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  • UNESCO declares Lahore a ‘City of Literature’

    UNESCO declares Lahore a ‘City of Literature’

    The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has declared Lahore the ‘City of Literature’ making it the first city in the country to have received this title.

    In a ceremony held at the Alhamra Art Center’s Burney Garden, government officials including Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and UNESCO director spoke about the importance of Lahore as a center of learning and warmth. According to a report in Dawn News, Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar was also supposed to attend the event but could not make it due to prior commitments. 

    Speaking at the event, UNESCO Director Patricia Mcphillips said: “[Lahore] has a rich vibrant culture and is now in the network of cities recognised by Unesco for its literary status.”

    On the other hand, Dr Awan, speaking at the event, said that it was a historic day for the people of Lahore as the city would now be globally known as the ‘City of Literature’. Dr Firdous said that “Lahore is the city of flowers, monuments, writers and Sufi saints”, adding that the government would take special measures to celebrate Lahore’s status by organising literary activities round the year.

    “We have to revive Lahore’s culture related to literary sittings and poetic symposiums,” remarked Dr Firdous.

    A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was also signed between the Lahore Arts Council and UNESCO at the occasion.

    Earlier in November 2019, UNESCO included Lahore in its list of cities that have been designated as Unesco Creative Cities. A total of 66 cities were selected for 2019’s list.

  • Justice Isa holds referendum on country’s press freedom situation in court; no hands raised

    Justice Isa holds referendum on country’s press freedom situation in court; no hands raised

    Supreme Court’s (SC) Justice Qazi Faez Isa has expressed serious concerns over the press freedom situation in Pakistan, holding a referendum on freedom of press in his court.

    “Tell me… is media free in Pakistan?” Justice Isa asked the attorney general while hearing the case regarding local government elections with Justice Maqbool Baqir.

    The top court judge asked the reporters present in the courtroom to raise their hands if media was free in the country. Even though a number of media persons were present, nobody raised their hands.

    At this, Justice Isa said, “The people who are behind curbs on media must go to jails.”

    “The country is systematically being damaged. The poor are crying,” he added.

    Justice Baqir, on the other hand, remarked that a judge should avoid discussing such things but for how long could one remain silent on a situation such as the prevailing one. “It is not an ideal situation.”

    Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) submitted schedule of local bodies elections to the court.

    The election watchdog, in its reply to the apex court, stated that local government polls will be held in Punjab on July 20 while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Cantonment Boards will hold the election on April 8.

    The commission further said that decision regarding date of the elections in Sindh and Balochistan will be taken on February 11.

    Last Thursday, the top court had asked the ECP to furnish a comprehensive reply within a week on holding the polls.

  • VIDEO: Indian official drinks hand sanitizer instead of water

    VIDEO: Indian official drinks hand sanitizer instead of water

    An Indian official accidentally drank hand sanitizer mistaking it for a bottle of water at a public meeting.

    According to details, Ramesh Pawar was at a budget committee hearing in Mumbai on Wednesday when he sat down and took a sip from a bottle placed at the table.

    He took a sip but a person around him hurried to warn him that it was hand sanitiser. The official instantly noticed his mistake and spat out the sanitiser while others at the meeting rushed to help him and gave him a bottle of water.

    In another such incident, at least 12 children were hospitalized after they were given hand sanitiser drops instead of oral polio vaccine drops in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

  • SRK reportedly gearing up to be the first Bollywood hero to perform stunt on Burj Khalifa

    SRK reportedly gearing up to be the first Bollywood hero to perform stunt on Burj Khalifa

    Shah Rukh Khan is reportedly gearing up to perform a hi-octane action sequence inside the world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa. The stunt is expected to be part of his upcoming spy thriller Pathan.

    According to reports, this is the first time a Bollywood film will be shot at the iconic building.

    “The idea is to go one notch above what’s already done so far,” stated the report, quoting a source. “Apart from [Tom Cruise’s] Mission Impossible and the Fast and Furious franchise, not many films have been shot inside Burj Khalifa. Pathan will be among the first few Indian films (probably the first) to have actual visuals of the tower from inside.”

    “A big-scale action scene centred around Burj Khalifa is in the offing from the team of Pathan,” added the source.

    Sharing details about the scene, the report said: “It is a prolonged action sequence designed by an international stunt team, and one can expect spectacular visuals on the screen. It’s a culmination of [director] Siddharth Anand, [producer] Aditya Chopra, and SRK’s vision, to shoot a massive action scene at Burj Khalifa.”

    “Don’t be surprised if you find SRK fighting on the top of the tower just like Tom Cruise when you watch Pathan on the big screen,” added the report. “However, all the details of this Burj Khalifa fight scene have been kept under wraps. It’s a car, bike, guns, blasts, hand to hand combats – get ready for action, that’s sleek and stylish.”

    Featuring Deepika Padukone and John Abraham besides SRK, Pathan is being directed by Anand [Salaam Namaste, War, Bang Bang!]. Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan are reported to make cameo appearances in the film.

    Pathan also marks SRK’s return to the big screen after a hiatus of more than two years. His last release was Zero in 2018 which was a commercial and box-office flop. It is also being reported that Khan is going all out for his upcoming film and was also spotted sporting a new look for it. It is expected to release at the end of 2021.

    Read more – Shah Rukh Khan promises fans a surprise for 2021

    Last year in November, Burj Khalifa was illuminated to honour SRK on his birthday on November 2. The message: “Happy birthday to the King of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan” was displayed on the building with the song  Dhoom Tana, from his film Om Shanti Om playing in the background.

  • Man sues tailor for not delivering sister’s bridal dress on time

    Man sues tailor for not delivering sister’s bridal dress on time

    A man in Lahore sued a local dress designer for not delivering his sister’s bridal dress on time. He demanded Rs1 million in damages from the tailor, claiming that the family had to buy another dress for the ceremony at the last minute and suffered mental trauma because of it.

    As per reports, the court has set the case for hearing and has summoned the defendant on March 6 to submit his version on the matter.

    In his complaint, the man accused the tailor of not delivering his sister’s bridal dress on time due to which the family’s stress doubled with awaiting wedding and then they had to buy a ready-made bridal dress following severe mental stress.

    Earlier in a similar incident in Karachi, a man approached a consumer court seeking action against a shop owner who allegedly sold his wife a pair of poor quality shoes.

    The claimant stated that his wife bought a pair of shoes from a shop at Tariq Road worth Rs1,600. One piece of the pair broke into two pieces in a few days. The man also added that the shoes were his wife’s favourite ones.

  • Here’s why you were stuck in traffic in Lahore despite South Africa playing Test in Rawalpindi

    Massive jams in major parts of Lahore on Thursday spelt misery for citizens on the second consecutive day with little or no public knowledge regarding the jams except assumptions that the South African cricket team was in town.

    According to the details of the jam, the city’s arteries, including Jail Road, Canal Bank Road and The Mall, remained blocked for traffic as contingents of police and rangers barred motorists from movement on the said roads.

    As a result, all routes leading to the aforementioned major roads also remained choked with traffic jams in Shadman, Shah Jamal, Gulberg, Mozang, Upper & Lower Mall, Lytton Road, Liberty Chowk, Kalma Chowk and Davis Road among other adjoining areas.

    But what could have been the cause, especially when the South African team is currently playing its second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi?

    Well, a separate Proteas T20 squad arrived in Lahore on Wednesday for three-match series against the Green Shirts.

    Security before the movement of the team was beefed up in the Punjab capital and the guests were shifted to the hotel in the fully escorted motorcade.

    Heinrich Klaasen will lead the South Africa squad in the three fixtures which will be played on February 11, 13, and 14. The first practice session is scheduled for Friday.

    The series will start at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on February 11, and so, the current traffic situation is likely to prevail until February 15, after which the Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches could add to motorists’ woes.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bat in the second and final Test in Rawalpindi against South Africa on Thursday.

    Pakistan retained the playing XI which won the first Test by seven wickets inside four days at Karachi last week.

  • Five KP policemen suspended for beating up women suspects

    Five KP policemen suspended for beating up women suspects

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief Sanaullah Abbasi has suspended five police officials after their video beating up three women, accused of robbery, in Swat went viral on Wednesday.

    According to Express Tribune, the women who were detained by the Saidu Sharif police for alleged robbery were slapped and kicked in broad daylight by the police officials, including the SHO, as they were bundled into a police vehicle. An ASHO of the Kokarai Police Station was also among the suspended policemen.

    According to the report, suspended cops are: SHO Police Station Saidu Sharif SI Rafiullah, ASHO Police Station Kokarai SI Ayaz Ahmad and constables Muhammad Alam, Ishaq, and Fazal Khaliq.

    KP Inspector General Dr Sanaullah Abbasi reportedly arrested the three SHOs involved in the incident. “Respecting women is important in Peshawar. The investigation against the women who allegedly stole is underway but no one is allowed to take the law into their own hands,” the KP IG stated.

    KP CM Mahmood Khan also took notice of the violence against the suspects and ordered an inquiry into the incident. “The incident of public violence against women by the police is intolerable,” the chief minister said in a statement.

  • Indians lose it after an old picture of Rihanna with Zulfi Bukhari surfaces

    Indians lose it after an old picture of Rihanna with Zulfi Bukhari surfaces

    Rihanna on Tuesday created a flutter in India by wading into months-long farmer protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agricultural reforms. Tens of thousands of young and old farmers have blocked roads leading into New Delhi for more than two months, sheltering in tractors from the cold.

    A tractor rally by farmers last week in New Delhi turned violent. Police responded by shutting down the internet, digging ditches, driving nails into roads and topping barricades with razor wire to prevent farmers from entering the capital again.

    “Why aren’t we talking about this?!” Rihanna said in a Twitter post, sharing a CNN article on the demonstrations with her 101 million followers on the platform, using the hashtag #FarmersProtest.

    Rihanna’s tweets triggered an online storm in India, with Indians claiming that Rihanna is an ‘ISI agent’. To make matters worse, an old picture of Zulfi and Rihanna surfaced on social media further convincing Indians that the star is backed by Pakistan.

    https://twitter.com/pushpendra__kul/status/1356742818811637762?s=20

    https://twitter.com/razaikvillan/status/1356691985713795075?s=20

    What’s interesting is that most of the tweets have the same text indicating that they are part of a online campaign against the singer.

    While it is not clear when the picture of Zulfi and Rihanna was taken, reports indicate that it was taken in September 2018.

    Later, Zulfi also lauded Rihanna for raising her voice, saying: “Well said and well done.”

    Meanwhile, India’s government has bristled at international remarks on the protests, calling them an “internal matter”.

    In an official statement, the foreign ministry said that the celebrities needed “a proper understanding of the issues”.

    “The temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible,” read the statement, with the hashtags #IndiaTogether and #IndiaAgainstPropaganda.

    “We would like to emphasise that these protests must be seen in the context of India’s democratic ethos and polity, and the efforts of the Government and the concerned farmer groups to resolve the impasse,” it added.

    The Indian government has also activated its PR machinery with several Bollywood bigwigs including Karan Johar, Ajay Devgn and Suniel Shetty and cricketers urging their Indian followers not to let anyone divide the country or fall for “false propaganda”.

    https://twitter.com/karanjohar/status/1356897467850059780?s=20

  • Newsletter- 3rd February 2021, Tuesday

    Newsletter- 3rd February 2021, Tuesday









    *|MC:SUBJECT|*

    Hey, Good morning *|MERGE1|*. It’s Laila from The Current. It’s the 3rd of February. Wednesday is halfway through the work week, so don’t stress out too much about work, be happy, be crazy, be silly and don’t forget to smile :). The weather will be sunny and cloudy in Quetta and Peshawar, whereas it will be pleasant and sunny in Karachi and residents of Lahore and Islamabad are expected to enjoy some rain. 

    Morning Meme

    Kashmala’s Tariq husband in custody after ‘reckless’ driving kills four in Islamabad

    Four people were killed while another was injured after a vehicle reportedly driven by the son of Federal Ombudsperson Kashmala Tariq rammed into a Mehran car on Kashmir Highway after it jumped a red light. Check the story below for details. 

    Read on

    ‘Get vaccinated at your own risk,’ Punjab health minister tells people

    As Pakistan is all set to kick off its vaccination campaign, Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid has implied that the government won’t be responsible for the potential adverse effects of the coronavirus vaccines

    Read on

    Pakistan’s Diana Baig shortlisted for ICC award

    In a tweet, the ICC shared a photo of the Gwadar cricket stadium, asking people if they have seen “a more picturesque sports venue”.

    Read On

    CM Punjab reportedly orders removal of Iqbal statue in Lahore park

    Allama Iqbal ke statue ki picture viral honay ke baad Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has reportedly ordered the removal of Allama Iqbal’s sculpture built by the gardeners of Lahore’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park. 

    Read On

    Mahira Khan turns producer with web series ‘Baarwan Khiladi

    After acing pretty much everything else, Mahira Khan is stepping into production with a web series titled Baarwan Khiladi. The actor has set up a production house Soulfry Films with her dear friend and producer Nina Kashif. 
     

    Read On

    Naumaan Ijaz says artists nowadays are forced to work like donkeys
     

    In a recent interview with filmmaker Rafay Rashdi, the actor candidly discussed and shed light on issues and problems faced by actors and producers of the entertainment industry. Check the link below to know what he said. 
     

    Read On

    Current Baba’s prediction

    The secret to a long life is eating right. That doesn’t involve eating healthy — just the good sense to never make weird faces when your ami tells you what’s for dinner kyunkee sabzi khana chappal khaanay se behtar hai!

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  • Two PHA officials suspended for ‘inefficiency and negligence’ over Iqbal sculpture

    Two PHA officials suspended for ‘inefficiency and negligence’ over Iqbal sculpture

    Two officials of the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) have been suspended for “inefficiency and negligence of duty” over the Allama Iqbal sculpture placed in Lahore’s Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park.

    According to a notification issued by the authority, the two officers have been suspended for “negligence of duty and inefficiency”. 

    The park’s Deputy Director Horticulture Shah Nawaz Wattoo, and Assistant Director Horticulture Ghulam Sibtain have been suspended with “immediate effect”. 

    The sculpture of the Allama Iqbal sparked social media outrage after netizens pointed out that it barely resembled the national poet. Chairman PHA Yasir Gillani later clarified that the sculpture was built by the gardeners of the park in order to pay tribute to the great poet.

    However, following the backlash, CM Punjab Usman Buzdar ordered the sculpture to be removed.

    Nadia Tufail, a spokesperson of the park located in the city’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area, confirmed to The News that the sculpture had been removed and will be put up again after necessary improvements.