Category: Uncategorized

  • Champions Trophy 2025: PCB suggests interesting solution for Indian matches in Pakistan

    Champions Trophy 2025: PCB suggests interesting solution for Indian matches in Pakistan

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has shared an interesting solution for the Indian cricket team’s matches in Champions Trophy 2025.

    According to ‘Urdupoint’, PCB has suggested that the Indian team can go back home after every match

    Meanwhile, Indian media is claiming that there has been a proposal to hold India’s three pool matches at two venues during the event.

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) broadcasters, who are also broadcasters of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), suggested that having matches at two venues will increase the broadcast and event value. PCB has no objection to holding matches at two venues and suggested Rawalpindi as the second venue, claimed Indian media.

    Earlier, the PCB had suggested only one venue in Lahore for India due to travel issues, but the broadcaster has suggested adding another venue.

    In the proposed schedule, India’s three matches were scheduled in Lahore.

    The high-voltage clash between Pakistan and India is scheduled for March 1, while Pakistan, India, New Zealand and Bangladesh have been placed in Group A according to the proposed schedule.

    Champion Trophy 2025 and India’s participation:

    The Champion Trophy is scheduled for February of next year in Pakistan. All teams have confirmed their arrival, while India’s participation is yet to be confirmed.

    In July, Indian media claimed that India would not visit Pakistan for the event, saying that some matches of the Champions Trophy would be held in the United Arab Emirates or Sri Lanka on a hybrid model.

    However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice president Rajeev Shukla denied these claims, saying that the Indian government would make the final decision.

    The Telegraph Report on Champion Trophy:

    UK publication ‘The Telegraph’ has reported that the International Cricket Council (ICC) is considering different venues for India’s matches, including the final of the trophy. The final could be shifted from Lahore to Dubai. The final is scheduled to be played in Gadafi Stadium in Lahore on March 9, 2025.

    Abu Dhabi and Sharjah are likely to host India’s matches if needed, The Telegraph has reported.

    ICC chief executive’s statement about Champions Trophy:

    On September 12, ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice confirmed now that there are no plans to move the Champions Trophy from Pakistan.

    He said, “No team has hesitated to play in the tournament. All teams are committed to playing in Pakistan. Despite previous challenges, all participating teams are determined to play in Pakistan.”

    The ICC Champions Trophy will host eight elite teams based on their performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup: India, Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

    Pakistan is currently the defending champion of the Champions Trophy. The Pakistan cricket team, led by former captain Sarfraz Ahmed, won the Trophy in England in 2017, defeating India in the final.

  • Veena Malik teases fans with her groom’s face

    Veena Malik teases fans with her groom’s face

    Rumours are circulating on social media about actress Veena Malik’s marriage once again, following her teasing of fans and the public with hints about the mystery man in her life.

    When Geo Digital had a special conversation with her regarding this matter, she said, “This important change in life has been kept in front of everyone. When I finalise the date of the wedding, I will tell everyone. I will even reveal the groom’s face.”

    She laughed and added, “Those who are eager to see Shehryar Chaudhry’s face will get their wish fulfilled on the wedding day.”

    Remembering the past, Veena shared, “I started my career at a very young age and then decided to get married soon.”

    “Shehryar liked me but kept it to himself. On the other hand, I was busy with my career and life. During that time, I also studied for six years and completed my B.Sc and Masters, but I had no intention of getting married or settling down. It all happened very suddenly, and believe me, I am happy to feel all these emotions now. As for the children, they are more understanding now,” she explained.

    Veena Malik married businessman Asad Bashir Khattak in Dubai in 2013, and they have two children. However, the marriage ended after three years, with Malik citing incompatibility as the reason.

    “Shehryar Chaudhry belongs to a well-established family in Islamabad. He has a business of cars and property. Our first few meetings were in Islamabad because I am also from there. In these brief meetings, I found Shehryar to be a wonderful person. He is educated, handsome, and also a Hafiz of the Quran, and that is a quality that won my heart,” she shared.

    “I wanted a life partner who was both religiously and worldly connected,” she said.

  • Meta fires two dozen employees for spending food allowance on personal items

    Meta fires two dozen employees for spending food allowance on personal items

    Meta has initiated mass layoffs in various divisions, including Instagram, WhatsApp and Reality Labs, as part of company restructuring in a move that could affect hundreds of employees.

    A spokesperson for the company confirmed that the changes are being made in line with Meta’s long-term strategy and better organization of teams across locations. The strategy includes moving some teams to other locations and assigning new roles to some employees. We will make every effort to provide alternative opportunities to those affected.

    Among those most affected by Meta’s move is renowned app reverse engineer Jin Min Chun-Wong, who joined Meta’s Threads team in 2023. He announced on social media that his post has been terminated.

    Meta did not disclose the exact number of layoffs, but the company has cut about 21,000 jobs since November 2022 to cut costs.

    In March 2023, Meta Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Zuckerberg emphasized the need for significant initiatives to make the organization faster and more efficient to meet the company’s priorities more quickly and effectively. He said that these changes will lead to more satisfying and meaningful work for the employees.

    In another major development, Meta has fired more than two dozen employees in its Los Angeles office over alleged abuse of its $25 meal credit program. According to sources, these employees continuously misused the credit to buy unrelated items such as acne treatment pads, wine glasses and laundry detergent.

    Moreover, some employees colluded by pooling their credits, while others ordered food at home, even though this facility was only for office staff.

    The CEO of Meta has become one of the three richest people in the world, with his wealth increasing by $71.8 billion in 2023. According to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index, Zuckerberg’s net worth has surpassed $200 billion, trailing behind only Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

    Meta’s impressive performance, which hit the milestone of $134.9 billion in revenue and nearly four billion monthly active users in 2023, has led to this massive increase in Zuckerberg’s wealth. Meta’s stock price has also risen nearly 60 percent since January, pushing the company’s net worth to new highs.

    Mark Zuckerberg has now surpassed the world’s top billionaires such as Larry Ellison, Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, and this increase reflects Meta’s continued success and strong position in the global market.

  • Liam Payne: One Direction singer swept up by teenage stardom

    Liam Payne: One Direction singer swept up by teenage stardom

    Liam Payne, who died aged 31 after plunging from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, spent more than half his life in the public eye as a member of one of the world’s most successful boy bands.

    The singer from Wolverhampton in central England was first unsuccessful in his audition on the hugely popular television talent show “The X Factor”.

    But he hit gold on the programme in 2010, aged just 16, joining Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik — and One Direction was born.

    Over the next six years, the group enjoyed global fame and legions of screaming fans, selling more than 70 million copies of their five albums. They went on four world tours and won nearly 200 awards.

    Payne, described by former X Factor host Dermot O’Leary as “a joy… polite, grateful and… always humble”, was said to be the “driving force” behind some of One Direction’s most loved songs.

    He penned “Story of My Life”, “Night Changes” and “Midnight Memories” among others, and once referred to himself as the “first verse man” — singing the coveted first verse of most of the songs on the band’s first album “Up All Night”.

    After Malik left One Direction in 2015, the band went on an “indefinite hiatus” a year later, prompting Payne and the others to start solo careers.

    Payne met with early success with his debut solo single “Strip That Down”, released in 2017, reaching number three on the UK Singles Chart.

    Last year, he revealed he was working on a second solo album, having delayed a planned tour due to health problems, and released his last single “Teardrops” in March 2024.

    – Charity –

    Payne, who fell from a third-floor hotel balcony in the Argentinian capital on Wednesday, was in the city to watch his former bandmate Horan in concert.

    While the exact circumstances of the fall are unclear, police said they responded to a report of “an aggressive man who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol”.

    He leaves behind a son from a previous relationship with the Girls Aloud singer Cheryl.

    News of Payne’s death left fans distraught. “I feel like it’s a part of adolescence lost,” said one, Lena Duek, 21, outside the hotel.

    She described One Direction as the soundtrack of her teenage years and had been hoping for them to reunite.

    British anti-poverty charity Trussell praised Payne for his “compassion and kindness” for supporting their foodbanks. Chief executive Emma Revie said he funded more than 360,000 meals during the pandemic.

    – Anxiety, frustrations –

    Payne’s death came as he faced heavy criticism on social media following an interview in which his ex-partner Maya Henry accused him of being abusive.

    In the interview this week, Henry said Payne would tell her he was “going to die” as a manipulation tactic. The Daily Mail reported Henry obtained a “cease-and-desist” order against Payne.

    In recent years, the singer opened up about his struggles with alcohol and dealing with fame at such a young age.

    “I’ve found in my life at the moment, because of the way things have happened, that everything’s kind of fast-forwarded,” he told Esquire Magazine in 2019.

    Speaking about anxiety and losing his sense of self, he added: “It’s a bit like being stuck out in deep water and you’re just going ‘well, it would be really nice to get back now’.”

    However, after taking a break, Payne said last year he was ready to return to music career in a video titled “I’m Back… “.

    In it, he said he was sober and apologised for taking out “frustrations” with his career on “everybody else”.

    “The rest of the boys really stuck by me when I needed them most, they kinda came to the rescue,” he added.

    “I feel like I’ve got more of a grip on life now, and everything that was getting away from me.”

  • ‘Iss tarmeem ke peeche aik bohut bara naam hai…,’ reveals Maulana Fazl in a slip of tongue

    ‘Iss tarmeem ke peeche aik bohut bara naam hai…,’ reveals Maulana Fazl in a slip of tongue

    Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, while addressing a press conference on October 17 along with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, had an apparent slip of the tongue when he said: “This is such a significant amendment that there is a big name behind it and that name is…”

    As soon as Maulana said those words, everyone burst into laughter, including PTI’s Asad Qaiser, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Omar Ayub, and Sheikh Waqas Akram.

    Maulana, while smiling, then stated: “Wait a minute… That man can be Mohsin Naqvi.”

    Last night, the JUI-F chief warned of suspending talks on the highly anticipated constitutional amendment with the government amidst undue pressure on his party members.

    “We are engaging with the government with absolute open-heartedness, but sadly, we are receiving reports of pressure being exerted on our members while both PTI and BNP members are being intimidated,” said Fazl.

    “If these tactics continue, they will be compelled to stop negotiations,” warned Fazlur Rehman.

    The JUI-F chief further said that if the government chooses to talk with them reasonably, then his party would answer politely; however, if the government uses thuggery to speak with them, then they would receive their reply in the same tone and tenor.

    In the past few weeks, the coalition government has been consistently engaged with the JUI-F Chief to convince him of the proposed constitutional amendments, with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto at the forefront of the negotiations.

    Maulana acknowledged the positive role played by PTI, saying, “they have accepted what is feasible and agreed to continue consultations today (Friday).”

    Furthermore, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar stated: “Despite these issues, we have participated in every meeting to ensure the draft is presented before us.”

    On October 16, PTI member Meher Bano Qureshi posted on X (formerly Twitter) that her sister-in-law, the wife of PTI MNA Zain Qureshi, was abducted from near their home by “masked men in plain clothes and multiple cars.”

    “They have not been able to break us for the last year and half despite all kinds of threats and are now resorting to such low level tactics. Mine & my family’s faith in Allah is unbreakable. He will see us & Pakistan through this fascism,” she wrote.

    A few hours later, Qureshi posted a photo with the caption: “Alhamdulillah, she’s home. Thank you for your prayers and support!”

    However, Meher Bano Qureshi was not the only one to complain about the sudden ‘disappearance’ and ‘abduction’ of lawmakers and their family members.

    Chairman Balochistan National Party (BNP) Akhtar Mengal also posted on X, “My party Senator Naseema Ehsan is confined to her apartment, and her son has been abducted. Meanwhile, my party’s other Senator Qasim Roonjo, who went for his dialysis at 8 a.m. in Islamabad, has been untraceable along with his son since then. Is this what democracy looks like?!!!”

    The BNP leader warned last week that “undemocratic methods” were being employed to enforce the upcoming constitutional amendments.

  • Spinners magic in Multan: Pakistan outshine England for Test series draw

    Spinners magic in Multan: Pakistan outshine England for Test series draw

    Pakistan have defeated England by 152 runs in the 2nd Test match at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

    In the match being played at the International Stadium in Multan, England started the fourth day’s game with 36 runs for the loss of two wickets, but Sajid Khan showed the way to the pavilion after adding one run to Ollie Pope, while the individual score of 18 But Noman Ali dismissed Joe Root.

    Nouman Ali also dismissed Harry Brook lbw for a total of 78 while Jamie Smith became his fourth victim.

    English captain Ben Stokes became the fifth victim of Nauman Ali, who was stumped for 37 runs.

    Nauman Ali took eight, while Sajid Khan took two wickets in the second innings.

    Day 3:

    In the closing moments of play on the third day, Pakistan had run the English openers, with Sajid taking the valuable wicket of Ben Duckitt in the first over while Nauman Ali sent Zac Crawley to the pavilion.

    Pakistan scored 366 runs in the first innings, in response to which the England team was bowled out for 291 runs with a deficit of 75 runs. In the second innings, the Pakistani team was bowled out for 221 runs and gave England a target of 297 runs to win.

    Pakistan inning:

    In the first innings of the second Test match, the Pakistani team was all out by scoring 366 runs; the national team started its incomplete first innings at 259 runs for the loss of 5 wickets, then the wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan was out by scoring 41 runs for the gain of just five runs. Done. Agha Salman, 31, and Sajid Khan, two runs, proved to be guests.

    Aamir Jamal and Nouman Ali formed a partnership of 49 runs for the 9th wicket, but Aamir got out after scoring 37 runs; later, Nouman Ali was caught by Jack Leach after scoring 32 runs.

    On behalf of England, Jack Leach took four wickets, Brayden Carrs took three wickets, Matthew Potts took two wickets, and Shoaib Bashir took one wicket.

  • Shakib Al Hasan decides not to return to Bangladesh

    Shakib Al Hasan decides not to return to Bangladesh

    Former Bangladesh cricket team captain Shakib Al Hasan took a U-turn on his decision to return home.

    The star batsman has decided not to go to Bangladesh citing security concerns, as there was a protest against him outside the Sher Bangla Stadium in Dhaka yesterday while South African and Bangladeshi cricket teams were practising inside.

    Shakib said, “I was supposed to go back to Bangladesh, but now it seems that I will not be able to go. I made this decision for security reasons, and this is my personal security issue.”

    He had to participate in the Test series against South Africa; his name was also included in the squad for the first Test against South Africa.

    He had expressed his desire to play the last test match of his career at his home ground.

    The first Test between South Africa and Bangladesh will start on October 21 in Mirpur.

    Why are people protesting against him?

    A murder case was filed against Bangladesh’s star cricket all-rounder and former Awami League Member of Parliament Shakib Al Hasan in Dhaka.

    Bangladeshi media reports that authorities have charged him along with former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the murder of an employee of a garment factory in Dhaka.

    He also apologised to the people of Bangladesh for his silence during the protest against Hasian Wazid.

    He wrote, “Assalamu Alaikum, respect to the love of every people in my country. Your prayers and love towards me have felicitated me today as this Shakib Al Hasan in the world court. In the beginning, I remember with respect for all the sacrificial students who were martyred and wounded in the student crowd led by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. Respect and condolences from the bottom of my heart to them and their families. Although nothing can be fulfilled, the sacrifice of a family lost loved one. The pain of losing a child or losing a brother is not worthy of anything.”
    “My respect and sincere apologies to the place of feelings of you who have been hurt or hurt due to my absence of all presence during this crisis. If I were in your place, I would have been heartfelt like this. I was a Member of Parliament of Magura-1 seat for a very short time. To get involved with my politics was basically my birthplace, i.e. the opportunity for the development of the people of Magura. You know that in the context of Bangladesh, it is a bit difficult to play a direct role in the development of your area without any particular responsibility. And my desire to develop this area makes me interested in becoming a member of parliament,” he stated.

    Shakib further wrote, “Anyway, at the end of the day, I am a Bangladesh cricketer. When I was wherever I was, I captured cricket from my heart. You guys have taken the way to earn the honour of the world’s best all-rounder by holding this cricket. Your love and support made me happy today, Shakib Al Hasan. When I bat for the country on the cricket field, you all bat with me. Shout out to the gallery; your support has motivated me to play better. The crowd in front of the tea shop on the day of the cricket match – gave me strength. If I win, you all win. If I lose, you all lost! You know, I’m going to play my last match very soon. From the beginning of my cricket career to becoming Shakib Al Hasan, you have driven this whole journey.”
    Requesting his fans to support him on the home ground, he wrote, “You write this whole story of cricket! So, in my last match, in the last chapter of this story, I want you beside me. I want to take you all along and say goodbye. At the goodbyes, I want to put my hands in the hands of those people whose clap made me play well. At the goodbyes, I want to keep my eyes on the eyes of the people in my good game whose eyes are filled with joy. Again, at my bad game, whose eyes are cheating. I hope, not just hope – you all will be with me during this farewell. Everyone will stay together and draw the end of the story, who is the hero of the story – I am not, you.”

    Last month, Shakib announced his retirement from Test cricket, but he has expressed his desire to play the last Test against South Africa at his home ground.

  • 24-karat gold price hits fresh record high in Pakistani market

    24-karat gold price hits fresh record high in Pakistani market

    After increasing in the international markets, gold prices climbed in Pakistan and were seen at their highest-ever level on Thursday.

    The All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA), which shares gold rates on a daily basis, reported that the price for 24-karat gold recorded a single-day surge of Rs900 per tola, which pushed the precious metal’s rate to a new all-time high of Rs277,900 per tola in Pakistani gold markets.

    The previous all-time high was recorded on Wednesday, when gold’s price in Pakistan was recorded at a then-high of Rs277,200 per tola, after witnessing a massive single-day increase of Rs2,200 per tola.

    It is worth adding here that the latest surge follows a notable increase in the price of gold in international markets. According to the APGJSA, the price for one ounce of gold was recorded at $2,682. This price also includes a premium of $20.

    The total surge the yellow metal witnessed in the global market was $7 per ounce.

    Despite gold surging to its highest-ever level in the history of Pakistan, silver prices remained unchanged and were recorded at Rs3,050 per tola.

  • Constitutional Amendment: Key points of JUI-F draft revealed

    Constitutional Amendment: Key points of JUI-F draft revealed

    In an interesting development, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has disclosed its key suggestions for the 26th Constitutional Amendment, suggesting the establishment of a constitutional bench at the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan as well as at high courts, reports said.

    According to reports, all political parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), have reached a consensus on the formation of a constitutional bench at the top court, and no party has objected to this suggestion.

    Meanwhile, the JUI-F has also suggested in its draft that a constitutional bench should be established at the apex court and include the chief justice, besides the five senior-most judges of the SC, who will decide on disputes regarding the Constitution and its interpretation.

    “The constitutional bench at high courts should comprise of the respective chief justice as well as three senior judges of the court,” the draft added.

    The party also demanded to restore parts of the 18th Amendment to the extent of appointment of judges and amendment in article 175-A.

    JUI-F also demanded the repeal of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

    The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), however, have so far not agreed to most points proposed in the JUI-F draft, reports added.

    The coalition government remained unsuccessful last month when it tried to pass the constitutional package, but since then it has been aggressively championed, in a campaign led by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, to get the required votes.

    Meanwhile, to pass the constitutional amendment, the government is reportedly short of 13 votes in the National Assembly (NA) and nine in the Upper House (Senate).

  • PCB removes captain, head coach from selection committee

    PCB removes captain, head coach from selection committee

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has updated a section pertaining to members of its selection committees on its official website.

    Only five members are included in the selection committee, with the captain and head coach excluded from it.

    Conversation with PCB official:

    A PCB official, in conversation with The Current, also elaborated on the update.

    “Before this, the captain and the head coach also used to be voting members of the selection committee,” they said.

    Now, the official added, the head coach and captain will only give their suggestions, whereas only the members of the selection committee will have the final vote on who makes it to the team.

    —

    On the other hand, the women’s cricket team selection committee include both a captain and a coach.

    The committee includes Aqib Javed, Aleem Dar, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali and Hasan Cheema, while PCB has also removed non-voting members.

    Selectors will announce the team after consulting the coach and captain and will finalize the playing eleven.

    Earlier, PCB decided to include Aleem Dar, Azhar Ali, and Aqib Javed in the National Selection Committee, while Hasan Cheema was added as data analyst.

    Muhammad Yusuf’s resignation from the post:

    Muhammad Yusuf resigned from the post of selector two weeks ago.

    According to sources, a disagreement arose between Muhammad Yusuf and a coach over giving cricketers opportunities despite their poor performances. The coach had been against making changes and preferred to maintain the status quo, while Yusuf insisted on giving new players a chance.

    The coach had emphasized the importance of consistent policies and avoiding haste, but Yusuf had been keen on including Kamran Ghulam, Zahid Mehmood, and Muhammad Ali in the squad for the series against England.

    Yusuf himself cited personal reasons for resigning.