Category: Uncategorized

  • First case of monkeypox detected in Pakistan

    First case of monkeypox detected in Pakistan

    The Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination on Tuesday has confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the country, Geo news has reported.

    The infected person was deported from Saudi Arabia and arrived in Pakistan on April 17 with symptoms of monkeypox, said health ministry authorities while speaking to Geo News.

    The individual’s samples were subsequently forwarded to the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, where the facility had previously confirmed that he was a carrier of the contagious virus.

    Following the discovery of the virus, airports all around the nation have been placed on high alert, with the ministry sending samples from suspicious cases to the NIH.
    Monkeypox is a viral disease brought on by the monkeypox virus, a germ from the orthopox virus genus.

    Humans can contract the monkey pox virus through coming into personal contact with an infected person, contaminated objects or infected animals.

  • Swat twin bombing: death toll rises to 16

    Swat twin bombing: death toll rises to 16

    The death toll of Monday’s blasts at Kabal police station in Swat, has increased to 16 now. The cause of the explosions has not been determined yet.
    According to reports, the blasts took place within the premises of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) office.

    As per a report released by the Deputy Commissioner Swat’s office, two back-to-back explosions occurred at 8:29 pm inside the CTD police station situated at Kabal Police Lines, causing significant damage to the roof of the police station, main office and a mosque located within the premises. The explosions were followed by a fire. The report stated that the dead include nine police officers and six civilians, while the identification of other victims was still underway.
    KP police have reported that there were a total of 15 fatalities in the incident, comprising of nine police officers and six civilians, while the identities of the others are still being processed.

    The victims have been identified as sub-inspector (SI) Abdullah Khan, SI Ashraf Ali, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) CTD Sher Alam, and constables Taj Muhammad, Asmat Ali, Khalilur Rahman, Bakht Rokhan, Fazal Raziq, Nahid and two-year-old Azan.

    Additionally, 63 individuals were injured in the explosions, with eight of them in critical condition.

  • Pakistan sees sharp increase in Malaria cases

    Pakistan sees sharp increase in Malaria cases

    The incidence of malaria has significantly increased in Pakistan and Malawi, due to extreme weather conditions, leading to a surge in both infections and fatality according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

    The organisation has reported that in Pakistan, the number of cases rose to 1.6 million, which is four times higher than the previous year, after devastating floods submerged a third of the country. These alarming figures were released ahead of World Malaria Day, which falls on April 25.

    “What we’ve seen in places like Pakistan and Malawi is real evidence of the impact that climate change is having on malaria,”  said, Peter Sands, head of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

    “So you have these extreme weather events, whether flooding in Pakistan, or the cyclone in Malawi, leaving lots of stagnant water around the place.
    He further stated that the surge in cases resulting from weather calamities triggered by climate change highlights the urgency to take proactive measures immediately.

  • In a first, Minneapolis City Council passes ordinance allowing public broadcast of Azaan

    In a first, Minneapolis City Council passes ordinance allowing public broadcast of Azaan

    The Minneapolis City Council has passed an ordinance permitting the public broadcast of the Islamic call to prayer five times a day throughout the year. Previously, mosques were only allowed to broadcast the call to prayer three to four times a day to comply with city noise ordinances.

    The new ordinance allows for the call to prayer to be broadcasted during the early mornings and evenings, which were previously prohibited. The decision was unanimous among the city council members.

    “It is really important for us at the city to approach all issues from a lens of ensuring equal access for all people, and that’s what we’ve really done here,” Council Member Aisha Chughtai said Thursday. “This is an item that benefits people of all faiths.”

    Under the old rules, azaan could only be broadcasted at a volume no higher than 70 decibels and within specific time limits. However, the new ordinance allows mosques to broadcast the call as early as 3:30am. and as late as 11 pm., which expands the time frame during which the call can be played. Additionally, the call was previously limited to three or four times a day, but with the new rules, it can be played five times a day.

  • Air pollution kills 1,200 children a year: EU Agency

    Air pollution kills 1,200 children a year: EU Agency

    According to a report issued by the EU environmental agency, air pollution is responsible for over 1,200 premature deaths among children under the age of 18 in Europe every year, and it also increases the risk of diseases in later stages of life. Even though some progress has been made, the study conducted across 30 countries, including the 27 EU members, shows that many European nations continue to have high levels of air pollutants, which exceed the guidelines set by the World Health Organization.

    “Air pollution causes over 1,200 premature deaths per year in people under the age of 18 in Europe and significantly increases the risk of disease later in life,” the agency said.

    The study was the agency’s first to focus specifically on children.

    “Although the number of premature deaths in this age group is low relative to the total for the European population estimated by EEA each year, deaths early in life represent a loss of future potential and come with a significant burden of chronic illness, both in childhood and later in life,” the agency said.
    The report recommended that officials concentrate their efforts on enhancing air quality in areas surrounding educational institutions such as schools and nurseries, as well as sports facilities and public transportation hubs.

  • ‘Don’t give Pakistan any animals’: Nadia Jamil slams Sri Lanka’s offer to send elephants

    ‘Don’t give Pakistan any animals’: Nadia Jamil slams Sri Lanka’s offer to send elephants

    After the tragic death of Karachi Zoo’s ailing elephant Noor Jehan after years of neglect and abuse, Sri Lankan authorities announced that they were donating two elephants to Pakistan. According to Geo News, Sri Lankan Honorary Counsel Yasin Joya announced that one will be given to Karachi Zoo and the other one to Lahore Zoo.

    Celebrities like veteran actress Nadia Jamil spoke out against this decision, slamming the Pakistani government for providing poor facilities for the animals that had led to Noor Jehan’s death.

    “I beg Sri Lanka, DO NOT GIVE PAKISTAN ANY ELEPHANTS. NOT until Pakistan develops a policy to protect animals in its zoos and learns to take care of animals as they should be taken care of. Please. No more tragic deaths. Please spare more animals from suffering like Noorjehan.”

    Other celebrities like Anushay Ashraf and Ahmed Ali Butt mourned the loss of Noor Jehan, and slammed the Karachi authorities for their limited resources which had led to the neglected conditions of animals at Karachi Zoo. In a now-expired post on her Instagram stories, Ashraf pointed out how zoos are not safe places for animals, and should not be entertainment facilities for humans:

    “Another reminder for the govt that zoos are a place where animals are kept in captivity for our entertainment. This narrative cannot work in 2023. Am sure they tried their best with Nuri, but the concept is faulty to begin with. No one trusts the animals are getting the best possible care anyway. And chargingn money to see animals behind cages is a narrative the world has grown out of.”

    Singer and actor Ahmed Ali Butt slammed the decision to import elephants from Sri Lanka, because as he wrote:

    “We don’t deserve a zoo, just like everything else in this country, animals and their care is the least of our worries. This is just a feather in our incompetetnt cap.”

  • Audio leak: Chief Justice’s mother-in-law discusses martial law possibilities with PTI lawyer’s wife

    Audio leak: Chief Justice’s mother-in-law discusses martial law possibilities with PTI lawyer’s wife

    Amid the ongoing discussion on the controversial suo moto taken by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, an alleged audio leak of a call made by his mother-in-law Mahjabeen Noon has come to light.

    In an audio leak that surfaced on the internet on Sunday, Noon can be heard talking to Pakistan-e-Tehreek Insaf (PTI) lawyer Khawaja Tariq Rahim’s wife, Rafia Tariq, about her concerns regarding CJP Bandial’s safety. Tariq then assured her that the party is with the CJP as many people have been praying for him.

    The two women purportedly also discussed the possibility of martial law being imposed if early elections were not held in Punjab.

    The transcript of the audio is as follows:

    Mahjabeen: Hello Rafia, what is going to happen? I have been praying for Umar [Ata Bandial] since last night, I can’t tell you [how much I] have been praying since the morning.

    Rafia Tariq: I have told people as well and sent a message to Umar. I said that I was present at the Lahore rally. Hundreds of thousands people were there. Similarly, there are hundreds of thousands people in every city. And you just try to estimate how much the world is praying for you right now, which will [increase] your strength and your safety.

    Rafia Tariq: No no, his safety is a must.

    Mahjabeen: Weaken them and strengthen them.

    Rafia: May Allah make the others blind. That’s what I am saying. They are traitors of this country. Look at the way they are doing this.

    Mahjabeen: Exactly. But now they are saying why has he got the authority to do it.

    Rafia: No, but no, no, no.

    Mahjabeen: They are deliberately giving an advantage by putting other things there now.

    Rafia: There is no other thing.

    Mahjabeen: And also questioning why has suo motu been taken by him.

    Rafia: That’s his right.

    Mahjabeen: Umar hasn’t been given this right [suo motu], it had happened earlier.

    Rafia: No, but it’s the right of every chief justice. If you have to change the law then change them in your […vella] not at this time

    Mahjabeen: No, but they can’t change them now.

    Rafia: Not now. They can change it later but not now. The law is there.

    Mahjabeen: Law is there. Exactly.

    Rafia: Yeah. Exactly. [inaudible]

    Mahjabeen: [I told his wife and kids] You don’t come at all. You stay with Umar. He needs you at this moment.

    Rafia: No. Not even Naveen should come and I have told Iman that she should stay with her father all the time.

    Mahjabeen: Yeah, exactly.

    Rafia: At night, I… at night.. at night I sent something to them both, him and Muneeb. Do you know what he sent me [back]? The face that you make while biting the tongue. He was telling me to be careful. Why should I be careful? Why?

    Mahjabeen: May elections be held at the earliest.

    Rafia: Elections… see if they don’t happen then assume there will be martial law. They [govt] cannot stay that’s it.

    Mahjabeen: They are not even ready to impose martial law.

    Rafia: They are ready.

    The audio has sparked controversy in Pakistan, with many people including the general public expressing concern about the political and judicial implications of the alleged conversation.

    It is unclear at this time whether the audio is authentic or fabricated.

    Reactions by the politicians:

    Reacting to the alleged audio leak, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said that his party has repeatedly asked the Supreme Court to look into the matter.

    Fawad, in his tweet, mentioned that “such illegal phone tapping is punishable by up to three years in prison under the fair trial law.”

    In a statement on Twitter, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz expressed concern that decisions were being made based on the likes and dislikes of wives and mothers-in-law, rather than on the basis of the constitution and law.

  • Saudi Arabia and UAE pledge $3 billion to Pakistan as IMF agreement nears

    Saudi Arabia and UAE pledge $3 billion to Pakistan as IMF agreement nears

    On Monday, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar stated that Pakistan has fulfilled all conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He expressed hope that the IMF would soon sign the staff-level agreement, which would allow for the release of the $1.1 billion tranche.

    Since February, the two parties have been negotiating various conditions and external financing from friendly nations before signing the agreement. Speaking to Geo News, Dar stated that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have informed the IMF of their commitments to provide $3 billion to Pakistan.

    Riyadh has pledged $2 billion, while Abu Dhabi has promised $1 billion. The IMF has also been notified of this, according to Dar. The finance minister emphasized that all conditions for the staff-level agreement have been met, and he expressed optimism that the IMF’s Executive Board would approve it soon.

    The country’s foreign exchange reserves have dwindled to cover barely a month of imports since the IMF funding stalled in November. Pakistan must resume the bailout package, which was agreed upon in 2019 and is worth $6.5 billion, to avoid risking default on external payment obligations.

    Pakistan had to take several steps demanded by the IMF, including reversing subsidies in its power, export, and farming sectors, raising energy and fuel prices, imposing a permanent power surcharge, among other measures.

    These moves have pushed Pakistan’s inflation to its highest level ever, rising to over 35 per cent YoY in March. The IMF programme will disburse another tranche of $1.4 billion to Pakistan before it ends in June, and it will unlock other bilateral and multilateral financing for the cash-strapped country.

    In recent weeks, neighbouring China has rolled over $2 billion and refinanced another $1.3 billion.

  • Gen Bajwa advised me to dissolve assemblies: Khan

    Gen Bajwa advised me to dissolve assemblies: Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has admitted that he dissolved the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on advice from former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    “In a meeting with General Bajwa held in the presence of President Dr Arif Alvi, he [Gen Bajwa] said that if you want elections, dissolve your governments,” said Khan while talking on ARY News programme, ‘Sawal Yeh Hai’.

    Khan had earlier made multiple accusations against the former army chief, including the allegation that he had conspired to remove PTI government at the center.

    The former prime minister further said, “General Bajwa and the [premier intelligence] agency knew that the current rulers had stolen the money from the national kitty and taken it abroad. Despite knowing this, General Bajwa was willing to give them NRO as he had planned an extension [for himself].”

    “If you have an ideology, you can’t convince yourself to give NRO to these people,” added Khan.

    He also revealed that a leader from the Middle East had told him a year ago that Bajwa was not supporting him any longer.

    Khan went on to say that they [coalition government] are running away from elections.

    During the interview, Imran Khan also suggested that polls can take place in July if Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif dissolves the National Assembly — the lower house of parliament.

    “Elections can be held in July if the prime minister dissolves the assembly,” the ousted premier said.

    He also stressed that caretaker governments in both Punjab and KP — the provinces where Khan’s party was in power before he decided to dissolve its two assemblies on January 14 and 18, respectively — are illegal after the lapse of their stipulated term.

    “The caretaker government’s tenure is over already, it has become illegal,” the deposed premier said. He demanded the caretaker government be abolished and a new “neutral” interim setup be instated.

    He added that the Supreme Court of Pakistan has given May 14 as the date for Punjab polls and his party won’t let the government extend polling day beyond that.

    “If they think they [incumbent government] will pressurise the Supreme Court, we will not let it happen. They will create scandals about the top court to run away from elections,” he said.

  • Mehndi designs to flaunt this Eid

    Mehndi designs to flaunt this Eid

    Girls, we know you’ll all be heading out to celebrate Chaand Raat soon. But is a chaand raat outing even complete without chooriyan (bangles) and mehndi? Here are some trendy mehndi designs you can flaunt this Eid.

    Arabic Mehndi

    Arabic mehndi is pretty and delicate and has spaced out patterns because of which it does not look overdone.

    Indian Mehndi

    Indian mehndi designs are full and crowded. It has packed patterns with thinner lines and tiny details. If you’re fond of mehndi, the Indian designs are for you.

    Pakistani Mehndi

    Pakistani mehndi designs are a cross between Arabic and Indian designs with flowers and leaves dominating the pattern. Gola/tikki mehndi designs are very popular in Pakistan because they are simple yet elegant.

    Mehndi designs for fingers

    For those who are looking for the bare minimum, they can opt for mehndi on the fingers only.