Category: Uncategorized

  • Asad Umar defends Tarin’s alleged audio leak, Miftah asks Tarin to quit politics

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Asad Umar along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Finance Minister Taimur Jhagra held a press conference following the alleged audio leak between former federal minister Shaukat Tarin and provincial finance ministers.

    Earlier in the day, an audio was leaked in which Tarin allegedly asked Punjab Finance Minister Mohsin Leghari and KP Finance Minister Taimur Jhagra to write letters withdrawing from the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) deal.

    Umar said Tarin had asked both provincial finance ministers to request the federal government to renegotiate the IMF agreement due to the recent floods and the devastation caused both in KP and Punjab.

    “Can anyone say this isn’t good advice?”

    Umar accused the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) of acting against the state’s interest and international commitments by voting and speaking out against legislation related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and IMF agreement during PTI’s tenure.

    He said that Tarin, as a former finance minister, had every right to “give advice” to Jhagra and Leghari. “There is nothing wrong in Tarin speaking to Jhagra and Leghari on the phone and giving advice.”

    “If Jhagra felt that there was something wrong in it, then he would not have brought himself before the nation,” he added.

    Taking a jibe at the government, Umar posed a question: “Tell me if you are asking money from foreign governments, then why can’t you ask the IMF to give us space this year to use our money for flood-related expenses?”

    ‘Bring Khan to power but not at the cost of Pakistan’: Miftah Ismail

    Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said that Shaukat Tarin should leave politics and “Asad Umar and Taimur Jhagra should be ashamed of themselves”.

    “Imran Khan should ask the nation for forgiveness. Taimur Jhagra should resign and Shaukat Tarin should quit politics. Is this why you do politics?”

    He termed the PTI’s move the “most shameful thing”, saying that the real faces of PTI leaders have now been exposed.

    Referring to the IMF Executive Board meeting, which is set for today (August 29), Miftah said that by the will of God, the country will hear good news tonight after the IMF approves the pending tranche.

    Miftah Ismail also asked PTI supporters to question party Chairman Khan about whether the letter Jhagra wrote was in the state’s interest. “Do support Imran but tell him he is not bigger than Pakistan. Bring him to power but not at the cost of Pakistan.”

    “When they are writing letters against Pakistan’s interest, it is your responsibility to say no. Consider Pakistan’s interest to be sacred. If Pakistan’s interest is not sacred to a person, he is not fit to govern the country.”

  • IK back on live TV: High Court suspends ban on IK’s speeches

    IK back on live TV: High Court suspends ban on IK’s speeches

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday (August 29) suspended the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (PEMRA) recent notification that banned television channels from airing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s live speeches.

    IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah suspended the notification till September 5 after hearing the arguments and issued notices to the regulatory authority and Attorney-General of Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali.

    The IHC chief justice said that PEMRA “does not have the authority” to issue such notifications.

    Justice Minallah asked Imran’s counsel if he defended Imran’s comments.

    “Can judges be threatened like this,” he asked, recalling the human rights violations that took place in the last three years.

    “I am saying this with a heavy heart that judges should not have been threatened. It is disappointing that the [incumbent] government is doing exactly what happened in the last three years,” he said.

    Justice Minallah pointed out that a woman judge was threatened. “Did your leader not say that he won’t spare her? If they had said something like this about me, it would have been fine […] But a woman judge?”

    The PEMRA ban was issued on August 21 after Imran Khan threatened Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, DIG and IG Islamabad.

    Imran Khan is set to host a telethon today (August 29) to appeal for funds for the flood affectees.

  • ‘Bhai tera chakka nahi bhulay ga’: Momin Saqib meets Hardik Pandya

    ‘Bhai tera chakka nahi bhulay ga’: Momin Saqib meets Hardik Pandya

    Pakistani cricket fan, Momin Saqib, who rose to fame for his “maaro mujhe maaro” reaction video after Pakistan’s World Cup loss to India in 2019, posted a couple of videos on Twitter where he is meeting Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli after the India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2022 match in Dubai.

    “Bhai tera chakka nahi bhulay ga!”

    In the video, he can be seen greeting Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya after the match.

    With an unbeaten innings of 33 runs on 17 balls, Hardik Pandya led India to victory with a maximum on the third last ball of the game. In addition, he took 3 wickets and bowled some vicious short deliveries that held Pakistan to 147 runs.

    Saqib praised Pandya for winning and expressed excitement for the India-Pakistan final on September 11.

    He can be seen meeting Virat Kohli in another video. “Good to see him back in form,” he wrote. “What a game tonight! Shall see you in the Final!”

    Kohli responded to Saqib’s “congratulations” on the victory by saying, “Eh ta chalda rehnda aa, tusi vi ta nairray aagaye si” (It is a part of the game. You guys also came very close).

    Pakistan will play its second game at the Asia Cup against Hong Kong on September 2 (Friday) at 7pm.

  • ‘Cancel your political engagements’: Nawaz Sharif directs party to help flood victims

    ‘Cancel your political engagements’: Nawaz Sharif directs party to help flood victims

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif urged the nation and directed his party leaders to come forward and help the flood affectees.

    “I will also request all PML-N MNAs and MPAs to cancel their political and other engagements and put all your energies into helping the flood victims,” said Sharif on Sunday (August 28).

    He highlighted that thousands of people have died and millions are left homeless and repeatedly urged the people to help the victims generously.

    Nawaz has also appealed to set up relief camps for flood affectees and has asked to provide them with tents to ensure shelter.

    Nawaz praised his brother Shehbaz Sharif’s efforts as prime minister who “has completely focused on providing relief to the victims and has cancelled all of his engagements”.

    “Together PM Shehbaz and Maryam will hold the hands of all affectees,” he added.

    The government warned on Sunday that the number of people affected by the devastating floods may cross 33 million.

    The death toll due to floods across Pakistan has reached 1,061.

    Maryam Nawaz visited Taunsa today (Monday) to meet the flood victims.

    https://twitter.com/pmln_org/status/1564183626471931904?s=20&t=BcJm6g7Pwx1zuB6R_nedqA

  • Leaked audio: PTI’s Shaukat Tarin allegedly advising finance ministers in Punjab, KP to sabotage IMF deal

    Leaked audio: PTI’s Shaukat Tarin allegedly advising finance ministers in Punjab, KP to sabotage IMF deal

    In a leaked audio, former Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin allegedly asked Punjab Finance Minister Mohsin Leghari and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Taimur Jhagra to write letters withdrawing from the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) deal.

    ‘You need to say now that we will not be able to honour our commitment’: Shaukat Tarin

    In one leaked audio, Tarin can be heard asking Leghari to tell the IMF that the commitment Punjab made was pre-floods and now the province “cannot honour it” due to massive losses caused by the floods.

    Tarin told Leghari to draft a letter and send it to him for review so it could be sent to the federal government and later on to the IMF representative in Pakistan.

    “You have signed a Rs750 billion [surplus] commitment with the IMF. You now need to tell them that the commitment you made was before the floods, and now [Punjab] has to spend a lot of funds for [the] floods [rehabilitation].”

    “You need to say now that ‘we will not be able to honour our commitment’,” Tarin said.

    The former FM further told Leghari that this is all he [Imran Khan] wants – for pressure to increase on the incumbent government.

    Leghari questioned if this move will affect the state and will Pakistan as a state suffer if the Punjab government does what is being asked to do so?

    “Well, frankly isn’t the state already suffering because of the way they are treating your chairman [Imran Khan] and everybody else? IMF will definitely ask them: where will you get the money from now?” Tarin responded.

    Tarin further said that the party could not bear being mistreated. “We cannot be blackmailed,” Tarin said.

    “This is what was decided yesterday, however, whether we will be releasing this to IMF or not we will ask the chairman,” revealed the former FM.

    ‘By the way, this is a blackmailing tactic’: Taimur Jhagra

    In another leaked audio conversation between Tarin and Jhagra, Tarin asked Jhagra if he had written the letter.

    “I am on the way. I have the previous letter. I will send the letter to you after drafting it,” replied Jhagra.

    Read more: Jhagra responds after Miftah accuses KP govt of jeopardising IMF deal

    “First point [of the letter] would be that we need huge financial aid for restoration of infrastructure and rehabilitation of flood affectees,” Tarin tells the KP finance minister.

    “By the way, this is a blackmailing tactic,” he admitted.

    PTI’s finance minister in KP, Jhagra further said that he knows the number two guy at IMF and he can send the letter to him. He also revealed that he had been in contact with the IMF person and that he had been getting information from him.

    Read more: IMF Executive Board meeting to discuss revival of loan plan today

    It is pertinent to mention here that the IMF executive board will meet today (August 29), to discuss the bailout plan for Pakistan.

    The 8th and 9th tranches, totaling over $1.2 billion, are anticipated to be disbursed with board approval.

  • Pakistan is drowning. Why don’t we care until it’s too late?

    Floods in Pakistan have affected more than 30 million people, which is about 15 per cent of the country’s population. More than a thousand people have lost their lives and millions have been displaced, prompting the government to proclaim a national emergency. This is one of the worst natural calamities in recent times. The harrowing videos and pictures on our television screens and social media show massive devastation, pain, tears, and death spread across the country. Entire villages have been washed away, and there are places that have been fully drenched due to the inundated rain and floods, turning them into islands without any access to the outside world. There are places without electricity, without internet, without phone data, without roads, and without food and help. What Pakistan witnessed in the 2010 floods is not even close to what the country is facing today. A decade later, the country is fully swamped with water. Unfortunately, we the people woke up a little too late to this harsh reality. With every passing day, the death toll increases and so does the destruction.

    The national response has been slow, to say the least, but mercifully all governments, federal and provincial, are actively helping the flood victims. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been actively visiting the flood-affected areas and trying to be at the top of his game by showing empathy towards the needy and has categorically said that it is time Pakistanis show unity and keep everything aside to save the flood victims while Chairman PTI Imran Khan will be hosting a telethon for fundraising on Monday. However, Khan has said that the PTI’s movement for Haqeeqi Azadi will continue alongside its flood relief work. PTI held a jalsa in Jehlum for its fight for haqeeqi azadi on August 27. A PTI member took to the stage and said that overseas Pakistanis should not give funds to the flood victims because the present government took away their right to vote. Khan also reiterated that his struggle against thieves will continue whether come what may. Such calamities demand a bipartisan approach from our leaders but well here too we have managed to fail our country. Khan seems pretty adamant that his quest against those he does not approve of will continue, even if there is a flood or war. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that the Opposition can keep playing “jalsa, jalsa” while they will deal with the flood catastrophe.

    The question remains: will the politicians be able to let their politics take a backseat for now and show some empathy towards their own citizens? Can’t politics, the numbers game, and the blame game wait? For once, our politicians should look beyond their own personal interests and agendas and stand united. Our politicians must give priority to those millions of people who have been affected by floods. It is time that all Pakistanis must donate wholeheartedly. The people need to be prompt with their help and generosity. We hope that partisan politics is put on hold, and all political leaders fully dedicate their voices and efforts to helping the flood victims. They need to be rescued right now and relief efforts must continue. They will later need to be rehabilitated and relocated. It will take a lot of resources and hard work. We must all come together to help them right now. Our political battles can wait.

  • ‘Only Yes means Yes’: Spain passes new law that requires explicit consent for sex

    ‘Only Yes means Yes’: Spain passes new law that requires explicit consent for sex

    Spain’s lower house of parliament passed legislation on Thursday requiring explicit consent for sex rather than consent that might be inferred from silence or by default.
    The legislation was passed on Thursday with 205 lawmakers voting in favour and 141 against.
    The law “Only Yes means Yes”, defines rape as sex without clear consent.

    “Consent is recognised only when a person has freely demonstrated it through actions which, in the context of the circumstances of the case, clearly express the person’s will,” says the law.

    The new law also sets fines for street harassment and for sharing intimate images and videos of a person without their consent.

    It was proposed by the country’s Socialist government after the high-profile “Wolfpack” gang-rape incident in Pamplona in 2016 prompted widespread protests.
    An 18-year-old woman was gang-raped by five men at the bull-running festival in Pamplona, northern Spain.

    In court, it was argued that video footage from the men’s phones, which showed the woman motionless and with her eyes closed during the attack, was proof of her consent.

    The men were convicted guilty of sexual abuse but not of rape because the woman was unable to prove that she had not given consent.

  • ‘Feroze is not my inspiration’: Haroon Kadwani breaks silence on comparison Feroze Khan

    ‘Feroze is not my inspiration’: Haroon Kadwani breaks silence on comparison Feroze Khan

    Actor Haroon Kadwani is currently riding high on the success of his telefilm Ruposh. However the young star is often compared with Feroze Khan, in terms of his looks and craft.

    Haroon reacted to these comparisons in his recent interview with a digital magazine.

    Haroon looks like Feroze

    “As far as resemblance goes, that’s natural, I can’t do anything about it,” Haroon shares his thoughts. “But in terms of acting, Feroze is not my inspiration. However, for me, it is an honor to be compared to such an established star like Feroze Khan,” he said.

    Netizens recently gave polarising response to his viral dancing video.

    On the work front, Kadwani has starred in Ruposh, Teri Meri Kahani and Flirting Ke Side Effects.

  • KP to open govt buildings for flood victims: CM Mahmood Khan

    Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Mahmood Khan has announced to open all the government buildings for the flood victims.

    According to Provincial Minister for Higher Education Kamran Khan Bangash, colleges, libraries and all higher education offices located in the flood-affected areas have been opened for the flood affectees.

    CM Khan will also pay a visit to flood-hit areas of Swat and Lower Dir today, a tweet from PTI’s official handle said.

    He will assess the damage caused by the floods and overview the relief efforts underway.

    The province witnessed another day of deaths on Saturday as three casualties have been reported today. The authorities in Nowshera renewed their call for evacuations amid a “very high flood” in the Kabul River.

    In KP, many hotels are also offering their services to accommodate displaced people.

    According to the latest statistics, nearly 1,000 people, including 300 children, have lost their lives because of floods. The devastating crisis has also impacted nearly 33 million people – almost 15 per cent of the country’s population.

    The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) tweeted that damages to optical fibre cables and power outages have been reported in some areas of KP.

    “PTA is monitoring the situation closely. Work is underway to fully restore services,” it said.

    More than 100 districts across four provinces have been hit by the floods. Balochistan’s capital Quetta isolated from the rest of the country as many highways and bridges have been swept away. Telephone and internet services were also disrupted in several parts of Balochistan due to damage caused by torrential rains.

    PM Shehbaz visits Sindh today

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif visited Faqirani Jat, Oplano, and other flood-affected areas of district Sajawal in Sindh province today (Saturday) to review the situation. Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah also accompanied the PM.

    COAS to visit flood-hit areas of Balochistan and Sindh today

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa will visit flood-hit areas of Balochistan and Sindh today. The army chief will get the latest update on the ground and meet the troops busy in rescue and relief efforts.

  • Celebrities express shock, dismay on flood crises in Pakistan, request for donations

    Celebrities express shock, dismay on flood crises in Pakistan, request for donations

    Unprecedented rainfall over the last few weeks has wreaked havoc across Pakistan since June and left destruction in their wake, with no respite for people as rivers continue to overrun, resulting in flash floods.

    Official statistics show that 982 people have been killed in rain and flood-related incidents, while more than 5.7 million people have been affected.

    While South Punjab and parts of Swat are going through a disastrous period, the entirety of Balochistan and Sindh is alarming. It is reported that hundreds of people have died as a result of buildings entirely submerging in water.

    In light of the ongoing situation, celebrities and sports personalities have called on the nation to donate generously to provide some measure of relief to the affected people.

    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan
    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan
    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan

    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan
    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan
    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan

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    Celebrities Appeal For Donations As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan

    In light of the ongoing situation, celebrities and sports personalities have called on the nation to donate generously to provide some measure of relief to the affected people.