Author: newsdesk

  • Next-level troll; Shaheen trolls former Pacer Shoaib Akhtar in his recent talks with local media

    Next-level troll; Shaheen trolls former Pacer Shoaib Akhtar in his recent talks with local media

    Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan’s ace fast bowler, has trolled former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar in a recent interview.

    Shoaib Akhtar had once criticized Shaheen Afridi when the latter was injured in the final match of the T20 World Cup. “If I was in that situation, I will take an injection and go back to the field. I would never step back if my team needs me, no matter how much pain I am in.”

    The former pacer also gave sharp comments on current skipper Babar Azam in an interview with a private news channel. Stating that Babar Azam should have be the biggest “brand” in Pakistan, the speedster said that it was but unfortunate that he cannot express himself well.

    In an exclusive interview with a local media channel, Shaheen Afridi, an integral part of Babar Azam’s close knit squad, was asked about the qualities of Shoaib Akhtar that he admires the most.

    To which the pacer replied, “He makes good brands (Brand ache se banate hain),” in a clear jibe at Akhtar’s comments about Babar.

  • Affordable bus service between Islamabad and China to start soon

    Affordable bus service between Islamabad and China to start soon

    A bus company in Pakistan has announced its decision to launch a private bus service between Islamabad and Tashkurgan, a city in China, following Eid-ul-Fitr.

    According to a spokesperson for the company who spoke to Gwadar Pro, the service will commence on 13th May 2023, with the first phase involving the deployment of a mini-Utong bus capable of accommodating 28 passengers.

    The journey, including the immigration process, is expected to take approximately 38 hours, with passengers staying overnight at the Sost border. The fare for the journey is estimated at Rs60,000.

    To travel, individuals must have an original passport and copy, a valid original visa with its copy, and an invitation to China (visa category).

    The service is available to all, including tourists and those travelling for business and official purposes. Given the service’s popularity, the company plans to expand it to cater to the needs of the people of both countries.

  • Mother almost falls for $1 million kidnapping hoax after daughter’s voice is cloned by AI

    A mother from Arizona almost fell for a kidnapping hoax after the culprits used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to clone her daughter’s voice.

    According to People magazine, Jennifer DeStefano shared that her daughter, Briana, was on a ski vacation with her friends when the mother received a phone call from an anonymous number, where she heard her daughter crying and pleading for help.

    “I heard my daughter’s voice crying and sobbing, saying, ‘Mom.’ And I’m like, ‘OK, what happened?’ She’s like, ‘Mom, these bad men have me. Help me, help me.’ “

    A man then talked to her and demanded that she pay $1 million to free her daughter.

    “This man gets on the phone and he’s like, ‘Listen here. I’ve got your daughter. This is how it’s going to go down. You call the police, you call anybody, I’m going to pop her so full of drugs. I’m going to have my way with her and I’m going to drop her off in Mexico,’” she said. “And at that moment, I just started shaking. In the background, she’s going, ‘Help me, Mom. Please help me. Help me,’ and bawling.”

    DeStefano, who was at a dance studio when she received the call, negotiated with the man to take the ransom down to $500,000, while her acquaintance contacted the police and her husband contacted Briana, who revealed that she was safe and in her room.

    “She was upstairs in her room. Then I get angry, obviously, with these guys. This is not something you play around with.”

    DeStefano shared that she was truly shocked how similar her daughter’s voice sounded to the voice she had heard on the phone, which had been cloned by AI.

    “It was completely her voice. It was her inflection. It was the way she would have cried. I never doubted for one second it was her. That’s the freaky part that really got me to my core.”

    Briana also revealed how terrifying this situation could have gotten, had her mother not confirmed her whereabouts:

     “I started to wonder, like, if these people were asking to track my mom and pick her up, they could have obviously been putting some information together to try and track me or some of my siblings to actually make this a reality. So it definitely scared me.”

  • Pervez Ashraf warns Supreme Court not to interfere in politics

    Pervez Ashraf warns Supreme Court not to interfere in politics

    Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) Raja Pervez Ashraf has taken a strong stance against what he has termed “interference” by the Supreme Court in the affairs of the parliament.

    In an interview, the Speaker said that if the Parliament is restricted to legislating only what the Supreme Court wants, then what is the need for elections.

    Ashraf said that “[the superior judiciary] should take over the legislative business if parliament’s lawmaking authority is unacceptable.”

    He also warned the top court against intruding in the parliament’s domain, saying “others will also try to enter your domain”.

    He asserted that parliamentarians themselves should resolve all political matters in the parliament or at any other forum on their own.

    Referring to alleged differences between Supreme Court judges, the former Prime Minister (PM) said: “Division in politics is necessary, but division in Supreme Court is dangerous.” He said the Supreme Court can’t function if it is divided.

  • Ahmed Ali Akbar’s upcoming film ‘Gunjal’ follows investigation of labor activist Iqbal Masih’s murder

    Actor Ahmed Ali Akbar’s upcoming film ‘Gunjal’ will certainly change the way Pakistani audiences see him. Akbar will essay the role of a journalist investigating the brutal murder of bonded child labor activist Iqbal Masih, who was assassinated on 16 April, 1995 when he was just 12 years of age.

    The film also stars veteran actor Resham and Aamna Ilyas.

    The film is directed by Shoaib Sultan and the screenplay has been written by Nirmal Bano and Ali Kazmi.

    Iqbal Masih had campaigned against abusive child labor in Pakistan from a very young age. He had received the Reeebok Human Rights Award in 1994 for spreading awareness about child labor and bonded slavery. He was posthumously awarded the Sitara-e-Shujaat in 2022.

  • ‘Janwaron say bad dua lenay say behtar hai’: Hamza Ali Abbasi joins rallying cry to shut down zoos across Pakistan

    ‘Janwaron say bad dua lenay say behtar hai’: Hamza Ali Abbasi joins rallying cry to shut down zoos across Pakistan

    Actor Hamza Ali Abbas has joined the chorus of voices calling for zoos across Pakistan to be shut down. As the country watches veterinarians try to save the life of one of Karachi Zoo’s elephants, Noor Jehan, celebrities have lent support to the demand that the animals be shifted to sanctuaries.

    Taking to Instagram, the ‘Maula Jatt’ actor shared a clip of a post by Express Tribune, slamming authorities for not caring about the welfare of the animals:

    “We can’t take care of animals in zoo’s- it is better than to receive curses from animals that we should ban zoos and send the animals to a safer place.”

    Abbasi’s criticism comes after countless celebrities, including Grammy award winner Arooj Aftab, raised their voices to support animals and shut down zoos. Aftab re-shared a clip from her interview with The Current where she had talked about the abysmal conditions of animals in Lahore’s zoo, calling for better facilities to be set up for animals.

    Just as Noor Jehan improved, she fell into a concrete pond built inside her shelter, leading to worsening of her condition. Authorities had remained in contact with the animal welfare organization Four Paws to coordinate for her treatment.

    Yesterday, The Nation reported that Minister of Climate Change and member of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Sherry Rehman, had advised Sindh government to shut down Karachi Zoo, and for the animals to be moved to enclosures where they are provided with proper facilities.

  • ‘Election won’t be held on May 14’: Rana Sanaullah

    Contrary to the Supreme Court’s (SC) order to hold elections in Punjab on May 14, federal Minister for Interior, Rana Sanaullah has said that polls will not be held on the said date.

    The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said that elections would be “held together” throughout the country, under a caretaker setup.

    “If elections are not held in May, then October is not too far away either,” said Sanaullah.

    Calling Khan a “fitna”, Sanaullah said that he had been brought to power through a “conspiracy”. “Their [PTI’s] policies over four years created a crisis for the country.”

    “It was [Imran Khan’s] government that signed the agreement with the IMF, not us. The difficulties are only due to the previous government’s agreement.”

    Sanaullah also said that party supremo Nawaz Sharif would reach the country as soon as electoral preparations begin, adding that he would supervise the party’s election campaign.

    “The PML-N has always taken the country out of the crisis,” he emphasized.

  • Real Sinf-e-Ahan; Naila Kiani becomes first Pakistani woman to summit world’s 10th highest peak

    Real Sinf-e-Ahan; Naila Kiani becomes first Pakistani woman to summit world’s 10th highest peak

    Naila Kiani has become the first Pakistani woman to summit Nepal’s Annapurna, the world’s 10th highest peak. The mountain climber made the record on Monday morning.

    Kiani was also the first Pakistani woman to summit Broad Peak, which is the 12th highest mountain in the world. She has also climbed several other peaks, including Gasherbrum II, Gasherbrum I, and the mighty K2.

    Naila summited Annapurna alongside Pakistani mountaineer Shehroze Kashif.

    Arjun Vajpayee of India was part of the six-member team of mountaineers, besides the two Pakistanis.

    Naila Kiani is also an advocate for women’s empowerment and gender equality in Pakistan. She has spoken out about the importance of women pursuing their dreams and breaking down gender barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields like mountaineering.

    Her achievements have inspired many women in Pakistan to pursue their own passions and to challenge societal expectations. She will attempt to summit Mount Everest and Lhotse this season.

    Naila Kiani is the first Pakistani woman to scale four peaks above 8,000 meters.

  • ‘You are not safe here’: Former MPA asks Imran to leave Pakistan

    ‘You are not safe here’: Former MPA asks Imran to leave Pakistan

    Former Member of Punjab Assembly (MPA) Mian Jalil Sharaqpuri has suggested that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan should leave Pakistan.

    Addressing the former Prime Minister directly during a press conference, he said: “You are not safe here. If something happens to you, the country will break up.” He also said that “all religious parties trust you”.

    “No institution can shield you anymore. The nation has high hopes since you are alive,” the former legislator added.

    About the uncertainty of elections, Sharaqpuri said he does not see general election in the next two years and asked what the Supreme Court could do in such a situation.

    He also claimed that the incumbent government wants to destroy Pakistan like Iraq and Libya.

    In the 2018 general elections, Sharaqpuri won an MPA seat on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ticket, however, after the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly he formally joined PTI.

    It is pertinent to mention here that the former ruling party has repeatedly claimed that its chief’s life is in danger. Back in November 2022, Imran Khan survived an assassination attempt after a gunman opened fire on his convoy in Wazirabad.

  • Transporters overcharge passengers after fresh increase in fuel prices

    Transporters overcharge passengers after fresh increase in fuel prices

    The recent hike in petroleum prices has been met with public outcry, with many stating that the significant increase in petrol prices has severely impacted the common man, as transporters have raised fares just ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. This rise in oil product prices is also expected to have repercussions on the cost of daily commodities, particularly kitchen items.

    The Statistical Department of Pakistan has reported that people were already facing 44.6 per cent inflation, and the weekly report showed that this figure was expected to increase further with the recent hike in petroleum prices. The price of petrol has been raised to Rs282 per litre, while high-speed diesel and light diesel oil rates will remain stable at Rs293 per litre and Rs174.68 per litre, respectively. However, kerosene oil has seen an increase of Rs5.78 per litre, with its price now standing at Rs186.07 per litre.

    Long route transporters have increased fares by 10 to 20 per cent per ticket, while freight services charges have risen by 30 per cent. Over 70 per cent of people have started to travel to their native towns to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with their families, and they have protested against the sitting government for the fresh increase in petroleum prices. The business community has also warned of a new wave of inflation, and the Pakistan Oil Tankers Association and All Pakistan Truck and Trailer Association have rejected the hike in petroleum product prices.

    Local transporters have also increased fares without permission, claiming that there is no government in the country. However, the District Regional Transport Authority (DRTA) Secretary has stated that they have started a crackdown against transporters who are overcharging passengers. The senior representatives of the trader’s community have also rejected the present hike in petroleum prices and have advised political parties to work together to boost the country’s economy.

    The All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) has stated that they are facing difficulties due to the government’s wrong policies and have decided to start a revolution after Eid-ul-Fitr against the wrong government policies. Wagon owners and drivers have protested at the termination points of their routes, while public transport operators in the Rawalpindi division will be meeting to discuss the situation. In summary, transporters, traders, and the general public have strongly reacted to the recent increase in fuel prices.