The Supreme Court (SC) rejected former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s petition on Wednesday to pause trial court proceedings in the Toshakhana case.
The former prime minister went to the apex court when he didn’t get relief from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the Toshakhana case.
Last year, on October 21, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case for making “false statements and incorrect declarations.”
The trial court said on July 8 that ECP’s plea is defensible and further proceeded against the former Prime Minister Imran Khan. After that, Imran Khan approached the SC for relief.
A two-member SC bench heard the case today. Justice Yahya Afridi remarked that the SC will not interfere in the matters of the trial court.
He further said that it’s not within the SC’s jurisdiction to hear the petition while the case is already in the IHC.
“Court’s jurisdiction is a major issue, it should be decided first,” the justice remarked.
The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Raja Riaz, said on Tuesday that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is not a suitable candidate for the position of caretaker PM. He has also said that there is no need for an immediate election in the country.
The tenure of the National Assembly is going to expire on August 12. Members of the government are holding consultations over the matter of the interim government.
Speaking on the matter of the caretaker setup, Raja Riaz said that the idea of appointing Ishaq Dar as caretaker PM is not good. “Elections will not be held for two years if Ishaq Dar becomes the interim prime minister,” he said.
Asking the PML-N to reveal a name in media, Raja Riaz said that there is no need for him to consult on it. “As the opposition leader, I have to give my three names. I will meet the Prime Minister by August 1 on the caretaker government issue,” he added.
The leader of the opposition has also dismissed the idea of an immediate election in the country. “The problems of the country and the people are more important. The solution to the challenges faced at this time is most important”.
Raja Riaz was appointed as the leader of the opposition in May 2022 by the speaker of the National Assembly, Raja Pervez Ashraf.
Federal Minister for Defence, Khwaja Asif, found himself yet again at the center of a controversy after he passed derogatory comments about female legislators of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
After being criticized by PTI parliamentarians on the “bulldozing” of bills in the assembly, Asif spoke up and reminded the opposition of their government’s tenure when bills were similarly bulldozed through the lower House.
“Depraved women should not lecture on chastity,” he said, then stated that if he responds, the “woman card” will be used against him.
Asif then went on to call the women the “remains” and “ruins” of Imran Khan, pointing towards the benches where Senators Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, Sania Nishtar, Falak Naz Chitrali and Fawzia Arshad were sitting.
“This is the garbage that has to be cleaned,” he remarked.
His comments were met by fierce protests by PTI female parliamentarians.
Raja Pervez Ashraf, the Speaker of the National Assembly, then expunged the word “garbage” from the speech.
Asif, who has in the past been accused of misogynistic comments, most notably against PTI leader Shireen Mazari, has been slammed by commentators and politicians for the speech.
This is not the first time! @KhawajaMAsif has made derogatory remarks about female politicians that too on floor of the house. During the joint session he said; “These characterless women cannot lecture us.”, He further adds, “A man who needs women to defend him, it speaks… pic.twitter.com/zQ33gNh9gh
The devastating news that the iconic film ‘Barbie’ was recalled once more from cinemas by the Punjab Government for a second review has left fans fuming. News outlets said that the film was banned over four words were circulating on social media.
On Saturday night some social media reports said that the screening had halted midway, and cinemas like Cue and Universal replaced the movie schedule for Barbie on their website with ‘Mission Impossible’.
Did Punjab govt (re)ban Barbie just now? Was attending the 8:30 PM show at Universal Cinemas Emporium and they just turned on the lights and then told us to get refunds?,,?..?
— Hafsa Ahsan /حفصہ احسن (@HafsaAhsan1) July 22, 2023
After speaking to an insider from the Punjab Film Censor Board, The Current has been informed that the film had previously been cleared to play in cinemas across Lahore, but it was the Punjab Government that had halted the screening and will release it after a second review. When we asked why there uproar on Barbie, and not Oppenheimer, the insider refused to comment on it.
Speaking to Geo Fact Check, Amir Mir, the caretaker Information and Culture Minister of Punjab revealed ‘Barbie’ was re-called because of concern of the film’s content which showed ‘homosexuality’.
“There is a gay character in it,” Mir said. “You can Google and find out if there is any such thing in it or not.”
Mir added that the film will be re-examined in a few days and will be released to cinemas after censoring a few dialogues.
However, Barbie was not censored in other cities like Islamabad or in Sindh. When Mir was asked about this his response was:
“Other provinces probably like this kind of stuff. We have a problem with it.”
However, we can advice you to not toss away your pink outfit yet, because Barbie is still playing in Chalo Cinemas at Fortress Square Mall. We contacted the cinema and a manager confirmed to us that the film has not been banned.
On the official Instagram page, Chalo Cinema has still posted timings of the ‘Barbie’ movie.
On their Instagram stories, the organisation shared Galaxy Lollywood founder Momin Ali Munshi’s post on how their cinema was the only place that was allowed to play Barbie. There are three censor boards in Pakistan: Sindh, Punjab, and for Central Cantonment. Cantt has a separate censor board, which is present in all provinces, and Barbie has been cleared by their Censor Board which is why it is playing in the only cinema present inside Lahore Cantt, at Fortress Stadium.
Pakistani drama ‘Mere Paas Tum Ho’ is set to air on Indian channel ‘Zee Zindagi’. The Humayun Saeed and Ayeza Khan starrer will join the ranks of Pakistani dramas like ‘Qissa Meherbano Ka’, ‘Hum Kahan Kay Sachay Thay’ among others, all of whom have enjoyed popular airtime on the Indian channel ‘Zee Zindagi’.
On the official Instagram page, the channel had announced:
“What happens when you feel money CAN buy happiness? Here’s a glimpse of the much-awaited show! #MerePaasTumHo, Coming Soon on Indian Television screens!”
Penned by Khalil-ul-Rehman Qamar, the show revolves around Danish (played by Humayun), a traditional man who lives a simple life in a small flat with his wife and son. However, his wife Mehwish (played by Ayeza Khan) is an ambitious woman who dreams of acquiring wealth. When the couple meets Shehwar (played by Adnan Sdiddiqui) she falls for him and soon after, leaves her family to marry him.
Siddiqui recently made an appearance on Junaid Akram’s podcast where he spoke about the success of the drama, playfully suggesting that he should have charged more for his role had he known how big a hit the drama would become:
“If I knew how successful it would be, I wouldn’t have charged the money that I did. I would’ve taken a lot more. For the first time ever, Humayun asked me to play a role that he had in mind, and he was right. It was very big of him to suggest that. He told me that people had already cast me for it since like 6 years ago. Like, they had my name in mind,” Adnan shared.
While the rest of the world (completely excluding Punjab) is celebrating the release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, veteran actress Nadia Jamil seems to not share the same opinion. Jamil took to Twitter to share some of the problems she noticed in the film.
In her Twitter post, the ‘Sitara Aur Mehrunisa’ actress shared that the film mocked a pregnant doll, who was only shown twice.
“Being pregnant is the most natural thing in the world. Get over it. To encourage little girls to see it as something repulsive is an awful idea,” she wrote.
She went on to write that the film also discouraged flat feet, calling them ‘beautiful’.
“I have flat feet. They are beautiful. I dont know why everyone is puking over flat feet. Another unhealthy thing to teach little kids.”
Nadia also shared the film was not interested in supporting equality because it encourages “bullying and domineering men”
“The Barbie world is awful/cruel 2 the Ken’s & Barbies are never interested in equality. They are interested in bullying & domineering men,almost in revenge 4 the real world. Another s**** message 2 kids.”
Read her complete post:
I’d like 2 share a few of my cringe moments while watching #Barbie. I’d also like 2 say the ONLY reason I wasted my money on it was because @govtofpunjabpk banned it
1/ “Pregnant doll is just too weird” This doll is shown twice & mocked both times. Being pregnant is the most… pic.twitter.com/8wjMP4VRFz
Some Twitter users did not agree with Nadia’s take. One user wrote:
“You missed the entire point. It’s a satirical take on beauty standards perpetuated by ‘Stereotypical Barbie,’ which is the Robbie’s character’s name. The OTT manner in which this is conveyed is to highlight the absurdity of these notions. Her entire journey is one of unlearning.”
You missed the entire point. It’s a satirical take on beauty standards perpetuated by ‘Stereotypical Barbie,’ which is the Robbie’s character’s name. The OTT manner in which this is conveyed is to highlight the absurdity of these notions. Her entire journey is one of unlearning
Another user pointed out that the film was a satire that was mocking the brand
I think you’ve missed the point! Unfortunately, the Barbie brand was all these things that you’ve mentioned but the film is actually mocking the brand. It’s a comedy for anyone who was a kid in the 90s and it’s been done so well.
I love Nadia but the way she missed the entire point just goes to show how our parents’ generation just weren’t built to understand satire https://t.co/TSL2usL5K2
Just do everyone a favour and just don’t watch the movie. It’s a MOVIE for a reason. Smh. Har cheez main wokeness nahi ghusaani hoti. https://t.co/hLW4X1YrjT
A staggering surge has been witnessed in violence against women, with over 10,000 cases reported in the first four months of 2023 alone in Punjab.
Startling data from the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO), a research-based advocacy firm, reveals that 5,551 women were kidnapped during this period, translating to an alarming average of two women abducted every hour.
SSDO, through a ‘Right to Information’ request to the Punjab Police under Article 19-A of the Constitution, collected the data, reflecting an urgent need for policymakers and stakeholders to address the issue and devise targeted measures to combat this growing crisis.
The report revealed that between January 1, 2023, and April 30, 2023, Punjab police registered a total of 10,365 cases of violence against women, alongside 1,768 cases of violence against children. However, the actual numbers may be considerably higher as many incidents go unreported due to social stigma and a lack of trust in law enforcement.
Lahore took the lead with 1,427 reported cases of violence, with one out of every four victims being kidnapped from the provincial capital. Other concerning statistics include 2,818 cases of physical assault, with Lahore as the primary hotspot (504), followed by Sheikhupura (262) and Faisalabad (225).
Additionally, 1,111 cases of rape and 613 cases of human trafficking were documented, with Lahore again topping the list with 139 rape cases and 210 trafficking cases. Faisalabad reported a significant number of rape cases at 117.
According to the sources of The News, former First Lady Bushra Bibi’s close friend Farah Gogi is going to provide evidence against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife.
According Murtaza Ali Shah’s report for The News, Farah Gogi has been in contact with Pakistani authorities and has been cooperating with them for nearly a month now.
On the other hand, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership has told Farah Gogi and her husband Ahsan Jameel Gujjar not to cooperate with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other legal institutions.
According to trusted sources, Farah Gogi has also shared important information with the Pakistani authorities.
The sources stated that Farah Gogi was asked to leave the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the first week of May after the Pakistani government informed the Gulf state that she was a wanted individual and had engaged in corrupt activities while living in Dubai.
Farah Gogi started a conversation with the Pakistani authorities after reaching Italy, as she has been blacklisted, which means she is unable to enter the UAE because of the cases filed against her.
According to Pakistani investigators, Farah is involved in selling a Graff watch set, gifted to then-Premier Imran Khan by the Saudi crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman, to Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor for $2 million.
She has also been named in cases related to bribes for postings and transfers during Usman Buzdar’s tenure as Chief Minister of Punjab. Allegations have been made that the bribes were funneled through Farah Gogi to Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan.
Azhar Siddique, who is currently in the UK, has been aiding Farah Gogi with her legal issues. He told Murtaza Ali Shah that he was in contact with Farah Gogi and her husband, but he was unaware of their whereabouts. He has also said, “All allegations against Farah Gogi are politically motivated and false. She has done nothing wrong. There is no case against her”.
Azhar Siddique has also said that he has no knowledge if Farah Gogi is in contact with Pakistani authorities or negotiating with them.
Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had received respite on Monday when the Supreme Court (SC) restricted the police from arresting the former prime minister until August 9 in connection with the Quetta murder of senior lawyer Abdul Razzaq Shar.
The Supreme Court heard a petition on Monday against the former prime minister’s nomination in the case involving Shar’s killing via gunshot in Quetta.
On June 6, Advocate Shar was assassinated by unknown individuals on three motorcycles when he was going to the Balochistan High Court (BHC).
Ataullah Tarar, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM), claimed that the targeted murder was connected to a treason case Shar was bringing forth against Imran under Article 6 of the Constitution. He has also said that Imran Khan is “directly responsible” for the murder of a famous lawyer.
A three-judge panel made up of Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Mussarat Hilali ordered Imran Khan to appear before the court on August 9.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has on Monday denied that the ruling coalition has reached agreement on who will become interim Prime Minister as reports of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominating Finance Minister Ishaq Dar gain traction.
Minister for Climate Change, Sherry Rehman, held a press conference today to categorically deny that a consensus has been reached after media reports surfaced last night that PPP has agreed to Dar’s nomination.
“Someone has been crowned as caretaker Prime Minister based on fake news,” Rehman said in a thinly veiled reference to rumors about Ishaq Dar. “We want a level playing field for everyone,” she pointedly said, adding that no name has as yet been suggested to PPP.
She also stated that her party is forming a committee of three members to make decisions about the caretaker setup.
News reports about Dar, the father-in-law of the younger daughter of PML-N head Nawaz Sharif, set off frenzied criticism among political analysts and commentators. Dar is a close ally of Nawaz Sharif’s, raising concerns about his neutrality as a caretaker Prime Minister.
The news was first reported by Express Tribune’s Shehbaz Rana, while The News’ Azaz Syed tweeted last night that PPP had agreed to Dar’s nomination.
