Category: Uncategorized

  • Sajal, Ahad win big at HUM Social Media Awards

    Sajal, Ahad win big at HUM Social Media Awards

    The first HUM Social Media Awards Powered by Facebook were streamed live Friday night and while there were a lot of winners, power couple Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly took home four major awards – Most Popular Actor (Male and Female), Most Popular On-Screen Couple and Most Popular Off-Screen Couple. The couple, in a video message, thanked and appreciated their fans who voted for them.

    Read more – Did you know ‘Ehd-e-Wafa’ was shot in 16 cities?

    Other winners include Atif Aslam (Most Popular Music Artist – Male), Aima Baig (Most Popular Music Artist – Female), Shahzad Noor (Most Popular Model – Male), Sadia Khan (Most Popular model – Female), Shahid Khan Afridi (Most Popular Sports Personality), Fahad Mustafa (Most Popular Television Host (entertainment)) and Zaid Ali T (Most Popular Content Creator). Aiman Khan was given a special award for being the Most Followed Celebrity of Pakistan. All the winners were part of the show via audio/video calls and special messages.

    Though the awards were virtual, they were not without some fun performances. Due to COVID-19, celebrities at the ceremony were limited and those who attended included Aiman Khan, Muneeb Butt, Ayesha Omar and Aijaz Aslam. Those who attended kept the viewers engaged with their antics. The highlight of the ceremony, hosted by Yasir Hussain and Mooro, was an electrifying performance by Asim Azhar and the Young Stunners.

    According to a press release, “HUM Social Media Awards Powered by Facebook is the first digitally based award show in Pakistan that has Facebook under its banner, making it distinguished and authentic in its true sense by recognising and encouraging deserving individuals working in the fields of music, entertainment, fashion, sports and content creation who have gained popularity over the years and have made their mark digitally.”

    “The criteria of these awards and selection of nominees was based purely on their social media followers/subscribers, interaction rate and content created between July 2019 to June 2020, using Facebook Authentic Tool. All the nominees were put up for audience voting via website and the winners were selected on the basis of audiences’ votes,” it adds.

  • Judge, sacked over leaked video, challenges removal

    Judge, sacked over leaked video, challenges removal

    Former accountability court judge Arshad Malik on Saturday challenged his removal from service in the Lahore High Court (LHC).

    An administration committee of the high court approved in July “removal from service” of the now-former judge on charges of misconduct after a year-long inquiry into the video scandal that broke last July, sending ripples through political and legal circles.

    READ: LHC sacks controversial judge who convicted Nawaz Sharif

    Malik challenged his removal and contended that the rules and regulations for the dismissal were not met, the management committee had prepared a report contrary to the facts and that misconduct was not committed.

    He requested that the decision be reconsidered.

    Moreover, a three-member tribunal has been constituted to take up the dismissal of the former judge.

    READ: ‘Judge who convicted Nawaz to be removed from post’

    Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi has been appointed as the chairman of the tribunal whereas, Justice Masood Naqvi and Justice Sajid Sethi have been appointed as members.

    Following the approval of LHC Chief Justice Qasim Khan, a notification was issued to form a tribunal to hear the service appeals of the judges of the lower judiciary.

  • VIDEO: Woman dances after getting job, goes viral

    VIDEO: Woman dances after getting job, goes viral

    A woman’s reaction after getting a job during the COVID-19 pandemic has gone viral on social media. 

    The woman’s reaction was caught on the CCTV camera of the employer who shared it on his Instagram handle with the caption “So I just hired this young girl and this was her response.” 

    The video shows the woman walking outside the office building after getting the job. She walks into the car park, stops for a moment and then starts dancing.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CFvR5L8AnTU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    People on social media enjoyed the amazing reaction from the young girl and appreciated the employer for giving her the opportunity.

  • ‘Best Police Officer of Asia’ awarded by UN to Pakistani cop

    ‘Best Police Officer of Asia’ awarded by UN to Pakistani cop

    A police officer from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been awarded the ‘Best Police Officer of Asia’ by the United Nations (UN) for his input to the UN peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.

    Superintendent of police (SP) Sajjad Khan, was recognised for his services as Legal Liaison Officer in Kosovo for conducting investigations into several cases of prosecution against Muslims and other criminal cases in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

    The police officer had represented Pakistan in the UN Peacekeeping Mission from 2009 to 2012 and was positioned as the Team Leader in Kosovo’s capital, Pristina.

    Khan has also served in the mission from 2007 to 2008 as the Interpol Investigation Officer while for the third time, he was given the additional responsibilities as Interpol Legal Liaison Officer and Admin and Logistic Officer.

    Speaking to a media outlet, SP Khan said that performing duties for the first time as a police official in 2003 onward was challenging.

    He added that the police department in Kosovo was headed towards modern policing and that they have developed separate units for every police department.

    Giving advice to those joining police forces around the world, Khan said that it was important to learn and understand the indigenous culture of the countries they are employed. He added that getting selected for the UN Peacekeeping Mission was an honour.

  • VIDEO: PM says India helping Nawaz to weaken army

    VIDEO: PM says India helping Nawaz to weaken army

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has accused Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif of acting on the behest of India and said that the former premier is playing a “dangerous game” by levelling allegations against the army.

    Speaking during an interview, he said that the military and the civil government departments are working within their spheres and this has led to relations that are “best in history” between them. “One shouldn’t hate the army because of the actions of a few past dictators.”

    The premier remarked that Nawaz’s speech was an attempt to weaken the relationship between the government and the Pakistan Army, which only harms the country in the end.

    “Whose interest is it that our army weakens? Our enemies,” he added, saying some “foolish liberals” were agreeing with Nawaz’s narrative.

    “Look at Libya, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen; the entire Muslim world is ablaze [so] why are we safe? If it weren’t for our army, our country would have been in three pieces. India’s think-tanks say that they want to break Pakistan,” PM Imran said, reiterating the fact that it is the army which has saved us otherwise the country will have been disintegrated in three parts as per Indian designs.

    READ: PM says he’ll sack anyone from establishment who asks for his resignation

    The prime minister went on to say that the “military’s job is not to run the government. If a democratically elected government is performing poorly, it does not mean martial law should be imposed; it means the government should be improved”.

    He said Nawaz was creating “huge fitna (mischief)” by attacking the army. “He [Nawaz] is becoming the next Altaf Hussain,” he said. Furthermore, the prime minister said Nawaz has problems with the army because “they come to steal, and our world-class agencies detect their theft”.

    The PM stated that Nawaz had taken control of various institutions of the country during his tenure, including in the legislative and judiciary departments, but added that the PML-N supremo could never control the army.

    WATCH VIDEO:

  • Senator Faisal Javed Khan is writing a drama and it isn’t a saas-bahu saga

    Senior PTI leader Senator Faisal Javed Khan has revealed that he is writing a drama on the “basic problems of our society”.

    In an exclusive interview with The Current, when asked to share details of his upcoming drama, Senator Faisal said: “There is no substance in our dramas. That is why I want to write one.”

    Elaborating further, the lawmaker said: “I have started writing the story. [It is based] on the basic problems of our society, such as sifarish (nepotism). It has become very common for people to say ‘My son is very smart’, ‘I knew someone, they got it done’. It has become a fashion statement when it is the wrong thing to do.”

    “We don’t think twice before lying or backbiting. Stealing has become normal. Bribing has also become very common. [People say] ‘My son was not getting his passport, we paid Rs500 and got it done’. It’s bribery! Bribery is wrong.”

    “These are the five topics around which my story revolves,” shared Senator Faisal further. “And it is the story of a teacher.”

    Concluding his answer, he said: “It will be really good. Insha’Allah when you will watch it, you’ll enjoy it.”

    Read more – Govt pledges to promote the film industry

    When asked which recent Pakistani dramas he watched and enjoyed, Senator Faisal revealed that he enjoyed Humayun Saeed and Mehwish Hayat’s Dil Lagi and “loved” Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishaan. Humayun and Mehwish are also Senator Faisal’s favourite Pakistani actors.

    “To be very honest, I haven’t as such watched the very recent ones,” he added. “But my top favourites are Nijaat and Chaand Grehan. I have DVDs of old dramas at home.”

    When asked about why Bollywood movies continue to trend on Netflix Pakistan despite being banned in the country, Senator Faisal said: “People used to watch them a lot before the ban too. But that’s not the problem, the problem is that it should be bilateral.

    “If we’re showing their content, they should show ours too,” he continued. “And we shouldn’t if they aren’t. They ban our [content] on their TV, cinemas, radio but here we were continuing to show theirs.”

    “It should be bilateral”, he concluded.

    Watch the complete interview here:

  • Pakistan breaks silence on reports claiming its army is fighting Armenia alongside Azerbaijan

    Pakistan breaks silence on reports claiming its army is fighting Armenia alongside Azerbaijan

    Pakistan has refuted “irresponsible” reports claiming that Pakistan Army is fighting alongside Azerbaijani forces against Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

    According to reports, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said the reports were “speculative and baseless”.

    “Pakistan is deeply concerned over the deteriorating security situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region,” Chaudhri said while reiterating Pakistan’s position on the conflict.

    The spokesperson also said that intensive shelling by Armenian forces on the civilian populations of Azerbaijan is reprehensible and most unfortunate.

    “This could compromise peace and security of the entire region. Armenia must stop its military action to avoid further escalation,” the spokesperson said.

    Chaudhri said that Pakistan supports Azerbaijan’s position on Nagorno-Karabakh, adding that the position was in line with the “several unanimously adopted United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions”.

    The statement comes as tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan forces continued to heighten despite the world’s calls for ceasefire.

    Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a simmering conflict for decades over the region and new fighting that erupted on Sunday has been the heaviest in decades. Nearly 200 people, including 30 civilians, have died amid fears of a multi-front war that could suck in regional powers Turkey and Russia.

  • Restaurants, marriage halls majorly contributing to coronavirus spread

    Restaurants, marriage halls majorly contributing to coronavirus spread

    Six marriage halls and 103 restaurants were sealed in Karachi for violating coronavirus SOPs. 

    According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), six marriage halls and 103 restaurants were sealed in the port city over neglecting coronavirus SOPs.

    Federal Minister for Planning and Development and Chairman NCOC, Asad Umar said indoor restaurants and marriage halls appear to be majorly contributing to the COVID-19 spread.

    “NCOC today has directed all provinces and federating units to crack down on SOPs violations in these places, the minister said in his tweet. We must not allow the irresponsible behavior of some to put the health of everyone at risk,” he said further. 

    On Thursday, authorities in Karachi had also announced a micro smart lockdown in various parts for two weeks after cases of COVID-19 increased in the city.

  • Imran beats Trump, Modi, Putin, others with most views on UN General Assembly speech

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is the most-watched video among world leaders on the UN’s YouTube with more than 170,000 views since it was uploaded on September 25.

    PM Imran continues to gain popularity at international forums. His recent speech made at the UNGA platform has been declared as the most viewed speech of the UNGA session on the official YouTube channel of the UN.

    According to details, more than 170,000 viewers have seen PM Imran’s UNGA speech thus so far, which is the highest number of any international leadership viewership.

    Coming in second is US President Donald Trump’s UNGA address with close to 140,000 views since it was uploaded on September 22. In third place is Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s speech, which has more than 95,000 views since it was uploaded on September 23.

    Furthermore, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s speech got 67,000 views, Indian PM Narender Modi’s speech has 62,000 views, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speech was viewed by 59,000 persons, and the Chinese President’s speech was watched by 44,000 people. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s speech secured only 8,000 views.

    It is worth mentioning here that as many as 2,600,000 people had watched PM Imran’s UNGA speech last year.

    On September 25, the premier virtually addressed the 75th session of the UNGA.

    PM Imran used his UNGA address to warn the international community that India is planning another “ill-conceived misadventure” in a “nuclearised environment,” but Pakistan is ready to “fight for its freedom to the end”.

    He also urged the UN Security Council to play its role in preventing this dangerous conflict, which could jeopardise the entire region.

    WATCH VIDEO:

  • Donald Trump, wife Melania test positive for coronavirus

    Donald Trump, wife Melania test positive for coronavirus

    United States (US) President Donald Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, have tested positive for coronavirus.

    It was announced by the president himself as he took to Twitter and revealed that both Melania and him had tested positive for COVID-19 and started with the quarantine process.

    This comes one month ahead of the US election.

    In an earlier tweet, Trump had said that they were waiting for their coronavirus test results after close aide, Hope Hicks, had tested positive for the same.

    Hicks, 31, is the closest aide of President Trump to have tested positive. She had travelled with the president on Air Force One earlier this week. Trump had even said in an interview on Thursday night that he and the first lady spend a lot of time with her.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has also wished them a speedy recovery.

    The US remains worst-hit by the virus that has affected at least 34.2 million people worldwide with over a million deaths. By the filing of this report, the number of coronavirus cases in Trump’s America stood at 7.31 million with over 208,000 deaths.

    The now infected president has over the past few months been widely criticised for “not taking the pandemic seriously”.