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Category: Uncategorized
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Newsletter- 2nd February 2021, Monday
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Iqra Aziz calls ‘Khuda Aur Mohabbat 3’ director Wajahat Hussain ‘Sanjay Leela Bhansali of Pakistan’
Iqra Aziz has penned down a heartfelt note for the team of Khuda aur Mohabbat 3, weeks before it is expected to go on-air.
Sharing a picture of the team including Feroze Khan, director Wajahat Hussain and producers Abdullah Kadwani and Asad Qureshi, Iqra said: “Khuda Aur Mohabbat 3 has been a long yet the most beautiful journey.”
The actor then thanked the producers Kadwani and Qureshi for their efforts, before going on to praise director Hussain, referring to him as the ‘Sanjay Leela Bhansali of Pakistan’.
“Wajahat Hussain, you [are the] Sanjay Leela Bhansali of Pakistan,” wrote the actor. “The best part about you as a director is that you’re fantastic at creating moments. You know what you want and you know how to make it happen.”
Writing about her co-star Feroze, Aziz said: “Feroze, it was a delight to work with you and I hope and wish this project creates a benchmark for all projects in the future.”
The actor also recalled fun moments on set, saying: “And who all are not in this picture, I’m so happy to work with you all and would never forget all the off-screen moments, jokes, late-night Bahawalpur ki sardi aur Multan ki tapti garmi wali shoots, and whatnot.”
Read more – Iqra Aziz, Naumaan Ijaz’s ‘Raqeeb Se’ an unconventional love story
Beside Iqra and Feroze, the cast of Khuda aur Mohabbat 3 includes Zain Baig, Sunita Marshall, Junaid Khan, Tooba Siddiqui, Momina Iqbal, Asma Abbas, Usman Peerzada, Rubina Ashraf, Javed Sheikh, Hina Khawaja, Meher Bano, Sohail Sameer and Noor-ul-Hassan. The drama has been written by Hashim Nadeem.
While a release date for Khuda aur Mohabbat 3 has not been announced, it is being speculated that the drama will air on Geo Entertainment in the upcoming weeks. The OST of the drama was recently released and was an instant hit with the audience.
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CM Punjab reportedly orders removal of Iqbal statue in Lahore park
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.
Photo Credits: Sikandar Ali Hullio Twitter 
Photo Credits: Sikandar Ali Hullio Twitter 
Photo Credits: Sikandar Ali Hullio Twitter According to the Focal Person on Digital Media to CM Punjab Azhar Mashwani, the Parks & Horticulture Authority (PHA) will not remove the statue but will fix it so that it looks more like Iqbal.
The structure drew the ire of social media users after pictures of it were widely circulated on social media.
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After FIA, NAB too cannot probe BRT project
The Supreme Court has stopped the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from investigating alleged irregularities in the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had approached the apex court against a ruling by the Peshawar High Court wherein the court had asked NAB to probe the mass transit project over alleged corrupt practices that resulted in massive losses to the national exchequer.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial set aside the decision of the high court, saying it was based on speculations.
According to the petition filed in the high court, the project was transferred to the Peshawar Development Authority despite the formation of a special BRT cell in the provincial transport department that also hired staffers and consultants. The court had observed the project was not coordinated well, resulting in delay and loss of money.
This is not the first time that NAB has been barred from touching the BRT. In 2018, after the PHC asked NAB to probe the BRT project, then chief justice Saqib Nisar had suspended the decision in Sept 2018.
In Feb 2020, an SC bench headed by Justice Bandial had stopped the Federal Investigation Agency to stop the BRT investigation. At this time, the KP government’s lawyer had alleged that the PHC had issued its verdict without any reasoning.
PESHAWAR METRO:
The BRT bus service was launched on Aug 13 last year by Prime Minister Imran Khan after much delay as it missed several deadlines.
The KP government and the project’s execution agency had promised to open the project, launched in October 2017, within six months on April 20, 2018. However, the deadline was missed.
The project managers kept changing the launch dates from May 20 to June 30 to December 31 in 2018 to March 23, 2019, but the project was finally launched in Aug 2020. Since then, multiple buses of the BRT have broken down or caught fire.
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Iqbal’s sculpture in Lahore park built by gardeners as a tribute
A new sculpture of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, erected at Lahore’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, is all social media can talk about ever since pictures of it emerged on Twitter on Monday. While the structure appeared to be an honest attempt to pay a tribute to the country’s national Poet and renowned scholar, netizens are not happy with the way it turned out.
Several social media users demanded authorities to immediately remove the sculpture as they felt it was a “display of insult” rather than a tribute to the poet.
Several journalists, social activists and renowned personalities including Hamid Mir, Jamal Shah, and Jibran Nasir also criticised the government for its incompetence.
Several users questioned why it was even allowed to be placed at the park.
However, it later emerged that the statue was built by the gardeners of the park as a tribute to the great leader. Chairman Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Yasir Gillani shared this news on social media, saying that the gardeners prepared it on their own and the “authority did not pay a single penny” for it.
Later, Focal Person on Digital Media to CM Punjab Azhar Mashwani also clarified that the sculpture was made by the gardeners of the park to express their love for Iqbal.
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Hafeez ka kya scene hai?
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced Pakistan’s squad against South Africa for the upcoming three-match T20I series. While many domestic performers were happy to see their names on the list, everyone was wondering why all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez was not on it.
While the new chief selector Muhammad Wasim refrained from using typical excuses like age, bad form or that there is someone better than Hafeez in the squad, he did present an interesting reason behind Hafeez’s exclusion from the squad.
In a press conference, Wasim said that Hafeez is playing the T10 league happening in Dubai and will not be able to return to Pakistan to join the bio-secure bubble on time.
“Unfortunately, the scenario is such that every player has to join the bio-bubble on February 3, and if a player can’t do so, it means he is unavailable,” said Wasim during the conference.
Talking about Hafeez, he added: “Same was the case with Mohammad Hafeez. He was not available for the bio-secure bubble, that’s why he was excluded. There’s no question on his performance.”
Furthermore, according to a report in The News, a PCB official had revealed that just before the first T20 against New Zealand on December 18, Hafeez through an email had communicated to the board that he would not be in a position to participate in the three-match home series against South Africa due to his prior commitment with the T10 league in the UAE.
“We have our limitations. Though we wanted to include Hafeez for the series he was adamant to join only on February 5 after playing his last T10 League match on February 4. Since he would be travelling back to Pakistan and in between, he would be out of the bubble for almost a day and rejoining others could be a risky affair. The PCB on the other hand cannot go against the MoU so we have to stick to the agreement,” the official had said.
As per details, the PCB and Cricket South Africa have signed an MoU through which all the selected players for the T20 series will have to join the bubble on or before February 3.
The official added that Wasim talked to Hafeez on Saturday in an effort to convince him to join the bubble in time.
“He was not ready for that as he said he could only join the bubble on February 5. That is the reason Hafeez has been left out of the T20 series,” stated the official further.
The official also added that the PCB comprehended the situation well in time and that was why it had approached Hafeez in December.
“Hafeez’s email came after PCB’s cricket operation department approached him to clarify his position. Hafeez clearly mentioned his inability to make himself available for the series,” said the official.
Meanwhile, on January 20, Hafeez in a statement had said: “I’m fully available for the T20I series [against South Africa] as my priority is always playing for Pakistan. I was also given NOC for T10 League because it would not clash with Pakistan’s international commitments. I will also comply with all the bio-secure bubble requirements.”
Soon after the squad was announced, Hafeez took to Twitter to express his disappointment over not being selected for the team.
Later, in a virtual presser, head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has said that Hafeez is an important player for the team, but in certain situations, you are unable to do anything, adding that bubble date and protocols were decided by the medical panel.
“As a coach, we will miss him but this is the opportunity for someone else to step up,” added Misbah.
Taking a look at Hafeez’ performance in T20Is, he has four fifties to his name in the past year. The first he scored against Bangladesh in Lahore (67 not out), the second he scored against England in England (69 not out), the third came against England again in the very next T20 (an unbeaten 89), and the last one was a score of 99 not out against New Zealand recently.
Apart from the fifties, he has been scoring with the average of at least 35 plus in T20Is in the past couple of years and there are no prizes for guessing that he has been the best with the willow for Pakistan.
Hafeez’s inclusion in the team was the need of the hour and even senior cricket journalist, Aalia Rasheed is unable to understand the decision. In a tweet, Rasheed wrote: “Hafeez is the requirement for Pakistan.”
“Why did you grant him NOC when you knew the final is on February 6,” she asked the board. “If a pillar player joins [the squad] after one day then what’s the issue in it? MOU is already in your hand.”
If Hafeez has sent an email to board with his demand, the PCB should share it with media and if there isn’t any email, then this puts a big question mark on the credibility of management. Nonetheless, the truth is bound to come out sooner or later.
Former cricketer and commentator, Ramiz Raja has slammed Hafeez, calling him ‘selfish’, he said, “International teams are now coming to Pakistan so it is imperative that everyone religiously follows Covid-19 protocols. Among those playing in T10 League, Asif Ali is coming but not Mohammad Hafeez because he doesn’t want to end his contract. This shows the level of thinking because, considering the situation, we should be prepared to follow the necessary protocols even if there are last-minute changes.”
He further opined, “If you look at Haris Rauf, he left Big Bash League to join Pakistan’s Test squad which shows what his priority is. If Pakistan is your priority then you are headed in the right direction. If you want to serve the leagues at the cost of selection for the Pakistan team, then you are certainly not on the right path. One should think about Pakistan instead of being selfish because nobody will back you.”
Meanwhile, the current T20 squad includes – Babar Azam (c), Aamer Yamin, Amad Butt, Asif Ali, Danish Aziz, Faheem Ashraf, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, M Hasnain, M Nawaz, M Rizwan, Sarfaraz, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Qadir, Zafar Gohar and Zahid Mehmood.
The squad along with the officials will enter the bio-secure bubble from February 3 while the players, taking part in the Test series, will join the bubble at the end of the second Test, which starts in Rawalpindi from February 4.
The three-match T20I series will commence from February 11 at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.
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Newsletter- 1st February 2021, Sunday
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Hey, Good morning *|MERGE1|*. It’s Laila from The Current. Today is Monday and it is the 1st of February, which means for the next 14 days you will be hearing a lot about Love. Don’t be that snarky person who rolls their eyes at the idea of Valentine’s Day. Let people do what they need to make themselves happy. Weather today will be warm and sunny in all major cities of Pakistan.Morning Meme
Editorial- Daniel Pearl case
Our editorial this week is about Supreme Court’s order of releasing four men accused of the murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002 and the outrage expressed by the new US administration at this.
Read on ‘Not bound by it’: Pakistan questions legitimacy of UN treaty on nuclear weapons
Pakistan says it is not bound by any of the obligations enshrined in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons — adopted in July 2017 — as the accord failed to take on board the “legitimate interests of all the stakeholders”. For more, click on the link below.
Read on UAE decides to grant citizenship to ‘talented and innovative’ people
UAE has adopted amendments that would allow Gulf state to grant citizenship to investors and other professionals, including scientists, doctors, engineers, artists, authors and their families.
Read On Adnan Siddiqui thinks ‘Pakistanis are more tolerant than Indians’
Adnan Siddiqui kehte hain ke Pakistanis are more tolerant than Indians. Considering what is happening these days in our neighboring country, we think he is right to some extent.
Read On ‘Please don’t be that fool that runs after numbers,’ says Ayeza after hitting 8 million Instagram followers
Ayeza Khan has recently become the most followed Pakistani celebrity on Instagram with 8 million followers, but Ayeza ziada khush nahin hain iss milestone ko achieve karne pe.
Read On PM Imran offers condolences to Shaan over mother Neelo Begum’s death
Veteran film star and Shaan’s mother Neelo has passed away at the age of 80. She was suffering from cancer. Prime Minister Imran Khan in a tweet expressed his grief and extended his condolences to Shaan and his family
Read On Current Baba’s prediction
Everything will go just fine this week except for the part where you won’t be able to manage your finances, so try to go easy on the online shopping.
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Arabic teaching compulsory in Islamabad schools after Senate okays bill
All primary and secondary schools in Islamabad are required to introduce the Arabic language as a compulsory subject after the Senate approved the Compulsory Teaching of the Arabic Language Bill 2020 on Monday.
The bill presented by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Javed Abbasi was endorsed by all members of the upper house, except Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Raza Rabbani who wrote a dissenting note. The bill will be implemented within six months.
As per the bill, Arabic will be taught in schools in Islamabad from grades 1-5, while Arabic grammar will be taught in grades 6-12.
Senator Abbasi said Arabia is “the fifth most spoken language in the world”, adding that it would also open up more job opportunities for Pakistanis in the Middle East. According to the senator, the Holy Quran is in Arabic and “we would not go through the problems we are currently facing had we understood the Holy Quran”.
Parliamentary Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Muhammad Khan also agreed with Abbasi. He said the bill was in line with Article 31 of the Constitution that says: “Measures should be taken to spend our lives according to the Holy Quran and Sunnah.”
According to Khan, learning Arabic was crucial to “become a good Muslim […] and understand God’s message”.
However, PPP’s Rabbani said that legislation to make Arabic a mandatory language in schools was an attempt to “use Islamic for political purposes”. He further termed this an attempt to erase the diversity of Pakistan by imposing the foreign Arabic culture.
“The Arab culture is not mine, [the] Indus Valley [Civilisation] is my culture,” he said, adding the Arabic language has nothing to do with Islam or Quran beyond being the language it was revealed in.
In a response to The Current’s story on Instagram, PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said that contrary to the media reports, the PPP opposed the said bill.
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‘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.
According to The News, due to the reported side effects of the vaccines, the minister told people to get the vaccine at their own risk. “We will make the public aware of the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine,” she added while addressing a press conference in Lahore.
“Although research on corona is still going on all around the world, news of deaths of some COVID-19 vaccine recipients in certain parts of the world is disturbing,” she was quoted by the news outlet as saying.
The minister said that the vaccination campaign in Punjab will start tomorrow. “We have been conveyed by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) that all chief ministers shall simultaneously inaugurate a vaccination drive in their respective provinces,” she added.
At least 11 people lost lives due to coronavirus while over 400 tested positive on Monday, the minister said, adding that there was lockdown in 18 areas in Lahore. Some areas in Gujranwala, Gujrat and other cities were also under lockdown and movement of 5,634 people was restricted, she disclosed.
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MQM founder Altaf Hussain in ICU due to COVID
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain has been under treatment for nearly three weeks in Britain due to coronavirus.
Altaf urged his followers to continue praying for him, saying he would speak to them again after recovering.
“May Allah protect everyone from this disease, COVID-19,” he was quoted by a news media outlet as saying. The MQM founder also appealed to listeners to “take precautions and help each other” in the times of a pandemic.
On Jan 23, the MQM from its official Twitter handle tweeted: “MQM founder leader Mr Altaf Hussain got ill. After the check-up, the doctor advised him to rest and suspend his political activities.”
Britain has had one of the world’s highest Covid-19 mortality rates and has recorded more than 106,000 deaths — the worst toll in Europe. The country is currently under a third national lockdown as it battles new strains of the coronavirus.
On October 10, Hussain was charged by the UK’s Crown Prosecution Services with the terrorism offence in a case related to his incendiary speech relayed from the UK to his followers in Pakistan in 2016.
After the speech, a crackdown was launched against the MQM and the government sealed its headquarter, Nine Zero, in Karachi. Later, MQM leaders in Pakistan also distanced themselves from him and removed his name from the party constitution, resulting in the formation of MQM-Pakistan.