Author: newsdesk

  • In the latest really messed up development of ‘Tere Bin’ it turns out that Meerab, Murtasim did it consensually

    We all know that the latest act in the cesspool that is the Pakistani drama circus was the controversial promo of ‘Tere Bin’ which aired last week. The trailer implied that female lead Meerab (played by Yumna Zaidi) was raped by her husband Murtasim (played by Wahaj Ali).

    Twitter users were shocked, tagging the actors, production staff and even the writer, Nooran Makhdoom herself, to criticise the development as deeply misogynist and horrifying. But then, instead of reassuring the audience, Makhdoom decided to fan the flames even more with controversial statements given to Arab News, defending the marital rape by saying that it has been going on for a long time on Pakistani screens.

    Mmmm.. still not a good reason though.

    Finally, the episode has aired and it turns out, the sex was not rape. It was consensual.

    Yes, you read that right.

    We are dragged through the first agonizing 15 minutes of Mariam’s marriage, and her reluctance to open her heart, yada yada.

    And then we are reluctantly led to THAT scene where our favorite toxic jori, Murtasim and Meerab, actually did the deed in a consensual manner, but even that led to a lot of ronay dhonay.

    Twitter was mostly amused but some were horrified at how a once popular show has destroyed itself by pandering to sensationalism. Kudos to them for taking out the marital rape but really, where is the plot going?

    On God this is hilarious

    Chalo iss baat mein hilarious memes tou mil gayien

    https://twitter.com/thatdumbkido/status/1661426180237525023?s=20

  • Pakistan’s Population: A Brighter Future For All

    Population Experts and Government officials gathered in Islamabad to discuss improving population health in Pakistan.

    Islamabad, Pakistan – May 24, 2023 – Today marks the beginning of a two-day learning event by DAFPAK, a leading organization dedicated to improving population health outcomes in Pakistan, focused on ensuring a brighter future for Pakistan, titled “Pakistan’s Population: A Brighter Future For All.”

    Delivering Accelerated Family Planning In Pakistan (DAFPAK) is a £90m Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) programme that aims to improve family planning outcomes across Pakistan by improving access to family planning services for the most vulnerable and disseminating messages for the common good under a platform called KhairKhwah.

    “The British High Commission has been investing in family planning since 2012. Our current support programme, DAFPAK is the largest donor-funded program on family planning which has served over 8 million women and girls in mostly marginalized areas”, said Andrew Dalgleish, Acting British High Commissioner to Pakistan while addressing the event in Islamabad.

    Chief Guest, Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry, emphasized the urgency of addressing the population growth rate, stating, “Unless we control our population, we won’t be able to distribute resources in a manner where we can provide healthcare, education and bright futures to our people. Our future is linked to how fast we can control Pakistan’s population growth.”

    Rapid population growth in Pakistan has created immense pressure on the country’s resources, and it has become difficult to provide essential services such as healthcare and education to all citizens. The event aims to address these issues and come up with strategies to improve population health.

    Dr Sara Shahzad, Health Advisor, FCDO highlighted the need for increased investment in healthcare infrastructure, improved partnerships with the private sector, and a holistic multi-sectoral approach towards family planning.

    Goodwill Ambassador for Population & Family Planning, Shehzad Roy, while addressing the event emphasised the significance of transforming mindsets alongside policy changes. “As a global ambassador of Family Planning, I would like to share that while inventing new policies is very important, what’s even more important is changing mindsets because only then we’ll be able to bring true change.”
    Over the course of two days, participants will share their insights on family planning, population growth, and its impact on the country. The event features keynote speeches, panel discussions, and interactive sessions.

    The event is being organized by Palladium Pakistan under DAFPAK-PSSD in collaboration with UNFPA, PSI, MSS, DKT, and M&C Saatchi in partnership with The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Islamabad, and provincial Health and Population Welfare Departments of Punjab, Sindh, and KP.

  • Seven arrested for renting smartphones to minors for online games and obscene content

    Seven arrested for renting smartphones to minors for online games and obscene content

    A total of seven individuals have been apprehended in the Faqirabad area of Peshawar for their involvement in renting out smartphones to children.

    The suspects allegedly facilitated the children in playing online games, including PUBG, and accessing explicit videos at their establishments, according to the police.

    The law enforcement authorities took action following the circulation of a viral video on social media that depicted children utilizing smartphones.

    Subsequently, a raid was conducted at two shops in the vicinity, resulting in the confiscation of 45 phones. These shops were found to be renting out smartphones for Rs60 per hour.

    Yesterday, three of the suspects were arrested, and an additional four were apprehended based on information provided by the initially detained individuals.

    The police have sealed the shops to discourage similar operations and have initiated an investigation into the matter, alongside registering a case.

  • Proposed increase in advance tax on vehicle registration to impact expensive car buyers

    Proposed increase in advance tax on vehicle registration to impact expensive car buyers

    With the upcoming budget just days away, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is deliberating on measures to increase the advance tax on motor vehicle registration, particularly targeting non-filers. The proposed plan suggests raising the tax rate by 10 to 35 per cent based on the value of vehicles.

    Currently, the advance tax is determined by engine capacity, but significant changes are being considered for the forthcoming budget, set to be revealed in the first week of June. The Resource and Revenue Mobilisation Commission (RRMC) has recommended imposing the advance tax based on the value of the vehicle.

    As per the proposed rates, the RRMC has advised the government to impose a 2 per cent advance tax on the corporate sector and 3 per cent on the non-corporate sector for individuals listed in the active taxpayers list (ATL) for the past three years. These rates would apply to motor vehicles valued up to Rs10 million.

    For individuals, the proposed tax rate stands at 10 per cent. As for motor vehicles valued between Rs10 million and Rs30 million, the recommended tax rates are 4 per cent and 5 per cent for the corporate and non-corporate sectors, respectively, provided they are part of the ATL for the past three years.

    Moving up the value scale, vehicles valued between Rs30 million and Rs100 million would face tax rates of 6-7 per cent for the corporate and non-corporate sectors. The proposed tax rate for individuals would be increased significantly to 30 per cent.

    For vehicles valued up to Rs100 million, the proposed tax rates are 8 per cent and 10 per cent for the corporate and non-corporate sectors, respectively, for individuals present in the ATL for the past three years. Individuals falling under this category would face a tax rate of 35 per cent.

    The RRMC has also recommended subjecting the transport sector to a minimum tax regime of 3 per cent of the gross turnover, applicable to transport services provided to withholding agents. Additionally, a tax rate of 3.5 per cent would be levied on the gross amount received for the provision of carriage services by transport contractors, while oil tanker contractors would face a tax rate of 2.5 per cent.

    These proposed changes in the tax structure aim to generate increased revenue for the government and incentivize compliance with tax regulations. By targeting motor vehicle registration, the FBR hopes to enhance revenue collection and promote a fair tax system.

    It is essential to note that these proposed changes are subject to approval and implementation during the budget announcement. The FBR and RRMC are carefully evaluating the potential impact of these adjustments on various sectors and taxpayers, striving to strike a balance between revenue generation and taxpayer convenience.

  • Ten things Anoushey Ashraf wants Pakistani women to remember

    Actress and VJ Anoushey Ashraf has shared a list of ten things she wishes all Pakistani women should remember in order to live a more fulfilled and enjoyable life.

    Taking to Instagram, she wrote that everyday she remembers to pray and thank God for all the things in her life, good or bad. Ranging from learning to be comfortable in your own skin, to standing for a cause you believe in, here are some valuable tips that Ashraf sent out to her followers.

    1 Be financially independent

    “We’ve heard this again and again but I can’t emphasize enough on being financially independent. Not only does it give you freedom of movement, it gives you self confidence in a world that isn’t to kind to our gender in general.”

    2 Stand up for yourself

    “We’ve been sold the whole ‘be patient, let it go’ narrative for way too long but if someone has said or done something to hurt you or your reputation stand up for yourself. You don’t need to take emotional abuse from anyone.”

    3 Travel solo (or with friends)

    “You do not necessarily need a partner to travel around with. Get your girlfriends and travel to exotic places. Meet new people, have unique experiences and grow. Travel is the best education.”

    4 Learn how to drive

    “Just a skill I think everyone needs to know. In case of emergency or just not being dependent on someone else driving you around all the time. Driving also gives you a sense of control (in an odd sense) it’s cool.”

    5 Confess your love to someone

    “So, you have been liking someone but waiting for him to make the first move. Wake up, girl, it’s 2023! You can ask a guy too. And it’s absolutely okay! Good luck.”

    6 Indulge in a hobby

    “This keeps me creative and motivated. Making time for reading, art, music, puzzles, spending time with my pets or just playing sports are essential to recharge my batteries and keep me sane in an otherwise chaotic life.”

    7 Be comfortable in your own skin

    “So, what if you’re skinny or thin? What if you (think) you’re short or too tall? Accepting your authentic self is the biggest step towards knowing and honoring yourself.”

    8 Be 100% okay with being single.

    “Single is no longer a lack of options- but a choice. A choice to refuse to let your life be defined by your relationship status but to live every day Happily and let your Ever After work itself out. And it will. – Mary Hale (said it best).”

    9 Give time to a cause you believe in

    “Politics? Religion? The environment? Education? Animal rights? Whatever it is that gets you worked up, don’t just sit around and complain. Get involved! Start taking positive, forward-thinking action and see what you can do to help the situation. Raise money, do research, volunteer your time, spread the word – it’ll give you an incredible sense of purpose, and plus, people need your help.”

    10. Work out atleast three times a day

    “Not only will staying active and adapting your physical activity improve mental and physical health but it will also cut down on your risk of developing life-threatening illnesses or having a fall that results in injury. It’s no secret that our bodies start to decline naturally as we age. That’s life, unfortunately – but it needn’t be a cue to stop moving. Staying active is beneficial to us all, whatever our age!”

  • Fatima Sana will lead Pakistan in emerging women’s T20 Asia Cup

    Fatima Sana will lead Pakistan in emerging women’s T20 Asia Cup

    Women’s T20 Asia Cup will be hosted by Hong Kong this year in which Bangladesh A, India A, Pakistan A, Sri Lanka A, Thailand A, Hong Kong, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates will participate in the tournament.

    Fatima Sana will represent the green flag and lead her team in the tournament. She has played 31 One-Day Internationals and 24 T20 Internationals. The young player has been in the good books of selectors from a long time and named as captain because of her magnificent performance as skipper of Strikkersfor this squad. She also led Blasters’ successful T20 Championship campaign in Lahore in December.

    Squad: Fatima Sana (c), Anoosha Nasir, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Gulrukh, Lubna Behram, Najiha Alvi (wk), Natalia Parvaiz, Sadaf Shamas, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Yusra Amir. Reserves: Amber Kainat, Dua Majid, Fatima Khan and Rameen Shamim

    Pakistan are slotted in Group A with Hong Kong, India A and Thailand A. Pakistan will open their campaign on 13 June with the match against Thailand A, after which they play Hong Kong and India A on 15 and 17 June, respectively. Top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals which will be played on 19 June. The final of the tournament will be held on 21 June.

    Chief selector Saleem Jaffar said, “I want to congratulate all players who have been selected for the emerging Asia Cup and I am hopeful that they will perform to their full potential. We have some outstanding talent coming up and it was a tough call to select 14 players.

    I want to tell those cricketers who have not been selected for this tournament to keep their heads high and keep working hard and they will definitely get chances in the upcoming events.

    “We have been observing these players since the camp in Multan and we have tested them in different conditions, with their most recent challenge being the three T20 matches against our top international players.

    “Fatima Sana has displayed some outstanding leadership credentials in domestic tournaments recently, and I am sure she will lead this side with example.”

    Fatima Sana stated that it is an honour for her to captain Pakistan in the upcoming tournament.

    “The responsibility of leading the emerging side will definitely help me develop as a cricketer and I am eagerly looking forward to leading my team in this important tournament. These players are full of energy and are excited for the opportunity ahead of them.

    “We have had good practice over the last few weeks, and the Pakistan Cup Women’s Cricket Tournament provided us ample match practice against tough sides. Ahead of these matches, we had a healthy discussion as a team amongst ourselves that we have to make the most of these matches, and I am glad how every player stepped up and contributed in each game.”

    The emerging team’s pre-tournament camp will begin tomorrow, Thursday, at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance and will run until 8 June. They will depart for Hong Kong on 9 June.

    Player support personnel: Aisha Jalil (manager), Mohsin Kamal (head coach), Muhammad Kamran Hussain (assistant coach), Muhammad Usman Shahid (analyst) and Rabia Siddiq (physiotherapist).

    The national women’s selection committee includes Asmavia Iqbal, Marina Iqbal and Mohtashim Rashid.

  • ‘Social media poses risk to mental health of teenagers’: expert

    US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on Tuesday, warning about the consequences social media usage has for women and children. He said that it is imperative now more than ever that tech companies, policymakers and parents take immediate action to ensure that children are protected.

    “For every family, it may not be feasible to stop your child from using social media or there may be benefits,” he told the Associated Press, “But drawing boundaries around the use of social media in your child’s life so there are times and spaces that are protected, that are tech-free, that can be really helpful.”

    According to The Guardian, Murthy revealed that it was terrifying that not enough research has been done to understand the harm social media has over children:

    “The bottom line is we do not have enough evidence to conclude that social media is, in fact, sufficiently safe for our kids. And that’s really important for parents to know.”

    The advisory is a part of Dr Murthy’s ongoing investigation in to the mental health crisis of American youth. The report pointed out that more than 95% of American teenagers between the ages of 13 to 17 years old are active on social media platforms, while a third said they use these apps constantly. The report also pointed out that there has been a noticeable rise of children and adults dealing with anxiety and depression due to social media usage.

    This report has arrived in the wake of Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen revealing in 2021 that according to research conducted by Facebook, 13.5% of teen girls say Instagram makes thoughts of suicide worse, and 17% of teen girls say Instagram makes eating disorders worse.

    “And what’s super tragic is Facebook’s own research says as these young women begin to consume this eating disorder content, they get more and more depressed. It actually makes them use the app more,” Haugen revealed. “They end up in this feedback cycle where they hate their bodies more and more.”

  • Khawaja Asif says government is considering banning PTI

    Khawaja Asif says government is considering banning PTI

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said on Wednesday that the federal government is considering putting a ban on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    While talking to members of the press in Islamabad, the federal minister said, “It is under consideration to ban the PTI,” citing what he called an attack on the very basis of the state by PTI.

    “The PTI has attacked the very basis of the state, that never happened before. It can’t be tolerated”.

    “The May 9 events were way different than those political movements which took place in the 1970s and 80s. They never targeted our defense institutions, they didn’t challenge the writ of the state, although they had political difference with the sitting government.”

    He further accused PTI chairman Imran Khan of coordinating attacks on military installations. “There is a lot of evidence and their people are telling themselves that they were briefed about this beforehand,” he said.

    “I feel that his struggle of a year … all his plans failed and this was his last move against the armed forces,” he added.

    On May 09, supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took to the streets after Imran Khan was arrested from Islamabad High Court. In the ensuing riots, many military and government installations sustained damage, most notably, Jinnah House, the residence of Corp Commander Lahore.

  • OpenAI partners with Bing to supercharge ChatGPT with cutting-edge search experience

    OpenAI partners with Bing to supercharge ChatGPT with cutting-edge search experience

    OpenAI has announced its decision to implement Bing as the default search engine for ChatGPT. The introduction of this enhanced search functionality will be gradually rolled out to ChatGPT Plus users, starting today, and will soon be extended to all free ChatGPT users through a plug-in integrated within ChatGPT.

    In a blog post published today, Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s head of consumer marketing, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership between Microsoft and OpenAI. Mehdi stated, “Our collaboration with OpenAI has been instrumental in the development of the new Bing. ChatGPT will now benefit from an exceptional search engine integrated within, providing more current and timely answers sourced from the web.”

    Similar to how Bing’s chat experience utilizes GPT-4 and includes citations for links, OpenAI’s AI chatbot, ChatGPT, will incorporate search capabilities and web data that also incorporate citations. The integration of Bing into ChatGPT represents a significant achievement for Microsoft’s search engine, particularly after recent speculation that Samsung might switch from Google to Bing Search. This integration builds upon Microsoft’s extensive investment in OpenAI, which amounted to a “multibillion dollar investment” earlier this year, following years of close collaboration between the two companies.

    Moreover, Microsoft has pledged to employ the same open plug-in standard utilized by OpenAI for ChatGPT, facilitating compatibility and seamless integration between plug-ins for Bing Chat, Microsoft’s Copilot platform, and ChatGPT.

  • World Cup 2023: ICC announces qualifier schedule for mega event

    World Cup 2023: ICC announces qualifier schedule for mega event

    Two times world champions, the once-mighty West-Indies and 1996 champions Sri Lanka will have to pass the qualifier round for the upcoming World Cup 2023. The tournament will be taking place in India, who won the coveted trophy the last time they hosted the tournament.

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the schedule for the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier. The tournament will be held in Zimbabwe from 18 June to 9 July 2023. The 10 teams taking part in the qualifier are split into two groups of five teams.

    Group A:

    West Indies
    Netherlands
    Nepal
    Papua New Guinea
    United States

    Group B:

    Sri Lanka
    Zimbabwe
    Ireland
    Scotland
    United Arab Emirates
    The top three teams from each group will advance to the Super Six stage, where they will play each other once. The top two teams from the Super Six stage will qualify for the 2023 Cricket World Cup, which will be held in India from 9 October to 20 November 2023.

    The full schedule for the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier is as follows:

    Group A

    18 June: West Indies vs Netherlands (Harare Sports Club)
    19 June: Nepal vs Papua New Guinea (Takashinga Cricket Club)
    19 June: United States vs Ireland (Queen’s Sports Club)
    20 June: West Indies vs Nepal (Harare Sports Club)
    20 June: Netherlands vs Papua New Guinea (Takashinga Cricket Club)
    21 June: United States vs Ireland (Queen’s Sports Club)
    22 June: West Indies vs United States (Harare Sports Club)
    22 June: Nepal vs Ireland (Takashinga Cricket Club)
    23 June: Netherlands vs Papua New Guinea (Queen’s Sports Club)

    Group B

    19 June: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe (Harare Sports Club)
    19 June: Ireland vs United Arab Emirates (Queen’s Sports Club)
    19 June: Scotland vs Netherlands (Takashinga Cricket Club)
    20 June: Sri Lanka vs Ireland (Harare Sports Club)
    20 June: Zimbabwe vs United Arab Emirates (Queen’s Sports Club)
    21 June: Scotland vs Netherlands (Takashinga Cricket Club)
    22 June: Sri Lanka vs Scotland (Harare Sports Club)
    22 June: Ireland vs Netherlands (Queen’s Sports Club)
    23 June: Zimbabwe vs United Arab Emirates (Takashinga Cricket Club)

    Super Six

    26 June: 1st Group A vs 2nd Group B (Harare Sports Club)
    26 June: 3rd Group A vs 4th Group B (Queen’s Sports Club)
    27 June: 1st Group B vs 2nd Group A (Harare Sports Club)
    27 June: 3rd Group B vs 4th Group A (Queen’s Sports Club)
    29 June: 1st Group A vs 3rd Group B (Harare Sports Club)
    29 June: 2nd Group A vs 4th Group B (Queen’s Sports Club)
    Playoff

    3 July: 3rd/4th place play-off (Harare Sports Club)
    5 July: Final (Harare Sports Club)
    The 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier is a crucial tournament for the teams involved, as the top two teams will qualify for the 2023 Cricket World Cup. The tournament is also a chance for the teams to gain valuable experience playing against top-quality opposition.