Category: Others

The Current is Pakistan’s first digital news-lifestyle platform and others that simplifies news for Pakistani millennials.

  • VIDEO: Punjab govt sends bags of atta to PML-N Azma Bokhari’s house amid wheat crisis

    VIDEO: Punjab govt sends bags of atta to PML-N Azma Bokhari’s house amid wheat crisis

    The country is facing one of the biggest wheat crises in Pakistan’s history with a bag of atta costing a record high of Rupees 75 per KG. Amid the wheat crisis, PML-N’s member of the Punjab Assembly (MPA) Azma Bokhari was engaged in a heated debate on a television talk show with the Chairman of Punjab Food Authority and PTI MPA Umer Tanveer Butt.

    PML-N’s Azma Bokhari telling PTI’s Omar Tauseef to send a bag of atta to her house since she was unable to find it in Model Town

    Azma said that there was a wheat crisis in the country and Umer refused to accept it, saying there was no shortage. Azma then said that if there was no shortage, then he could send a bag of atta to her house.

    We called Azma to confirm the following story. She says that when she woke up this morning, she was told by the cook in her house that a truck had come with bags of atta. The bags were being unloaded outside her house and her cook told her that he had bought a bag from them for Rs. 790 a bag. Others living on the street had also come by to buy bags of atta.

    Bags of atta were dropped outside Azma’s house by Umer

    Azma says that she went out and asked the people unloading the bags to take the bags and leave. They said that they had “been instructed” to leave the bags outside her house and sell it to people living in the area. She ordered them to leave her property and says that this was an attempt to “harass” her.

    But according to Food and Authority Chairman Umer Tauseef, who was on the program with Azma, they weren’t harassing her and that she is “once again, using the harassment card”.

    READ MORE: Interactive: What is this wheat crisis?

    Umer says that she asked for a bag of atta on the show, saying that people in Model Town were not finding atta anywhere. He says that there is no wheat crisis and therefore, bags are available everywhere and to prove his point, he sent bags of atta to her house so people living in Model Town could have access to it.

    When asked if PTI was trying to divert attention from the real issues, like a looming wheat crisis, he said that this was, “PML-N’s propaganda machine” at work and challenged to show him “one place where atta is not available”. He denied that there was any wheat crisis and said that the prices had increased due to the fact that the government had removed subsidies from certain forms of wheat.

    READ MORE: President Arif Alvi says he does not know who is responsible for the wheat crisis

    Umer Tanveer is denying that there is a wheat crisis but other ministers of the PTI have stated that there is a shortage of wheat in the country.

  • INTERACTIVE: What’s this wheat crisis?

    INTERACTIVE: What’s this wheat crisis?

    As the price of wheat (atta and flour) reaches Rs75 per kilogram (kg) — the highest price recorded in Pakistan’s history — amid shortage, we have to ask: what is this crisis and what led to it?

    The crisis is huge because it hits a daily essential. Roti, bread, naans and puris, you name it, everything with any bit of flour or wheat in it is going to be affected, and prices are rising.

    What happened? A country that is rich in wheat production, exports millions of tonnes of wheat itself is now in a massive wheat shortage?

    It all started from projection vs. reality.

    Projection this year did not meet reality and was less than the previous three years

    It all started from the government projecting that the wheat production of 2018-2019 would be 25.2 million tonnes, which would be sufficient for the year. Pakistan also exports wheat and because the projected wheat crop was high, the country exported, 640,000 tonnes. Pakistan was supposed to export between 200,000 to 400,000 tonnes.

    The crisis began when Pakistan did not meet its projected figure. It produced 24.7 million tonnes due to bad management, poor coordination and the weather.

    So now all provinces are racing to save their stock. Punjab has imposed a ban on moving wheat to other provinces and reportedly, people who want to profit from the shortage, are hoarding the wheat to sell at a later stage when prices increase.

    The federal government is blaming the provinces for the shortage, primarily the Sindh government (Sindh is also the only province which is not under PTI rule) saying that the Sindh government bought a lot of wheat at the wrong time. The Sindh government is saying that Imran Khan is responsible because he allowed the extra wheat to be exported.

    Prices of 10KG of atta in four cities

    The next few months are going to be crucial for wheat. The price of wheat used to be around Rs45-50 per kg and is now Rs75. The government is now having to import wheat from other countries to make up for the shortage, and Twitter is not happy about it.

    The difficult news is that the wheat that we exported for around Rs24/kg, is now going to be imported for more than double the price.

  • VIDEO: LUMS Students rescued in Gilgit by the Pak Army

    VIDEO: LUMS Students rescued in Gilgit by the Pak Army

    Twenty-two students from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) had gone skiing in Gilgit and had been stuck in the area for five days due to heavy snow and landslides. LUMS administration approached the Army for help and the Chief of Army Staff, Qamar Javed Bajwa directed the army to find and rescue them by helicopter.

    They were all unhurt and saved by the army and have reached Rawalpindi to return home safely.

    LUMS students rescued by the Pak Army. Photo released by ISPR

    The LUMS Adventure Society organizes such events every year and the students stay in army guest houses. Thirteen boys and nine girls were on this particular trip when they were surrounded by snow in Rattu, Gilgit.

    LUMS students relating their experience

    Temperatures in Pakistan have hit record lows with major cities like Karachi and Lahore facing the most difficult winter in recent times.

  • Mahira Khan, Hira Mani share words of wisdom for a successful life

    Mahira Khan, Hira Mani share words of wisdom for a successful life

    Mahira Khan and Hira Mani shared golden words by Pakistani educationist Dr Arfa Saeyda Zehra for a successful life.

    The actors shared the clip of the interview of renowned Pakistani educationist and Urdu language expert Dr Arfa Sayeda Zehra with Samina Peerzada.

    Quoting Dr Arfa, Hira further wrote, “Kaamiyabi khush ikhalqi main hai Acha bolnay main hai Acha Sochnay main hai. kamiyabi ilm main hai or ilm paise Se nahi ilm mohabbat main hai (success is hidden in education that will come from love and not from money) 

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B7awG12nEyb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    In the interview, Dr Arfa said that education is necessary for life but not just to get a job.

    “Life needs a job but the job doesn’t need life,” she said.

  • Iconic Maggi noodles are no more

    Iconic Maggi noodles are no more

    The iconic Maggi noodles that introduced the concept of convenience food to many in Pakistan, have been shut down in the country, Profit has reported.

    According to reports, Nestlé — the company that owns the brand and manufactures the product — has confirmed that they will no longer be marketing the instant noodles with which at least two generations of Pakistanis grew up.

    “Yes, we discontinued Maggi by the end of 2018. The divestment is part of Nestlé’s strategy to manage its multi-product portfolio,” the report quoted an official as saying on the condition of anonymity.

    Nestlé Pakistan has made no public announcements about the matter, and Maggi noodles remain listed as a product on the company’s website. However, the product is conspicuously absent from the 2018 annual financial statements of the company. There was no explicit mention of a discontinuation; it was just listed as a product offering on the 2017 report, and not listed on the 2018 report.

    When it was first launched in Pakistan in 1992, Maggi was the only brand of noodles in the country and had a complete monopoly for the first year of its production. And while Unilever quickly launched its Knorr brand of instant noodles in 1993, Maggi was the market leader and, for the most part, remained so for the next two decades.

    Over the past four years, however, Maggi went from being the market leader in its category to being almost completely wiped out from the country. Sources inside the company confirmed to Profit that the current stock of Maggi in stores is all that is left. Once it is gone, there will be no more.

    Among other reasons behind Maggi’s death are the food safety scare in India from a few years ago – one that turned out to be a false alarm – and losing market share to Knorr even before that scare. Unilever, it seems was much better at localisation than Nestle was, the report said, adding that as a result, Unilever’s product was able to continue gaining market share from Nestle, and was therefore well-positioned to become the market leader by the time Maggi met its demise.

  • Kashif Abbasi’s program banned because of Faisal Vawda’s boot

    Kashif Abbasi’s program banned because of Faisal Vawda’s boot

    ARY News’ prime time anchor Kashif Abbasi has been banned from hosting his program and appearing on any other channel for 60 days by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).

    The PEMRA notice was sent to the anchor, the channel and posted on Twitter, saying that the program in which PTI’s Faisal Vawda brought a military boot and put it on the table to ridicule the PML-N and PPP, was an “attempt to debase a state institution”.

    PEMRA ORDER PAGE ONE

    PEMRA said that Vawda’s actions were “derogatory” and “extremely frivolous” and he “performed a very unethical act” when starting his argument on the program.

    PEMRA added that Kashif was “quite unprofessional who actually did not intervene or stopped that unethical act,” and claimed that Kashif, “kept smiling/cherishing such occurence.”

    PEMRA ORDER PAGE TWO

    READ MORE: ‘#PTIDisrespectsArmy‘: Military unhappy with Vawda over shoe stunt?

    The ban comes after an uproar on social media and television after Faisal Vawda brought the boot to the program. The Current did a poll on it’s Instagram account and this is what more than 430 people voted on:

    The Current Poll

    Haven’t seen the video yet?

    WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: Faisal Vawda puts military boot on the table in a talk show

    Haven’t seen The Current Life’s interview with Kashif Abbasi, which was done five minutes before he went live (And in which Faisal Vawda was also a guest)? Watch it here:

  • Indian army officer slips in snow near border, reaches Pakistan

    Indian army officer slips in snow near border, reaches Pakistan

    Indian Army Havildar Rajendra Singh Negi’s allegedly slipped in the snow at Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir during duty and reached Pakistan.

    As per reports, on January 8, Negi’s wife Rajeshwari got a phone call from his unit informing her Negi was missing. It was later found that he had slipped in the snow and crossed the India-Pakistan border in Kashmir. The family has demanded the government for his safe and early return from Pakistan to his homeland.

    According to Indian Army sources, the search and rescue operation of Negi was ongoing and all attempts were being made to bring him back safely from Pakistan.

    Negi, a resident of Ambiwala Sainik Colony in Dehradun, had joined the 11 Garhwal Rifles regiment in 2002. He had arrived in Dehradun in October for a month’s vacation and was posted to the snowy area of Gulmarg in November.

  • VIDEO: PM’s lawyer nephew makes headlines for ‘violence’, again

    VIDEO: PM’s lawyer nephew makes headlines for ‘violence’, again

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s nephew, Barrister Hassaan Khan Niazi, who is also nominated in the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) attack case, has once again made headlines for allegedly harassing a driver on Lahore’s Zafar Ali Road.

    According to media reports, Niazi on Friday was entering a private club located in the Jail Road area of the provincial capital when his car collided with another one. It was a minor accident, but Niazi lost his cool, headed over to the other vehicle, pulled out its key from ignition and started hitting the car, reports said.

    “He also abused the other driver and threatened him,” a private media outlet reported.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    A viral video of the incident

    Taking exception to the reports, Niazi took to Twitter and wrote:

    https://twitter.com/HniaziISF/status/1215601835953786881

    In a subsequent tweet, he said:

    “My car was hit. I got punched. I called the security. I filed the complaint. And media bashing me even after issue has been resolved. First they played news then decided to take my version,” Niazi tweeted.

  • Pakistani passport now ranks at fourth-worst for international travel

    Pakistani passport now ranks at fourth-worst for international travel

    The Pakistani passport has been ranked as the fourth worst passport for international travel, according to the Henley Passport Index.

    The Henley Passport Index is a ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. It has placed Pakistan on the 104th position. 

    Last year the Pakistani passport had been rated as the
    fifth-worst passport to hold.

    It shares the fourth spot with Somalia followed by Syria,
    Iraq and Afghanistan. Pakistani passport holders still enjoy visa-free access
    to 32 countries.

    Japan came at the top spot as the world’s most powerful
    passport. Other Asian countries on the list are Singapore, which is in the
    second spot, and South Korea with Germany is in third place.

    European countries also performed well with Finland on
    fourth and Spain, Luxembourg and Denmark coming fifth. Sweden and France took
    the sixth spot on the list.

    The United States fell two places down coming on eighth,
    sharing the spot with United Kingdom, Norway, Green and Belgium. Canada ranked
    ninth.

    The United Arab Emirates also climbed up 47 places to sit
    in 18th place, with a visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 171.

    Here are the 10 most powerful passports in the world:

    1. Japan (191 destinations)

    2. Singapore (190)

    3. South Korea, Germany (189)

    4. Italy, Finland (188)

    5. Spain, Luxembourg, Denmark (187)

    6. Sweden, France (186)

    7. Switzerland, Portugal, Netherlands, Ireland, Austria
    (185)

    8. United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Greece, Belgium
    (184)

    9. New Zealand, Malta, Czech Republic, Canada, Australia
    (183)

    10. Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary (181)

    Here are the five least powerful passports in the world:

    1. Afghanistan (26)

    2. Iraq (28)

    3. Syria (29)

    4. Pakistan, Somalia (32)

    5. Yemen

  • PTI’s new education minister in KP hasn’t studied beyond matric: report

    PTI’s new education minister in KP hasn’t studied beyond matric: report

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s new Education Minister Akbar Ayub hasn’t studied beyond matric, Geo News has reported.

    In a major cabinet reshuffle made by the KP chief minister (CM) on Saturday, Ayub was handed reins of the education department. He was earlier serving as the minister for communication and works department.

    According to reports, KP provincial assembly’s official website shows that Ayub’s educational qualification is matric. The same has been listed in an affidavit submitted by the education minister, which also states his occupation as a businessman and a landlord.

    A copy of Akbar Ayub Khan’s documents submitted to the ECP. 

    Speaking to Geo News, the minister said that his education qualification “did not matter”. Ayub said he was experienced in educational and administrative affairs.

    Backing his statement, KP Information Minister Shaukat Yousafzai said Ayub had vast administrative experience.

    “It does not matter what degree he holds,” said Yousafzai. “He has studied from a reputable institute and is a capable man.”

    In a separate video message, Yousafzai said one should not question Ayub’s capabilities solely due to the fact that he had not studied beyond matriculation level.

    “He left for Canada to pursue the construction business while he was in grade 12,” said the information minister. “He is a skilled man and we should extract benefit from his experience and capabilities.”

    Yousafzai said the education minister could speak to foreign diplomats and dignitaries as “his English is the best”. He said since education had been bifurcated into two parts, Ayub was given charge of the elementary education, not secondary. 

    “He has to run an institute and for that, he has ample experience in the past as a minister,” he said.