah.

    3 Chennai Express (2013)

    The hilarious duo once more delivered a rom-com that surpassed expectations, proving that the Shah Rukh- Deepika partnership is one that will make history. In this film, Shah Rukh plays a 40-year-old bachelor who travels to Goa to spread his grandfather’s ashes. On board the Chennai Express, he meets Meenalochni (played by Padukone), a woman running away from a forced marriage.

    4 Billu Babar

    Deepika had a small cameo in the song ‘Love Mera Hit Hit’ but the chemistry in this solo scene was off the charts. Fans have praised the song as a game changer, and if you don’t believe it, then watch it for yourself.

  • Open market: PKR gains Rs30 against US dollar in just four days

    Open market: PKR gains Rs30 against US dollar in just four days

    The Pakistani rupee (PKR) has shown remarkable strength, appreciating by 4 rupees against the US dollar (USD) in the open market, with current quotes at 301/305 around noon. In just four days, the PKR gained an impressive 30 rupees (9.97 per cent), moving from PKR 331 to PKR 301 against the USD.

    Simultaneously, in the interbank market, PKR appreciated by 2 rupees in today’s session, quoted at 302.74/302.84, following a similar gain in the previous interbank session, reducing the gap between the interbank and open market to 0.57 per cent.

    This surge in the local currency is attributed to reforms by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in the exchange companies sector. These reforms aim to consolidate exchange companies into a single category with a well-defined mandate and higher capital requirements, also encouraging banks to establish wholly owned exchange companies.

    An ongoing crackdown against speculators, hoarders, and smugglers has further boosted sentiment, reducing the disparity between the open market and interbank rates below the IMF’s recommended threshold.

    The black market for Hawala/Hundi has also seen a significant decline in dollar rates. Previously, rising demand for dollars due to speculation and smuggling had widened the gap between open market and interbank rates, exceeding IMF recommendations.

    The government’s initiatives effectively curb speculative activities in the open market without interbank intervention. Further improvements are expected if similar measures are taken against gold smuggling, as individuals may opt for smuggled gold investments in the absence of dollar access.