Category: Lifestyle

The lifestyle of millennials is underreported in our mainstream media. The Current’s lifestyle news covers social events and issues that are unique.

  • ‘Beep Pakistan’ should not be compared to WhatsApp, says government

    ‘Beep Pakistan’ should not be compared to WhatsApp, says government

    Minister of State for Information Technology (IT) Shaza Fatima Khawaja has clarified that the soon-to-be-introduced instant messaging application ‘Beep Pakistan’ should not be compared with WhatsApp.

    The National Information Technology Board (NITB) developed ‘Beep Pakistan’ and began its trial in August 2023 under the then-Information Technology Minister Aminul Haq.

    Government officers and Ministry of Information Technology experts have been using the application for the past year, and it is still being tested.

    Recently, complaints about slow internet speeds and difficulties running WhatsApp led to rumours on social media that the government plans to introduce ‘Beep Pakistan’ as an alternative to WhatsApp.

    However, Minister of State Shaza Fatima Khawaja has clarified that ‘Beep Pakistan’ is not intended as a public alternative to WhatsApp but will serve as an alternative at the government level.

    In an interview with the Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera, Shaza Fatima emphasised that it is incorrect to consider ‘Beep Pakistan’ as an alternative to WhatsApp or to compare the two.

    She stated that the government does not intend to present ‘Beep Pakistan’ as an alternative to third-party applications.

    According to the Minister of State, the app is still being tested within the Ministry of Information Technology, and in the second phase, testing will extend to more federal ministries.

    Shaza explained that ‘Beep Pakistan’ will be introduced as an official instant messaging application. The government will ensure its privacy and will use the app exclusively for government affairs.

    The app will function similarly to WhatsApp, but all services and data will remain under the control of the Government of Pakistan.

    The Government of Pakistan has also recently issued orders to implement electronic and e-systems in ministries and institutions to reduce time and costs associated with paper-based processes.

  • Farm-worker gang raped infront of husband in Sahiwal

    Farm-worker gang raped infront of husband in Sahiwal

    A female farm worker was gang-raped by two unidentified armed suspects in front of her husband during a robbery near Arifwala.

    The farm is owned by Muhammad Aslam who lives with wife and children while his farm workers reside in the staff quarters of the farmhouse along with their families.

    The unfortunate incident happened on the night between Wednesday and Thursday when the two armed robbers woke up the residents of the house, seized their mobile phones and locked all the men, women, and children in one of the rooms.

    The robbers took a worker’s wife with them to lead them to cash and other valuables in the house, but the woman resisted. The suspects assaulted her and locked her in another room.

    After completing the robbery, the suspects raped the worker’s wife while forcing him to watch.

    The police registered a case on the complaint of Muhammad Aslam.

    The robbers escaped with 50,000 cash, a motorcycle and two fertilizer bags, as per the FIR registered by the victims. The robbers reportedly threw the mobile phones near the farmhouse.

    Dawn reports that Saddar Police Arifwala conducted a forensic analysis of the crime scene and took the gang-rape victim to THQ hospital, where a medical report confirmed rape.

    DNA samples have been collected.

    District Police Officer Tariq Walayat sent an investigation team, headed by SP Investigation Shahida Noreen, to investigate the matter.

    Previously, a woman was gang-raped in Hafizabad in front of her husband and three-year-old daughter.

  • Extreme heat claims 175,000 lives a year in Europe, says WHO

    Extreme heat claims 175,000 lives a year in Europe, says WHO

    COPENHAGEN: Extreme heat kills over 175,000 people a year in Europe, where temperatures are rising quicker than the rest of the globe, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) European branch said on Thursday.

    Of the some 489,000 heat-related deaths recorded each year by the WHO between 2000 and 2019, the European region accounts for 36 per cent or, on average, 176,040 deaths, the WHO said.

    The health body noted that temperatures in the region are “rising at around twice the global average rate.” The WHO’s European region comprises 53 countries, including several in Central Asia.

    “People are paying the ultimate price,” Hans Kluge, the WHO’s regional director for Europe, said in a statement. According to the WHO, there has been a 30pc increase in heat-related mortality in the region over the past two decades.

    “Temperature extremes exacerbate chronic conditions, including cardiovascular, respiratory, and cerebrovascular diseases, mental health, and diabetes-related conditions,” Kluge said. The regional director added that extreme heat can particularly be a problem for elderly people and an “additional burden” for pregnant women.

    The WHO noted that “heat stress” — when the human body can no longer maintain its temperature — “is the leading cause of climate-related death” in the region. According to the WHO, the number of heat-related deaths is set to “soar” in the coming years as a result of global warming.

    “The three warmest years on record” for the region “have all occurred since 2020, and the ten warmest years have been since 2007,” Kluge said. On July 25, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that humanity was suffering from an “extreme heat epidemic,” and called for action to limit the impacts of heat waves intensified by climate change.

    Scorching China

    Chinese weather authorities said on Thursday, July was the country’s hottest month since records began six decades ago, as extreme temperatures persist across the globe. China is the world’s biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases that scientists say are driving climate change and making extreme weather more frequent and intense.

    Heatwaves this summer have scorched parts of northern China, while torrential rains have triggered floods and landslides in central and southern areas. Last month was “the hottest July since complete observations began in 1961, and the hottest single month in the history of observation”, the national weather office said on Thursday.

    The weather office said the average air temperature in China in July was 23.21°C, exceeding the previous record of 23.17°C in 2017. The mean temperature in every province was also “higher than the average for previous years,” with the southwestern provinces of Guizhou and Yunnan logging their highest averages.

    It forecast that the mercury would continue to climb in eastern regions this week, including Shanghai, where a red alert for extreme heat was in place.

    “Next week will be more of the same. It’s like being on an iron plate,” wrote one user of the Weibo social media platform in response to the megacity’s heat warning.

  • Girl riding her scooty falls in open rainwater drain, still missing

    Girl riding her scooty falls in open rainwater drain, still missing

    A girl fell in a storm drain in Rawalpindi while travelling to her office on a scooty.

    CCTV footage shared by ARY News shows the girl being swept away in the storm drain after slipping from her bike.

    A search and rescue operation by the District Emergency Service was launched. Spokesman Rescue 1122 said that a missing girl has been identified as Ammara, 20. She was a resident of Ghauri Town, Rawalpindi. She was going to her office when she got stuck in a heavy water wave.

    Initial reports suggest that the victim fell from the scooty and was swept away by the water stream into a nullah.

    Till the publishing of this story, Ammara hasn’t been found from the drain by rescue teams.

    “The search and rescue operation has been extended to the nullah’s linked spot at Swan river opening”, said the spokesperson to ARY News, adding that the missing girl couldn’t be found in the nullah where she reportedly fell.

    However, the operation to find the missing girl is underway.

  • Rising terrorism threat in Pakistan: UN report

    Rising terrorism threat in Pakistan: UN report

    A new United Nations report highlights an increase in the terrorism threat in Pakistan.

    According to the report, Pakistan faces threats from Fitnah-ul-Khawarij (TTP) and other militants who have sought refuge in Afghanistan, with Fitnah-ul-Khawarij (TTP) intensifying its attacks in Pakistan.

    The UN report also raises concerns about Fitnah Al-Khawarij (TTP) potentially increasing cooperation with Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

    In 2024, Pakistan has witnessed an increase in terrorism. The South Asia Terrorism Portal reveals 300 terrorism-related deaths so far this year.

    During the first six months of this year alone, dozens of Pakistani security personnel have been killed in militant attacks and counterterrorism operations.

  • US Visa application expected to break all records in 2024, costs Rs. 88,000 per visa

    US Visa application expected to break all records in 2024, costs Rs. 88,000 per visa

    US Visa applications are expected to break all records this year as the offices in Islamabad and Karachi are processing more than 10,000 applications a month.

    Due to the high demand, the waiting time for the appointment has also been reduced by almost half compared to last year.

    Dawn’s Kalbe Ali reported that a senior US embassy official stated that the number of visas issued from offices in Islamabad and Karachi reached the highest ever in 2023.

    He said the number will exceed in the ongoing US fiscal year that will end in October 2024.

    The visa fee for an E-visa is 315 dollars which is almost 88 thousand Pakistani rupees.

    Waiting time reduced

    The official shared that compared to last year when the appointment waiting time peaked to 440 days, it has now been reduced by the embassy to 237 days.

    Additionally, he told Dawn that visas are issued within five days after the interview if the concerned officer approves. However, the delay in the visa applications processing time is only because each application is evaluated on individual basis.

    A total of 107,183 non-immigration visas were issued from Pakistan during the fiscal year ending in October 2023, compared to 72,082 visas issued in the previous fiscal year of 2022, according to the figures available on US embassy website.

    The official also told Dawn that the US visa section gives priority to students.

    However, the data of visa application rejection rate and the total number of applications received have not been made public.

  • No bijli and bohat sara pani; record-breaking rain in Lahore

    No bijli and bohat sara pani; record-breaking rain in Lahore

    Heavy rainfall drenched Lahore in the early morning hours as the city received 350 millimetres in three hours, breaking a 44-year-old record.

    Thursday morning, heavy rains descended upon Lahore, causing rainwater to enter homes in the Tajpura area, submerging roads, and disrupt commutes. Electricity has also been suspended in multiple areas for many hours.

    But the rain wasn’t restricted to Lahore as Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sheikhupura, Pakpattan, Kasur, Jehlum, and several other cities of the country received rain, with low-lying areas submerged.

    Geo News reported that, commenting on the situation in Lahore, Sardar Sarfaraz, chief meteorologist at the Pakistan Meteorological Department, termed the rains “torrential”.

    “There were more rains in Sindh compared to Punjab. But this was expected.”

    “This spell is expected to decrease in intensity, but it will continue raining intermittently until this evening as there’s a substantial cloud mass. From August 1 to 6, several parts of the country will see rain,” he said.

    With heavy downpours suspending normal life in the city, water entered Services Hospital and Mayo Hospital’s emergency department, causing extreme distress to the patients.

    Weather department has predicted intermittent rains continue in Lahore, and the monsoon rains are likely to continue till August 6.

    According to the Meteorological Department, the highest rainfall, 337 mm, was recorded at Lahore Airport, while 250 mm of rain was recorded in Nishtar Town.

    The rainfall at Lahore Airport is the highest recorded in 44 years.

    On the other hand, LESCO officials say that more than 400 feeders have been tripped due to rain in Lahore, the restoration work will start as soon as the rain stops.

    Apart from Lahore, low-lying areas were flooded due to heavy rain in the cities of Sheikhupura, Kasur, Pakpattan, Sargodha, Jhelum, Murree, Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

    Mirpur Azad Kashmir is also experiencing intermittent rain and trees have fallen due to landslides at different places.

    According to the National Highways and Motorway Police (NH&MP) spokesperson, intermittent rain continues on most national highways.

    The spokesperson told Geo News that rainfall was recorded from Motorway M2 to Pindi Bhattian, Sheikhupura, Kala Shah Kaku, and Thokar Niaz Baig, while Manga Mandi, Patuki, Renala Khurd, and Okara were also drenched in rainwater.

    Meanwhile, Motorway M3 from Faizpur to Nankana Sahib also received heavy rain.

  • Pakistanis involved in 50% of crimes in Gulf; shocking revelation in Senate

    Pakistanis involved in 50% of crimes in Gulf; shocking revelation in Senate

    The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was informed on Tuesday that Pakistanis are found to be involved in almost 50 percent of the crimes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    While giving the brief, Secretary Overseas Pakistanis Dr Arshad informed the committee that the UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait have shared reservations on various issues related to the Pakistani labour force working in these states.

    In September 2023 the same committee was informed that out of all the Pakistanis leaving the country, beggars are going abroad the most. Out of all the beggars who were arrested, 90 percent turned out to be Pakistanis.

    Tahir Niaz from The Nation reported that the secretary of the ministry told the committee that the domestic labour force comprised 71.8 million people, while the diaspora includes 10.7 million individuals, primarily in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the US, the UK, and Canada.

    “Moreover, there are issues like criminal activities among the Pakistani workforce abroad. For instance, 50 percent of the crime rate among the labour force in the UAE is reportedly attributed to Pakistanis,” the ministry official told the committee.

    However, Nausheen Shah from The News reported the current development has come after a significantly more concerning issue as it highlights the rather “inappropriate” behaviour of Pakistanis in the UAE which includes them making videos in front of women in Dubai.

    Ministry officials told the committee today that around 0.6 to 0.8 million Pakistanis go abroad each year, of which 200,000 to 300,000 come back.

    Out of the total people travelling abroad, 96 percent go to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, they said.


    What problems do other nations have with Pakistanis?

    Briefing about the problems other nations have with Pakistan, the officials told the committee that the UAE informed us that we had a quota of 1.6 million, which has exceeded to 1.8 million.

    Pakistanis, they said, visit Malaysia for a year, extend their stay, and are then sent to jail. People have also slipped in Iraq, the officials said, noting that their exact number is unknown.

    Senator Nasir Abbas said Bangladeshis are securing more jobs than Pakistanis. In Iraq, Pakistanis are “helpless” as they are employed as cheap labour. Abbas added that they are kept as “prisoners” in Iraq.

    Moving forward, the officials told the committee members that two million Pakistanis reside in Saudi Arabia and 0.4 million go to the Kingdom every year.

    KSA authorities, the officials said, have asked Pakistanis not to send “beggars and sick people”. They added that GCC is modern now, they are focusing on technology and development.

    The overseas ministry officials said that Pakistanis going abroad are “unskilled” and noted that our people aren’t being trained as well. “People from other nations are replacing ours.”

    Work ethics, work attitudes, and involvement in crime are issues of Pakistanis.

    Kuwait has complained of Pakistani nurses refusing to perform certain job-related duties and instead telling ward boys to help patients sit up. The nurses do not learn the language but want to be sent to Europe after spending six months in the country.

    Meanwhile, Qatar, as per the officials of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, has complained about Pakistani labourers refusing to wear safety helmets.

    Saudi Arabia has maintained that they will only give jobs to workers who can pass the test of their relevant authority, i.e., the National Centre for Human Resources Development (Takamul).

    The officials said nations are “suspicious” of Pakistanis. Around 600,000-800,000 people go abroad, of which 96 per cent travel to the Middle East.

    Future of Pakistani workforce

    Ringing the alarm bells for the future of the Pakistani labour force seeking to secure jobs in the UAE, the ministry said that Gulf states are now looking towards Africa as their workers offer even cheaper labour than that of the Pakistani expatriates.

  • Rains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa kill 19 within two days

    Rains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa kill 19 within two days

    Torrential monsoon rains and flash floods have devastated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resulting in 19 deaths and 15 injuries over the past two days.

    According to a report from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), severe weather has affected Dara Adamkhel, Bajaur, Chitral, Dir, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swat, Charsadda, Swabi, South Waziristan, and Hangu. Fatalities include 11 children, four women, and four men, while 15 others have been injured.

    The report also states that 61 houses have been damaged, with 24 completely destroyed. Landslides have blocked roads in Kohistan, Mansehra, Swat, Chitral, Dir, and other areas, and many bridges have been washed away. Relief efforts are underway, with machinery being deployed to clear blocked highways and assist affected areas.

  • Watch: Saudia-returned family looted in Karachi

    Watch: Saudia-returned family looted in Karachi

    Robbers have looted valuables from a Saudi Arabia-returned family in Karachi.

    ARY News reported that the incident happened within the limits of the Aziz Bhatti Police Station.

    CCTV footage shows the looters chasing the family’s white Honda Civic. The robbers stopped them at their doorstep and looted cash, important documents and other valuables.

    The police registered a case against four unknown persons at the complaint of Ahmed, a member of the family.