Category: Uncategorized

  • Atiqa Odho says liquor case against her was ‘politically motivated’

    Atiqa Odho says liquor case against her was ‘politically motivated’

    Atiqa Odho has finally opened up and talked about being acquitted in a nine-year-old liquor case.

    Speaking to various media outlets, Odho said that the case against her was “politically motivated”. Odho had been booked for allegedly smuggling two bottles of foreign liquor in her bag while she was checking in for Pakistan International Airline’s (PIA) Karachi-bound flight PK-301 in June 2011. The liquor had been confiscated on the spot as per the law and Odho, who was secretary information of Pervez Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) at the time, had been allowed to travel. However, Iftikhar Chaudhry, who was CJP back then, took suo motu notice of the incident after the news was widely discussed on television. He directed police and Customs officials to clarify why a case had not been registered against the actor. Following the notice, Customs officials sent a lawsuit to the Airport police station, which then registered a case against Odho under Section 3/4 of the Prohibition Order of 1979.

    Odho thanked the judge who accepted her plea and acquitted her. She said that she believes in the law of the land and encouraged everyone to have faith in the judicial system and be patient. She said that over the year, she appeared in court almost a hundred times until she was granted immunity from appearing until the final verdict.

    “People have asked me if I was difficult,” said Odho. “Yes, I had to go through pain but justice was delayed, not denied. We should trust the system, go through due process, and if you haven’t done anything wrong, then ask for your right – don’t get scared and don’t run away.”

    She added, “Believe in your courts, your judges, your lawyers, and here I would like to add – those who are unfortunate, who don’t have enough resources or money, the judiciary should be mindful of them. There should be a system where the state should help them.”

    She also appealed to authorities to fast-track cases of innocent people who are stuck in prison.

    “If an innocent person is locked up for years, he will never get those years of his life back. The people who are locked up and the underprivileged should always be prioritised, because if the state does not look after them, they won’t have any hope,” said the actor.

    Listen to her complete thoughts here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4sdjbKPA5k
  • Sindh Wildlife Department clarifies no crocodiles escaped from Mangho Pir shrine

    Sindh Wildlife Department clarifies no crocodiles escaped from Mangho Pir shrine

    The Sindh Wildlife Department has clarified that no crocodiles have escaped from the shrine of Mangho Pir and the pictures being circulated on social media are fake.

    The department shared a video of the areas where the crocodiles were reportedly seen and of the Manghopir Shrine where the crocodiles live. Officials of the Sindh Wildlife Department said that after doing a survey of the area, they concluded that no crocodile escaped the shrine during the rains.

    Officials present at the shrine further said that the crocodiles cannot escape the enclosures as the cages are high, adding that CCTV cameras have also been installed to keep a check on everything happening at the shrine.

    News of crocodiles on the loose in the Karachi began to do the rounds on social media after rain water flooded the streets of Karachi. PTI MNA Aamir Liaquat also shared a picture of a crocodile and asked residents of Surjani Town, Khuda Ki Basti and Nayi Karachi to be careful.

    Some social media users have claimed that the picture is from Philippines. The Current could not independently verify this claim.

    According to a report published in 2018, the Mangho Pir shrine is home to over 100 crocodiles that waddle between the devotees near a swampy green pond where they have lived for generations.

    Meanwhile, heavy rain has inundated Karachi and lack of proper infrastructure has submerged half the city.

  • KYA BOLA? (Aug 25): ‘Aale Sharif’, ‘Shahid Khaqan Abbasi ka moo torr deingay’, ‘Mulk ko lootnay walay wajibul qatl hain’

    KYA BOLA? (Aug 25): ‘Aale Sharif’, ‘Shahid Khaqan Abbasi ka moo torr deingay’, ‘Mulk ko lootnay walay wajibul qatl hain’

    Following are some snippets that stood out from Urdu newspapers on August 25, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.

    ‘Aale Sharif’

    It has been reported by Daily Jang that Punjab Information Minister Fayazul Hasan Chohan has said, “Shehbaz Sharif ki aik dhelay ki corruption naa krnay ki baat darust hai kyun k Aale Sharif ne aik dhelay ki corruption nahi ki balkeh qaum ko arabo ka teeka lagaya aur iss corruption k dhairo saboot JIT aur NAB k pass hain.”

    ‘Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Ka Moo Torr Deingay’

    According to Daily Jang, Federal Minister of Water Resources Faisal Vawda has said, “Shahid Khaqan Abbasi ne assembly mein ghatiya zubaan istemal ki, speaker ko kahaa ‘bakwaas band karo’… speaker ki sharafat hai Shahid Khaqan k moo pr thappar nahi mara… agar ainda aisi baat ki to tumhara moo torr deingay.”

    ‘Mulk Ko Lootnay Walay Wajibul Qatl Hain’

    It has been reported by Daily Dunya that Federal Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said, “35 saal se jamhooriyat k naam pr mulk lootnay walay wajibul qatl hain… itna zulm Halaku Khan aur Chingiz Khan ne nahi kia jitna inn 2 jamaato ne kia.”

  • PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal accidentally arrives at accountability court, sent back home

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former federal minister Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday accidentally arrived at an accountability court in Islamabad, from where he was sent back home by court staff.

    As per the details, the PML-N stalwart, against whom the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed a reference over alleged corruption in the Narowal Sport City project, is to appear before the court tomorrow (Wednesday).

    He, however, mistakenly arrived at the court a day earlier and was informed that his hearing wasn’t until a day later, after which he returned back home.

    Reacting to The Current‘s report on Twitter, Iqbal said:

    Iqbal was earlier also arrested in connection to the probe into the sports complex built in his hometown.

    Construction of the complex, which includes a cricket stadium, gymnasium, squash and hockey ground, began in 2009 when Iqbal was in the opposition. But work picked up pace when the PML-N came to power in the 2013 election. That year, Iqbal was appointed the minister for planning and development.

    Below is the charge sheet against the politician from December last year:

    • Illegally increasing the cost of the Narowal Sports City complex from Rs35.410 million to Rs97.520 million, without approval from the Planning Commission’s Central Development Working Party (CDWP). Ahsan, adds NAB, was the minister of planning and development and the deputy chairman of the CDWP at the time. Rather than taking the project to the CDWP, he instead approved it on his own.

    • Iqbal initiated the project without a feasibility study, which was in violation of the development manual of the Planning Commission.

    • After the 18th Amendment, the project was devolved to the Punjab government in 2012 to be completed with its own resources. Yet, reads the charge sheet, funds were taken from the federal government to bankroll the complex. Iqbal, it adds, “further enhanced the scope of the project without any demand from the provincial government”.

  • Indians hack federal govt apps recently launched by PM Imran

    Government smartphone applications for Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP), Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police, and Captial Development Authority (CDA) were hacked by Indian groups and they were siphoned for data extraction.

    Upon trying to pay an annual tax for a car, the users pointed out that the apps were not working and only had basic information such as rates of taxes of different cars and the location of offices.

    According to the media reports, The Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqat revealed that the apps and services had been jammed to stop hackers from collecting data. He said that the relevant authorities are working on dealing with the issue and they will hopefully resolve the technical glitches.

    These apps were recently launched in the company of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan who personally attended the launch ceremony. He said that “the launch would be proven revolutionary for the people of Islamabad and these apps will soon be replicated for the rest of the country.”

  • ‘Rasode Me Kaun Tha’ memes break the internet

    ‘Rasode Me Kaun Tha’ memes break the internet

    Indian music producer Yashraj Mukhate made a rap song using a scene from an Indian soap Saath Nibhana Saathiya that quickly went viral on social media. 

    In the scene, one of the characters Kokilaben is seen asking who was responsible for a kitchen mishap and who took the ‘chanay’ out of the cooker when Kokilaben went to take a shower. The question is ‘Rashi Thi, Main thi, Kon tha? which is stuck in people’s minds and meme-makers are doing a great job at making people laugh.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CEHeALNJMjm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    https://twitter.com/Bitchariiiii/status/1297151485084487680?s=20

  • KYA BOLA? (Aug 24): ‘Media ka Usman Buzdar se pyar’ to ‘Jahangir Tareen se Ch Sarwar tak sab wazire aala ban’nay k khuwahishmand’

    KYA BOLA? (Aug 24): ‘Media ka Usman Buzdar se pyar’ to ‘Jahangir Tareen se Ch Sarwar tak sab wazire aala ban’nay k khuwahishmand’

    Following are some snippets that stood out from Urdu newspapers on August 24, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.

    ‘Media Ka Usman Buzdar se Pyar’

    It has been reported by Daily Jang that Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar was asked why he is so reluctant to interact with media, to which he said“Taa k media ka hum se pyaar barqaraar rahay.”

    ‘Usman Buzdar Aur Phone’

     Senior journalist and analyst Irshad Bhatti, in his column for Daily Jang, has stated that he asked Usman Buzdar how did he feel after becoming the chief minister, to which he said “Allah ka shukar adaa kr rha tha… mein 5 saal har maah Shehbaz Sharif ko fax krta aur milnay ki darkhuwast krta magar woh 5 saal mujhe nahi milay. Soch raha tha ab Allah ne mujhe wazire aala bana dia.”

    To another question he said, “Yeh sach hai mujhe mobile phone k baray mein zayda nahi pata… call krna, call sun’na aur kabhi kabaar WhatsApp messages bus.”

    ‘Jahangir Tareen se Ch Sarwar Tak Sab Wazire Aala Ban’nay K Khuwahishmand Thay‘

    It has been reported by Daily Dunya that Punjab Governor Chaudhary Sarwar has said, “Mujh samait Shah Mahmood Qureshi aur Jahangir Tareen sab wazire aala ban’nay k khuwahishmand thay lekin Imran Khan ne Usman Buzdar ko chuna. Pervaiz Elahi ney wazire aala ban’ny ki khuwahish zahir nahi ki.”

  • Neo TV fined Rs0.5 million for airing Khalilur Rehman’s abusive comments

    Neo TV fined Rs0.5 million for airing Khalilur Rehman’s abusive comments

    The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has slapped a fine of Rs500,000 (0.5 million) on private TV channel Neo News for violating its law and codes and airing abusive and misogynistic remarks by writer-director Khalilur Rehman Qamar in one of its programmes earlier this year. The regulatory body had earlier also issued a show-cause notice to the channel when the incident took place.

    According to reports, the authority also instructed the TV channel to strictly observe the laws and code of conduct in matters pertaining to gender and to adopt a strict policy in this regard.

    Back in March, a few days before the Aurat March, Qamar and journalist Marvi Sirmed were invited to be a part of a panel discussion on Neo TV’s show Aaj Ayesha Ehtesham Kay Saath. The topic of discussion was a petition against the Aurat March in the Lahore High Court (LHC). The petition, which had called the march “un-Islamic” with a ” hidden agenda to spread vulgarity”, had been dismissed by the court that said it couldn’t be banned under the law of the land. Qamar while speaking against the slogan ‘Mera Jism Meri Marzi‘ launched a tirade against Sirmed when she murmured the same as he was talking. He hurled expletives her way and abused her on live television.

    The incident had stirred a debate on social media with artists, journalists and politicians condemning the incident and calling for a boycott of Qamar.

    WATCH: Resham tells Khalil ur Rehman Qamar that he is not even worth one ‘taka’

    A number of high court lawyers reportedly also filed complaints in Pemra’s Council of Complaints against the programme. All three complainants stated that Rehman abused Sirmed for chanting the slogan mera jism, meri marzi, calling his conduct “highly objectionable” and against Pemra laws. They argued that the channel violated PEMRA’s directives and failed to perform their duties. It is pertinent to mention here that NEO News issued an apology to Sirmed and did not invite Qamar to any of its programmes again.

    After hearing the arguments from both sides, the Council of Complaints concluded that Qamar’s comments were “abusive and gender-biased” and that the channel violated several laws, including the Constitution by airing his remarks. The council also noted that the channel “failed to observe an effective delay mechanism” and that “the host of the programme could have employed various other methods to control the situation which were not opted at that time.”

    Though the council recommended that a fine of Rs1m be imposed on the channel and a warning be issued to it, they later approved a fine of Rs0.5m on the channel along with a warning.

  • NAB launches new investigation into contracts awarded by Buzdar govt

    NAB launches new investigation into contracts awarded by Buzdar govt

    National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday launched an investigation into contracts allotted during the tenure of current Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar.

    According to sources, the anti-graft watchdog has sought records from Lahore Development Authority (LDA), Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency (TEPA), and other departments in this regard.

    The bureau has also directed the concerned authorities to submit details of key development projects’ contracts, in a move some elements claim is aimed at getting rid of the provincial chief executive despite NAB’s repeated reminders that it is an autonomous institution.

    Earlier, CM Buzdar had appeared before NAB Lahore office in a case of allegedly issuing a liquor licence to a hotel in violation of the law.

    Buzdar handed over all the documents regarding the issuance of a liquor license to the anti-corruption bureau and said, “I do not know anything as I am not prepared. Give me time to think and answer these questions”.

    Meanwhile, former director-general (DG) of Excise Akram Ashraf Gondal also recorded his statement and claimed he had informed Chief Minister Office that issuance of the liquor license will be against the policy and rules as NOCs were not complete.

    However, he approved the license on the request of then principal secretary to chief minister Raheel Ahmed Siddiqui.

    Former Excise DG Akram Ashraf Gondal had also submitted an application to become an approver in the case.

  • Samsung wants to establish a mobile assembly plant in Pakistan

    After a detailed meeting with Samsung Pakistan Chief Executive officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD), Federal Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar tweeted that Samsung is interested to set up its assembly unit in Pakistan.

    According to the minister, “Smartphone production in Pakistan is increasing exponentially, thanks to the implementation of new, more robust, policies.”

    Both Samsung officials appreciated the changes and are actively considering setting up a smartphone assembly unit in Pakistan.

    In May this year, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) approved the first-ever mobile device manufacturing policy in Pakistan, according to a summary moved by the Ministry of Industries and Production.

    The Ministry of Industries and Production was tasked to further fine-tune various features and incentives of the policy to promote localisation of research and development (R&D), leading to the export of mobile phones.

    The development comes after PTA’s (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority) implementation of the Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS), and Mobile Policy launched recently.