Category: Uncategorized

  • Senate chairman vote: ‘Govt will do whatever is necessary to win this time’

    Senate chairman vote: ‘Govt will do whatever is necessary to win this time’

    Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz has said that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will do whatever is necessary to ensure the victory of Sadiq Sanjrani in the Senate chairman election.

    Speaking in Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ as the country heads towards another critical vote following the government’s defeat at the hands of opposition alliance for Yousuf Raza Gilani’s election, the minister said the government would do whatever is required to win the Senate chairman slot.

    While responding to media reports about the government’s offer to JUI-F, Faraz said no formal offer has been made to Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri for the post of Senate deputy chairman, and neither it is possible.

    “The JUI-F is just raising the matter to gain importance,” he said.

    “Abdul Ghafoor Haideri came to meet us and we informally discussed these things while having food in the library,” he said, adding that the government also goes to Opposition senators for seeking votes in the Senate elections.

    To a question whether the Senate chairman would be elected by seeking votes, using power or using money, Faraz said the opposition always violates rules and uses money.
    “We are ready this time. It can’t happen that we play Sharif Sharif [morally] and do everything according to law. We would do everything necessary for winning,” Shibli said.

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    He added that it was not possible that the government remains unmoved, while the opposition uses every tactic for its benefit, which was witnessed in the Senate elections.
    Faraz said the government would not play “nicely” and would make every effort for the success of its candidate.

    “It’s not happening that the opposition is allowed to even touch the ball in a football game with hand, while the government just plays with the foot. Love begets love and vice versa,” he said.

    The minister, however, made it clear that he was not talking about using money in the Senate election.

  • Is Punjab Chief Minister Buzdar going home?

    Is Punjab Chief Minister Buzdar going home?

    Prime Minister Imran Khan dropped a hint at bringing major administrative changes in Punjab, a private media outlet reported. According to reports, the premier on Tuesday expressed reservations over the state of affairs in Punjab during an important meeting that was attended by senior party leaders. Reports said that before the meeting, PM Imran had an important discussion with Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Sardar Usman Buzdar.

    The meeting also discussed the election of chairman and deputy chairman of the Senate. The premier asked Defence Minister Pervez Khattak to get the support needed for the post of chairman and deputy chairman. The government has decided to take the allies into confidence for the post of Senate deputy chairman, reports claimed and added that the meeting also deliberated on giving the post of deputy chairman to any allied party.

    The performance of the Punjab government was also discussed in detail during the meeting chaired by the premier and attended by federal ministers except Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, senior government members and constitutional experts, as well as CM Buzdar. When contacted, a senior Punjab official told The Current that a major shuffle might soon be held in the province. They hinted at the possible removal of the provincial chief executive as well as the chief secretary.

    While PM’s digital media aide has rubbished these claims, rumour has it that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) CM might also soon be replaced.

    Meanwhile, journalist Muneeb Farooq has also cited sources as saying that the Punjab CM is not going anywhere.

  • Queen Elizabeth promises to address Harry, Meghan’s grievances

    Queen Elizabeth promises to address Harry, Meghan’s grievances

    Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday responded to explosive racism claims from her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, voicing deep concern and sympathising with their troubles with royal life.

    “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” said the head of the monarchy in a statement.

    “The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.

    “Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved family members,” it added.

    Buckingham Palace has come under mounting pressure to respond to the claims made in an Oprah Winfrey interview first broadcast on Sunday, which triggered a crisis unseen since the anguished days of Harry’s late mother, Diana, in the 1990s.

    It set off a whirl of speculation about the identity of the senior royal who asked how dark their child’s skin would be before he was born.

    Meghan, whose mother is black and father is white, also spoke about how she had suicidal thoughts, but failed to receive any support during her time in the royal family.

    Winfrey was left open-mouthed by the racism claim, which reportedly left the palace in turmoil and scrambling how best to address it. The host later clarified that the racist comment was neither made by the Queen nor her husband, Prince Philip.

    Prince Charles, Harry’s father and the heir to the throne, earlier ignored a question about what he made of the interview, as he made his first public appearance since the row erupted.

    The level of controversy about the royals has not been seen since the 1990s, during the very public collapse of the marriage of Harry’s parents. His mother, princess Diana, collaborated with the author Andrew Morton in a revealing 1992 biography and gave a bombshell BBC television interview in 1995.

    In it, she said both she and Prince Charles had been unfaithful, how he was unfit to be king, and that she felt isolated, struggling with self-harm and bulimia.

    Harry and Meghan dramatically quit royal life last year and now live in California with their young son, Archie, and are expecting their second child, a daughter, this summer.

  • ‘Timeless India in the heart of NYC’: Priyanka Chopra to open her own restaurant

    Priyanka Chopra is opening her own Indian restaurant in New York, with the name of ‘Sona’.

    Priyanka Chopra took to her Instagram account and shared the pictures from an intimate prayer ceremony that took place in 2019, to make the announcement.

    “Im thrilled to present to you SONA, a new restaurant in NYC that I poured my love for Indian food into. SONA is the very embodiment of timeless India and the flavours I grew up wit,” wrote Priyanka while making the announcement.

    “The kitchen is helmed by the incredible Chef Hari Nayak , a masterful talent, who has created the most delicious and innovative menu, taking you on a food journey through my amazing country.”

    Priyanka also added: “SONA is opening later this month, and I can’t wait to see you there.”

    She thanked her team members saying, “This endeavour would not have been possible without the leadership of my friends Maneesh Goyal and David Rabin. Thank you to our designer Melissa Bowers and the rest of the team for realizing this vision so clearly.”

    She concluded: “The second and third photos were taken in September 2019 when we performed a small intimate Puja (prayer ceremony) to bless the space that would soon become Sona Godspeed.”

    “Timeless India in the heart of NYC” the description of the restaurant say. As per the information available the restaurant will open its doors in late march.

  • Withdrawn PTI candidate Abdul Qadir welcomed to party by PM Khan

    Newly elected Senator from Balochistan, Abdul Qadir, joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday. Qadir was elected as an independent candidate with the support of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP). Defence Minister Pervez Khattak and Saifullah Nyazee were also part of the meeting.

    It should be noted that PTI had withdrawn the party ticket awarded to business tycoon Abdul Qadir in Balochistan for the Senate election after strong opposition from the PTI provincial leadership and zonal heads. PTI awarded its Senate ticket to Syed Zahoor Agha. Later, when Abdul Qadir contested the Senate election as an independent candidate with the joint support of BAP and the government, PTI’s Zahoor Agha withdrew his nomination papers.

  • US bars Turkey from delivering combat helicopters to Pakistan

    US bars Turkey from delivering combat helicopters to Pakistan

    The United States (US) of America has blocked the supply of 30 Turkish-made ATAK helicopters to Pakistan, as per the statement by Ibrahim Kalin, Press Secretary to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

    “The move is made to create pressure to stop Turkey from buying the Russian S-400 missile system, but the tender is likely to go to China,” he added.

    He further said that “The United States has blocked our planned sale of combat helicopters to Pakistan. This will likely lead to the fact that the tender in question will go to China, and the losers will be the United States.”

    Kalin revealed that Turkey had bought the Russian S-400 because America had refused to supply Patriot air defense systems to Ankara on favorable terms.

    The value of this contract is nearly $1.5 billion, and this contract was the largest one-time supply defence deal in history. Pakistan and Turkey had signed a deal for the supply of 30 ATAK helicopters in 2018.

    However, the move to block the supply of American weapons to Turkey has delayed the implementation of the contract as ATAK helicopters use 800-4A engines manufactured by the American company LHTEC.

    As a counter move, Turkey has announced that it will develop its helicopter engines, and has decided to continue the S-400 purchase from Russia.

  • Bangladesh’s first transgender newsreader breaks down into tears after debut on national TV

    Bangladesh’s first transgender newsreader breaks down into tears after debut on national TV

    Bangladesh’s first transgender news presenter made her debut on national television on Monday after which she broke down into tears.

    As per reports, there are almost 1.5 million transgender people in Bangladesh, who face severe discrimination and violence and are often left to live by begging, sex trade or crime.

    The experience of Tashnuva Anan Shishir, who delivered the three-minute news bulletin on the private Boishakhi TV was historic.

    Born Kamal Hossain Shishir, she learnt in her early teens she was trapped in a man’s body. She says she was sexually assaulted and bullied for years.

    “The bullying was so unbearable I attempted suicide four times. My father stopped talking to me for years,” said Shishir.

    “When I couldn’t cope with it any more, I left home … I couldn’t stand the neighbours telling my father about how I should act or walk in a masculine way.”

    She escaped her home in a southern coastal district to live alone in the capital Dhaka and then in the central city of Narayanganj.

    There she went through the hormone therapy. She did jobs working for charities and acted in theatres, while continuing her studies.

    In January she was the first transgender person to study for a master’s in public health at the James P Grant School of Public Health in Dhaka.

    Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government has since 2013 allowed trans people to be identified as a separate gender and in 2018 they were given the right to vote as a third gender.

    Shishir’s broadcast coincided with International Women’s Day and followed a series of steps by public and private firms to overcome deep-seated prejudices against the community.

    Julfikar Ali Manik, a spokesperson for Boishakhi TV said the channel was determined to give Shishir an opportunity to prove herself despite the risk of backlash from some viewers in the conservative country. Her debut marked a “historic step,” he added.

    Shishir said she approached other channels for the auditions but only Boishakhi was “brave enough to take me in.”

    Ahead of going live for Monday’s broadcast she was terrified, she expressed, but managed to get the better of her fears.

    “I tried to think of stage dramas I’ve performed in and follow techniques I’ve learned there. But I was shaking inside,” she said.

    “I don’t want any members of the (transgender) community to suffer. I don’t want them to live a miserable life. I hope they will find work according to their skills,” she said.

  • ‘Will quit post if allegations over number of votes secured by PM proved’: Asad Qaiser

    ‘Will quit post if allegations over number of votes secured by PM proved’: Asad Qaiser

    Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser has said that he will resign if the opposition’s allegations regarding the number of votes Prime Minister Imran Khan secured in the vote of confidence turn out to be true.

    Qaiser said that he is willing to challenge that not even a single vote was wrong. “Without my vote and [Faisal] Vawda’s, the numbers were 178.”

    Speaker National Assembly also said that we need to strengthen democracy and lead to stability. 

    PM Khan won a crucial vote of confidence on Saturday.

  • ECP rejects PTI petition seeking stop on Gilani notification

    ECP rejects PTI petition seeking stop on Gilani notification

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking to stop the notification of newly-elected Senator Yousaf Raza Gilani.

    According to reports, the election watchdog sought amendments to the petition.

    Last Wednesday, Gilani, who was fielded as a joint candidate of the 11-party Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on a technocrat seat from Islamabad, defeated Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh in Senate elections in a major setback to the government. He received 169 votes to the latter’s 164.

    On Saturday, three PTI leaders — Farrukh Habib, Maleeka Bokhari, and Kanwal Shauzab — approached the election commission to halt the issuance of the victory notification for Gilani until a probe into a contentious video, showing the former prime minister’s son Ali Haider Gilani explaining to MPs how to waste their votes, is completed.

    In another petition filed on Monday, the trio sought an early hearing of the case which was earlier scheduled for March 11 — a day before the election for the office of Senate chairman.

    “The matter is extremely important as a senator elected with corrupt practices is now aspiring to become the chairman of Senate,” the petition said.

    “It is a matter of utmost importance, which will have far-reaching consequences.”

    “The election of Yousuf Raza Gilani has been a rare incident in the national political history,” the request further said.

    “Hopefully, the election commission will hear the matter urgently, as it heard the issue related to [the] by-election in NA-75, Daska.”

    “The issuance of the notification should be stopped till the action on the video scandal is completed,” the petition said.

    The video, which had emerged hours before legislators across the country were set to go to Senate elections, showed Ali Gilani explaining to MPs how to cancel their votes. In a press conference, Ali Gilani accepted that he was in the leaked video, but denied he was engaging in a deal to buy votes for his father.

    A separate video clip showed Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah assuring four MPs of getting paid “over and above” the agreed amount and also resolve all issues from the provincial government.

    The person, who was seen finalising the deal, told Shah that all the four were “sold” and, in return, Shah also assured the legislators that all the tasks of his “brothers” were now his own responsibility.

  • VIDEO: Daren Sammy plays tape ball on the streets of Lahore

    VIDEO: Daren Sammy plays tape ball on the streets of Lahore

    Peshawar Zalmi Head Coach Daren Sammy was spotted playing cricket with locals on the roads of Lahore.

    After the abrupt end of the PSL 2021 due to an outbreak of COVID-19, Sammy is also an honorary citizen of Pakistan, opted to stay back in the country and experience it as a tourist. And one of those experiences include playing street cricket.

    In a video posted on Peshawar Zalmi’s official account, the former West Indies player can be seen playing tape-ball cricket.

    “Peshawar Zalmi Head Coach Daren Sammy stops on his way to play cricket with young cricketers in Lahore,” read the caption.

    https://twitter.com/PeshawarZalmi/status/1368943213961240579?s=20

    As soon as the former West Indies captain came out of his car, he was given a rousing welcome by the locals.

    The Zalmi head coach could be seen enjoying the few balls he played and even called for a free hit when he got a ball above the waist.

    Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi also thanked him for his contribution to portray Pakistan as a welcoming and peaceful country.

    “Thank you brother. Pakistan is indebted for your contribution,” wrote Afridi.

    Sharing pictures, Sammy said: “Played some street tape ball cricket earlier in Lahore. Where’s next?”

    Earlier, Afridi hosted a dinner in honour of Sammy and South African cricket great Hashim Amla. Captain of Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Wahab Riaz and Kamran Akmal were also present at the feast.