Category: Uncategorized

  • Barzakh: A mystical journey through family ties, hidden secrets

    Barzakh: A mystical journey through family ties, hidden secrets

    Barzakh, is a drama that combines elements of myth and reality. The show follows a stranged family’s journey as they uncover old resentments and buried secrets. The web series reunites Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed, who previously starred together in the iconic drama ‘Zindagi Gulzar Hai.’

    It has a talented cast, including Salman Shahid, Syed Arham, Khushhal Khan,and Franco Giusti. The story begins with three siblings reuniting for their father’s third wedding. Their father, Aaqa, is an old man who still has his wits about him. His daughter, Scheherezade looks after him and the family hotel, Mehtab Mahal, which was built in memory of his first love. The two sons from his first marriage, Shehryar (played by Fawad Khan) and Saifullah, seem distant from their father.

    Barzakh touches on controversial topics like homosexuality and unusual family relationships. Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed play half-siblings instead of romantic interests, which might surprise some viewers, but these elements add depth to the story.

    The web series is visually beautiful, with a great set in the beautiful mountainous locations in Hunza valley.The first episode leaves viewers eager to see more, hinting at hidden family secrets and interesting possibilities.

  • More than 200 Balochistan Police personnel dismissed

    More than 200 Balochistan Police personnel dismissed

    IG Police Balochistan issued a notification revealing that more than 200 police personnel were terminated due to negligence and frequent absenteeism.

    The dismissed officials include constables, head constables, and ASIs, and they hail from various districts, including Loralai, Sabi, Kalat, Zhob, Naseerabad, Makran, and Quetta.

  • ECP issues notice to 12 parties for not allocating five percent tickets to women

    ECP issues notice to 12 parties for not allocating five percent tickets to women

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued notices to 12 political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami and Awami National Party, for failing to allocate five per cent of general seat tickets to women in the general elections.

    A hearing regarding the implementation of Section 206 of the Election Act has been scheduled for July 25 by the Election Commission.

    The Election Commission has specifically issued notices to Akhtar Mengal of Balochistan National Party, Saad Rizvi of Tehreek-e-Labeek, and Asfandyar Wali of ANP.

    Additionally, notices were served to Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman of Jamaat-e-Islami and Khurram Nawaz Gandapur of Pakistan Awami Tehreek.

    The Election Commission is set to hear the case on July 25.

  • ‘Let the country function,’ Maryam Nawaz stern advice to Supreme Court judges

    ‘Let the country function,’ Maryam Nawaz stern advice to Supreme Court judges

    Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz has lashed out at the Supreme Court of Pakistan for its recent verdict in the reserved seats case, saying, “I would like to ask the SC judges to let the country function.”

    Last week, the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared the PTI a constitutional party and annulled the ECP’s and the Peshawar High Court’s decisions regarding the reserved seats case.⁠

    She also accused the SC judges of “rewriting the constitution to bring one person back to mainstream politics.”

    The CM Punjab exclaimed, “It doesn’t make sense at all that a party that didn’t even ask for anything was given everything on a platter.”

    Maryam Nawaz further warned, “We will not let this be a cakewalk for you. This government will complete its five-year tenure. If anyone tries to create political instability, they will be dealt with iron hands,”

  • Osama bin Laden’s close ally arrested by CTD Punjab

    Osama bin Laden’s close ally arrested by CTD Punjab

    The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Punjab has stated on Friday that it has arrested Amin al Haq, a close aide of Osama bin Laden – founder of terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda – in Gujrat district.

    “The terrorist was apprehended during an intelligence-based operation,” DIG CTD Usman Akram Gonadal said, adding that he was taken into custody from Sarai Alamgir, a town in the Gujrat district.

    According to CTD, Amin al Haq was among the top fighters of the extremist group, involved in several terrorist activities, and associated with bin Laden since 1996.

    “He was seen in Afghanistan in 2021. He also has Pakistan’s ID Card, on which Lahore and Haripur’s addresses have been provided,” the CTD officer added.

  • Khawaja Asif says Fitch report has credibility; ‘People ready to join technocrat govt’

    Khawaja Asif says Fitch report has credibility; ‘People ready to join technocrat govt’

    Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has disclosed that there are rumours of suspending the elections in the country, and the government would defend such a situation if it arises.

    Speaking to Geo News, Asif stated, “There is an uncertain environment in the country, in which the politicians as well the judiciary are responsible.”

    He also stated that there is a danger of constitutional meltdown in the country and agreed with the recent Fitch report about the collapse of the current government in 18 months. He said, “People are ready to join the technocratic government now.”

    Interestingly, he also admitted that the ban on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was premature because consultation with allies is necessary.

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    BMI, a Fitch Solutions company, has forecast an unstable economic-political situation in Pakistan with its prediction that Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), is unlikely to get out of prison soon.

    “We expect that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led government will remain in power over the coming 18 months and will succeed in pushing through with International Monetary Fund (IMF) mandated fiscal reforms,” predicted BMI, in its Pakistan Country Risk Report for the fourth quarter of the calendar year 2024.

  • SBP-held forex reserves surge by $18.6 million to $9.42 billion

    SBP-held forex reserves surge by $18.6 million to $9.42 billion

    The latest figures from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reveal a slight increase in the country’s foreign exchange reserves. During the week ending July 12, 2024, SBP’s reserves grew by $18.6 million, marking a 0.20 per cent rise to reach $9.42 billion.

    In parallel, Pakistan’s overall foreign reserves, including both SBP and commercial banks, increased by $58.8 million, or 0.40 per cent, totaling $14.7 billion.

    Commercial banks in Pakistan also saw a rise in their reserves, which grew by $40.2 million, or 0.77 per cent, reaching $5.28 billion.

    Since the start of the fiscal year, SBP’s reserves have grown by $34.2 million, reflecting a 0.36 per cent increase. Notably, in the current calendar year alone, reserves have surged by $1.2 billion, representing a notable 14.63 per cent rise.

    These developments signify positive momentum in Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves, contributing to a more stable economic outlook for the nation.

  • Fawad Khan talks about why Pakistani dramas are winning hearts in India

    Fawad Khan talks about why Pakistani dramas are winning hearts in India

    Pakistan’s TV dramas are well-known for telling powerful and realistic stories. They’re loved not just domestically but across the border in India too.

    Fawad Khan, one of the biggest stars in the industry, has a fair idea of why Pakistani dramas are as popular as they are. During an interview with Pinkvilla India, the superstar was asked by the host, “What do you think is the USP of Pakistan dramas that are hitting the right cord over here for the Indian audience?”

    Fawad replied, “We Pakistanis have always used drama as a medium to tell our stories, and that’s taught us the art of storytelling. We’ve learned how to weave a narrative, how to develop characters, and how to engage our audience. It’s a craft we’ve honed over the years, and we’re proud of our expertise in this field.”

    He continued to explain: “When we give something time, and the audience appreciates it, it means we are doing something right, just like Bollywood does in India.”

    The Barzakh actor said, “Indian writers are skilled at presenting their stories in an engaging way through films, owing to their experience in longer narrative formats. This preference for soaps over dramas on television has led to a decline in audience interest compared to previous times.”

  • Four nails, kidney missing from Arshad Sharif’s body: Javeria Siddiqui

    Four nails, kidney missing from Arshad Sharif’s body: Javeria Siddiqui

    Javeria Siddique, the widow of slain journalist Arshad Sharif, recently appeared on a podcast of the Naya Pakistan channel, recounting the harrowing details of Arshad’s ordeal before and after he left Pakistan in 2022.

    She stated that Arshad had been threatened in Pakistan with a “gunshot to the head.”

    Arshad Sharif fled the country in August 2022 to avoid arrest after he was slapped with multiple cases, including sedition charges, over an interview with Shahbaz Gill – a close aide of former Prime Minister Imran Khan – during which Gill passed comments that were perceived as provocation to mutiny.

    He was killed by local police in Kenya two months later, with controversies surrounding his cause of death.

    Javeria described the condition of his body, saying, “There were 18-19 wounds, four of his nails and a kidney was absent, ribs were broken.”

    Journalist Husnain asked her whether his kidney was taken in Kenya, to which, she replied with sorrow, “Whether they [Kenyan authorities] or these [Pakistani] authorities did, how would I know?”

    The Current talked with a medical doctor – who wishes to remain anonymous – currently working at CMH Lahore to inquire about the procedures involved in autopsies. He stated, “In criminal autopsies, it is not unusual to take some organs out of the body for further testing, but those organs are usually put back in. If, for some reason, the organ is kept for testing, then the authorities have to explicitly inform the family members of the deceased person.”

  • Pakistan becomes fifth most populous country

    Pakistan becomes fifth most populous country

    Pakistan has become the fifth most populous country in the world with a population of 241,490,000, according to the detailed results of the seventh and first digital census of Pakistan.

    A report released by the Institute of Statistics reveals that Pakistan has the fastest population growth rate in the region, at 2.55 per cent annually. The country has also emerged as one of the top 30 countries globally with rapid population growth, surpassed in growth rate by only 27 other nations.

    The report projects that if current trends persist, Pakistan’s population will double by 2050. It also highlights that 79 per cent of the population is under 40 years old, making Pakistan the country with the largest youth population in the world.

    Pakistan currently stands at fifth place in global population rankings. Balochistan has the highest population growth rate at 3.2 percent, followed by Sindh at 2.57 percent and Punjab at 2.53 percent. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has the lowest growth rate among provinces, with an annual increase of 2.38 percent.

    According to the report, 51.48 percent of population is male and 48.51 percent is female. Rural areas house 61.12 percent of the population, with only 39 percent residing in urban centres.

    In terms of urbanisation within provinces, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has the lowest urban population at 15 percent, while Sindh and Punjab have higher urbanisation rates of 54 percent and 52 percent respectively. About 31 percent of Balochistan’s population is currently living in cities.

    The report also indicates that 96.35 percent of Pakistan’s population is Muslim, with minorities making up 8.7 percent. Hindus constitute 44 percent of the minority population, while Christians account for 37.63 percent.