Gallup Pakistan, a research organisation has performed research on the topic of laptops and tablets ownership in Pakistan.
It was discovered that only 7% of Pakistanis own a personal laptop, whereas 2% said that they have a tablet. Islamabad and urban Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have the highest ownership stats with 27% and 16% respectively.
The main goal of the survey was to study the effects of the pandemic and how it has impacted the ownership of smart devices since it has made them a necessity rather than a luxury.
The survey is conducted once every two years by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics and it covers more than 24,000 households and over 115,000 respondents.
In a regional breakdown, Balochistan reports the lowest number with only 2% ownership stats. 5% of the people from Islamabad and Karachi own a tablet while provincially, urban Sindh and Punjab report the highest in this regard.
This further adds authenticity to the criticism raised by the country and many students about the lack of facilities available to continue their education through the ongoing pandemic.
Federal Minister of Planning and Development Asad Umar while addressing a press conference has said that cinemas, theatres, public parks, and restaurants will be reopened from August 10 (Monday) under strict SOPs.
According to details, Umar said that Pakistan has recorded a decline in cases of COVID-19.
He said that Educational institutions are expected to reopen on September 15 but all the SOPs will be monitored on September 7.
ANNOUNCEMENT: All Public & Private Schools of Punjab to open September 15th, 2020. This is a tentative date depending on COVID 19 situation in Punjab. SOPs for opening Schools are in place which will be conveyed to everyone. All other news is “FAKE NEWS”
The authorities have detained five persons for killing a snow leopard in Hoper Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan. Three of them have been sentenced to jail by the wildlife magistrate.
As per reports, a female snow leopard was killed in Hoper while her two cubs lost. The wildlife team was able to recover the skin of the slain leopard and a search operation to find the missing cubs is underway.
⚠️Warning: Distressing images
We are extremely saddened to learn about the recent poaching incident involving a female snow leopard, which was killed in Hopper Valley. As per the reports, there is a search operation underway to recover the two cubs of the dead mother.
We really appreciate the efforts of the Gilgit-Baltistan Forest, Wildlife, Parks and Environment Department and law enforcement agencies on arresting the culprits. These efforts must continue.
The wildlife department arrested a man with the help of law enforcement agencies on Tuesday after getting information about the killing of the snow leopard. 25-year old Mohammad Saleem, a resident of Hoper valley confessed to his crime and told the authorities that he along with his friends killed a female snow leopard near Hoper glacier almost 12 days ago. He said that the leopard was living with her two cubs in the mountain near the glacier and they set the cubs free after killing the leopard.
Later the police also arrested four more culprits involved in the crime. They were identified as Mohammad and Jaffar Ali, residents of Hoper and Mohammad Amin and Jan Alam, residents of Hunza.
Mohammad Saleem and Mohammad were sentenced to one year jail with a fine of Rs5,000,000 on each of them while another accused man was sentenced to one-month imprisonment.
According to details, Mohammad Saleem posted the pictures of the snow leopard on social media after killing it.
Following are some snippets that stood out from Urdu newspapers on August 6, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.
‘Martial Law Se Behtar Angrezo Ki Hukoomat Hai’
It has been reported by Daily Dunya that Supreme Court’s Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who is known for being a critic of certain quarters, has taken notice of irregularities in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and remarked “Marshal law se behtar hai hukoomat Angrezo ko de di jaaye.”
‘Kashmir Aik Namukamal Agenda Hai’
Daily Jang has quoted Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Sardar Usman Buzdar as saying “Kashmir, Taqseeme Hind ka namukammal agenda hai. Aaj maqbooza Kashmir Pakistan k naqshay mein shaamil hua hai, kal yeh Pakistan ka hissa hoga.”
Buzdar was referring to Pakistan’s new political map approved by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Tuesday. It shows the troubled valley as a part of Pakistan.
‘Substandard’ Construction Work of Peshawar BRT
According to Daily Dunya, Asian Development Bank (ADB), which is assisting the construction of Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, has identified “substandard” construction work.
The Peshawar BRT is rather infamous for its incompletion as the authorities concerned have failed to meet deadlines time and again. The government has now issued yet another deadline for completion of the much-delayed project, the cost of which has also swollen over the years.
In what appears to be a major foreign policy shift for Pakistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has asked Saudi Arabia-led Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to stop dragging feet on the convening of a meeting of its Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) on the Kashmir issue.
“I am once again respectfully telling OIC that a meeting of the CFM is our expectation. If you cannot convene it, then I’ll be compelled to ask Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiris,” he said while speaking to a private media outlet.
When asked if Pakistan will “move forward” with or without Saudi Arabia, the foreign minister said, “with or without…”. In response to another question, he said Pakistan could not wait any further.
WATCH VIDEO:
According to Dawn, Pakistan has been pushing for the foreign ministers’ meeting of the 57-member bloc of Muslim countries, which is the second-largest intergovernmental body after the United Nations (UN), since India annexed occupied Kashmir in August 2019.
Qureshi had at an earlier presser explained the importance of CFM for Pakistan. He had then said that it was needed to send a clear message from Ummah on the Kashmir issue.
Although there has been a meeting of the contact group on Kashmir on the sidelines of UN General Assembly session in New York since last August and OIC’s Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission has made statements on the rights abuses in the occupied valley, but no progress could be made towards the CFM meeting.
A major reason behind the failure to call the foreign ministers’ meeting has been Saudi Arabia’s reluctance to accept Pakistan’s request for one specifically on Kashmir. Riyadh’s support is crucial for any move at the OIC, which is dominated by Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries.
Qureshi said Pakistan skipped Kuala Lumpur Summit last December on Saudi request and now Pakistani Muslims, who are ready to lay down their lives for the Kingdom, are demanding of Riyadh to “show leadership on the issue”.
“We have our own sensitivities. You have to realise this. Gulf countries should understand this,” the foreign minister said, adding that he could no more indulge in diplomatic niceties.
“We cannot stay silent anymore on the sufferings of the Kashmiris,” he said.
As the season wraps up, so do many dramas and with the weather expected to change in the upcoming weeks, our TV screens will also witness the winds of change. Three new dramas –Mushk, Saraab and Prem Gali – are scheduled to air in the near future and their teasers have already dropped. Check them out below:
Mushk
Featuring Imran Ashraf, Urwa Hocane, Moomal Sheikh and Osama Tahir, Mushk is a layered love story. Speaking to a local media outlet, Ashraf said that “Mushk revolves around the concept of love, in all forms – good, bad and ugly. It presents a sharp contrast between good and evil.”
He adds: “It is not a formula play, it has been created differently. The dialogues are very poetic.”
The drama has been written by Ashraf himself and directed by Aehsun Talish (Suno Chanda, Ye Dil Mera). It also marks the return of Hocane to the small screen after a break of almost three years.
Penned by Faiza Iftikhar (Akbari Asghari, Aunn Zara, Dil Lagi, Ranjha Ranjha Kardi) Prem Gali has been directed by Qasim Ali Mureed and features Farhan Saeed and Sohai Ali Abro in the lead. Not much is known about the drama except that it is a romantic comedy. From the teasers, it is also safe to say that Saeed is playing a similar character to that of Arsal in the superhit Suno Chanda.
According to the director, the drama “will remind people of old school romance, where setting up a meeting with the beloved used to be a big task.”
“It is a light-hearted project. We’ve tried to create something exceptional with major themes including love, family values, neighbourhood, etc,” he adds.
It has been produced by Humayun Saeed under his production house Six Sigma Plus.
As the conversation on mental health gains traction, it is also being explored in more depth on our drama screen. Sonya Hussayn and Sami Khan’s upcoming drama Saraab aims to highlight schizophrenia and the plight of those suffering from the illness. It has been written by Edison Idrees and directed by Mohsin Talat.
In an interview, Sonya said that the makers of the drama did thorough research on the project, including visiting mental asylums and rehab centres to understand the conditions of these patients, before beginning work on the drama so that it could be as realistic as possible.
Two enormous explosions ripped through Beirut’s port on Tuesday, wrecking buildings across the Lebanese capital. The explosions — which were heard in Nicosia, 240 kilometres (150 miles) away in Cyprus — were logged by seismologists, registering as the equivalent of a 3.3-magnitude earthquake. According to the Lebanese Red Cross, more than 100 people have been killed while over 4,000 have been injured.
“Until now over 4,000 people have been injured and over 100 have lost their lives. Our teams are still conducting search and rescue operations in the surrounding areas,” a statement said.
Following the devastating incident, Pakistani celebrities including Mahira Khan, Humayun Saeed, Mehwish Hayat, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Saba Qamar and Asim Azhar extended their prayers to those affected by the tragedy.
Prime Minister Imran Khan also said that he was “deeply pained to hear” of the incident.
Deeply pained to hear of the massive explosions in Beirut with precious lives lost & thousand injured.We stand in solidarity with our Lebanese brethren in their difficult hour, sharing their sorrow & grief. May Allah grant speedy recovery to the injured & strength to the bereaved
My heart goes out to you Beirut! Heartiest prayers for all those who have been affected by this tragic blast. Such a beautiful country going through the worst of times! #Beirut#Lebanon
The footage coming in from Beirut is truly devastating. My heart grieves for all the people suffering… Sending them lots of prayers and love #Beirut#BeirutExplosion#Lebanon
This is devastating. I just called every friend and family member I have in Beirut and each of them were directly impacted. Praying for Lebanon. https://t.co/jvElTyCEOU
Authorities are appealing to residents of #Beirut to remain indoors, wear a mask or leave the city for the mountains as the air has become highly toxic. But the residents are out on the streets going through rubble or to hospitals looking for their loved ones. #BeirutBlast
The apocalyptic carnage caused by the #BeirutExplosion has left me speechless. May the people of #Beirut find strength somehow – sending lots of love and prayers their way#Lebanon لبنان#
Horrific scenes emerging from videos regarding the Beirut Blast. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their people in this time of need. Stay strong Lebanon #PrayForLebanon#prayforbeirut#BeirutBlast#Beruit
It has been a year since India revoked the special status of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) and imposed a curfew in the region. To highlight Indian atrocities in the region and share a glimpse of life in lockdown, filmmaker Ibrahim Baloch has released a short film on the issue titled Article 370.
The film tells the story of Gul-e-Rana (Mariyam Nafees), a pregnant girl living in IoK. She is awaiting the birth of her child when a complete lockdown is imposed in the region and her husband goes missing. The short 16-minute video touches a chord and your heart goes out to those living in the region.
Speaking about the film, Baloch told a local media outlet that he wanted to highlight the human side of the political move.
“I started following the situation in Kashmir after India announced its decision and realised that it was primarily debated from a political perspective,” he said. “I was more interested in the human side of the issue. So after doing some research, I came across stories of Kashmiri women in Srinagar who gave birth during the lockdown imposed by the Indian administration.”
Meanwhile, the film’s official synopsis states: “An untold tale of people who have made sacrifices the world is unaware of, while they lived their lives in hell. Gul-e-Rana didn’t know her fairytale would end so soon and her blessing would turn into a curse.”
Following are some snippets that stood out from Urdu newspapers on August 5, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.
‘Hukoomat K Sath Ab Kabhi Nahi Baithoonga’
It has been reported by Daily Jang that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former prime minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has distanced himself and his party from any proposals to amend National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, saying, “Hukoomat k sath ab kabhi nahi baithoonga. Hukoomat jhoot bolnay pr awaam se maafi maangay. Jahaan wazire azam aur wuzra assembly k floor pr jhoot boltay hon, unn se kya baat karein?”
‘PPP Ki 12 Saala Karkardagi‘
Daily Jang has quoted Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill as saying, “People’s Party walay ehal hotay to NDMA ko Karachi naa bhejna parrta… jin ki 12 saala karkardagi ka pol chand millimeter baarish ne khol dia, unn se bughz kaisa?
Fayazul Hasan Chohan’s Cameo
According to Daily Jang, Punjab Information Minister Fayazul Hasan Chohan will be making a cameo appearance in the Independence Day song to be released later this month ahead of August 14 celebrations.
Chohan, a popular member of the Punjab government, is rather infamous for his “reckless” statements, one of which was against members of the Hindu community and had cost him his job.
Shehzad Roy is very popular in Pakistan as a singer and also for his social work. Some of his socio-political songs were also a big hit in the country.
One of Roys’s songs featured Wasu Khan, a man hailing from the Jaffarabad district of Balochistan, belonging to the labour class. He made an appearance in the songApne Ullo Kitne Tedhe. His narrartion in the song was liked by mana people.
After ‘Apne Ullo Kitne Tedhe‘s popularity, Wasu was featured in another song with Roy in ‘Beya Beya’ that was a tribute to the late folk singer Mureed Buledi.
But now as per a few posts doing rounds on social media, Wasu is in financial crisis after going through numerous health issues, and living in a rented house.
In an interview, he said that he is not only unable to pay his house rent, but he is also unable to provide his family with two meals a day. He hopes that his message will reach the authorities and they will help him.
His story went viral on the internet and people started to share how the star now needs our help.
اپ رابطہ کروا دیں۔۔ اُمید ہے شہزاد رائے کی ضرورت نہیں پڑے گی
شہزاد رائے نے تو اس کو گمنامی سے نکال کے ایک پہچان دی۔ اس کے بعد باقی لوگوں بشمول میرے، آپ اور حکومتی عہدیداران نے کیا کیا۔ شہزاد کی بجائے ہمیں اپنے گریبان میں نگاہ اور ہاتھ ڈالنے کی ضرورت ہے
Speaking to Urdu News, Wasu said that Roy is still in contact with him.
“Shehzad Roy has helped me a lot. He spent two lacs rupees on my treatment at Agha Khan Hospital and is still in contact with me,” said Wasu.
He added: “Shehzad had bought me a house that was destroyed in the floods of 2010 and later sold it for treatment.”
“ I now live in a rented house. Shehzad has given me a house, money, but my personal income is not enough,” he shared.
Shehzad Roy recently took to Twitter and posted a video of Wasu telling that he asled for the help from the government and did not want to bother Roy as he had already helped him a lot.
last ten years I was constantly in touch with Wasu til my whole family got Corona.He did not cal me,he said he didnt want to trouble me more & wanted help from the govt. So I hav come to Quetta to meet him,he asked me to take him to the CM,who v met,Here is Wasu sharing his story pic.twitter.com/HNtw76BSml
