Category: Uncategorized

  • PTI govt mulls selling PIA-owned luxurious New York hotel worth ‘billions of dollars’

    PTI govt mulls selling PIA-owned luxurious New York hotel worth ‘billions of dollars’

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is planning to privatise the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)-owned luxurious Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, drawing the ire of opposition members and the general public for “attempting to sell an asset of the national carrier worth billions of dollars”.

    The 19-storey hotel with 1,025 rooms plus allied facilities in New York City, with some of the suites being among the most luxurious available in Manhattan, is considered a valuable property that also carries cultural significance for Pakistan.

    Standing on the corner of 45th Street and Madison Avenue, in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the hotel bears a quintessentially American name in honour of former United States (US) President Theodore Roosevelt, who had previously been the governor of New York State.

    It has remained in news for the last several years for its proposed auction. However, the management of PIA always rejected such claims.

    The said hotel was acquired by PIA Investment Limited on lease during the year 1979 with an option to purchase the property. PIA had purchased the hotel against $36.5 million against a demand of $59.5m by contesting a lawsuit against the owner in 1999. The Interstate Hotel and Resort is managing the Roosevelt Hotel since 1997.

    According to a notification issued Monday — at a time when the federal government is reportedly at odds with the national carrier after Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan’s statements regarding PIA pilots having “dubious” licences –, the privatisation of the hotel was discussed in a meeting of the cabinet committee on privatisation on Wednesday.

    The meeting was chaired by Adviser to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, stated the notification issued a day before the meeting.

    It has, however, not been very well-received by the Twitterati.

    What do you think of the government’s plans to sell the luxury hotel owned by PIA? Let The Current know in the comments.

  • ‘We want freedom’: Protests in Kashmir after elderly man’s killing in front of 3yo grandson

    ‘We want freedom’: Protests in Kashmir after elderly man’s killing in front of 3yo grandson

    Hundreds of people in occupied Kashmir staged protests on Wednesday, accusing government forces of killing an elderly man in front of his minor grandson during a gun battle with Kashmiri fighters, which also left a trooper dead.

    The Kashmiri fighters opened fire from a mosque attic in the northern town of Sopore, setting off a battle with security forces, paramilitary police spokesperson Junaid Khan told AFP.

    The family of Bashir Ahmed Khan alleged that he was dragged out of his car after the showdown and shot dead by paramilitary troopers.

    His three-year-old grandson, who was travelling with him, was later pictured sitting on his chest.

    “Locals said that he [Khan] was brought out of his car and shot dead by the forces,” Farooq Ahmed, a nephew of the deceased man told AFP.

    “They told us that someone in uniform then put the child on his chest as he lay dead on the road and took photographs,” Farooq Ahmed said.

    The photo of the child sat on the body of his dead grandfather was widely shared on social media.

    Paramilitary spokesman Khan said the allegation was “baseless”. Police also denied the claims, saying legal action would be taken for “false reports and rumours”.

    “There was no retaliation from the security forces,” Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar told reporters.

    Hundreds assembled at the man’s funeral near the main city of Srinagar shouting, “We want freedom”.

    Government forces have intensified counterinsurgency operations against Kashmiri fighters since a coronavirus lockdown was imposed in March.

    Since January, at least 229 people have been killed during over 100 military operations across occupied Kashmir, including 32 civilians, 54 government forces and 143 fighters, according to the Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), a rights group.

  • KP’s Sikh community deliver ration packs to pandemic-hit families

    Members of the Sikh community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have been distributing ration bags among families affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

    Speaking to Arab News, a Sikh pharmacist from Peshawar, Dr Jatinder Singh said, “We try not to publicise this since we only seek our reward from God and want to protect the identity and dignity of all beneficiaries.”

    Singh said many Sikh business owners have donated big-heartedly to distribute the ration packs among 400 families.

    “This is a community-driven welfare service which is a great source of satisfaction for us,” he added.

    Before the emergence of COVID-19, Singh and his community also helped to arrange collective Iftar dinners for Muslims during Ramazan. Now, Muslim philanthropists have also started participating in the Sikh community’s ration initiative.

    “We distribute ration packs among deserving families regardless of their caste and creed,” Singh said. “We hope that this endeavor will somewhat mitigate the negative economic impact on people’s lives caused by the pandemic.”

  • IN PICTURES: Pakistan cricket team trains at Worcestershire

    IN PICTURES: Pakistan cricket team trains at Worcestershire

    The Pakistan cricket team has begun their training at Worcestershire for their upcoming matches against England.

    Read more – Mohammad Amir reveals why he backed out of England tour

    The team arrived in England on June 30, where they will play three Tests and as many Twenty20 internationals, starting in the first week of August. The players, who tested negative for COVID-19 and travelled to England included Azhar Ali (captain), Babar Azam (vice-captain), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Ahmad, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, and Yasir Shah. Misbah-ul-Haq (head coach), Younis Khan (batting coach), Mushtaq Ahmed (spin bowling coach) and Waqar Younis also travelled with the team.

    According to PCB, the squad will undergo a 14-day isolation period on arrival before continuing their preparations ahead of the first Test with two four-day warm-up matches.

    Check out pictures from their training session below:

    Watch video:

    Babar Azam also shared pictures of himself at the practise and said that it felt great to be on the field again.

    It is expected that the first Test will take place in Manchester in August but the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said the behind-closed-doors match schedule would be announced in “due course”.

  • PTA temporarily bans PUBG

    PTA temporarily bans PUBG

    The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has temporarily banned the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), an online battle game, for being harmful to players’ health.

    The move came after three children committed suicide in Lahore recently due to the online game.

    The authority, in a statement, said that it received “many complaints against PUBG wherein it is stated that the game is addictive, wastage of time and poses a serious negative impact on the physical and psychological health of the children”.

    It added that the decision came on the back of complaints received from different segments of society as well as media reports claiming “cases of suicide attributed to PUBG game”.

    “Honorable Lahore High court has also directed PTA to look into the issue and decide the matter after hearing the complainants. In this regard, a hearing is being conducted on the 9th of July 2020,” it added.

    PTA has also urged people to share their opinion and give their feedback on the issue at consultation-pubg@pta.gov.pk by July 10, 2020.

  • Bushra Ansari lashes out at fan for criticising her drama ‘Zebaish’

    Bushra Ansari lashes out at fan for criticising her drama ‘Zebaish’

    Bushra Ansari has lashed out at a fan who criticised her ongoing drama Zebaish and wished death upon them.

    Read more – Bushra Ansari says she is done with ‘saas-bahu’ dramas

    Lubna Faryad, who has gained acclaim as the Amma who reviews dramas on the digital media platform Galaxy Lollywood, in her recent review criticised Ansari’s ongoing drama Zebaish. In response to her criticism, Bushra lashed out at Amma, referring to her as “cheap low-class person”.

    Bushra used very harsh words against Amma, remarking “They are the coronas in our lives. Allah will finish them InshaAllah.”

    While Bushra did not further comment on the matter and later deleted her original comment, the team of Galaxy Lollywood expressed their disappointment and said that Amma is a simple house-wife, who enjoys watching dramas and shares her thoughts on them in her videos.

    “Amma has not and has never claimed to be a critic,” said the digital media platform in a post.

    Meanwhile, audiences also expressed their disappointment over Bushra’s comments.

    Later, the digital media platform also shared a short clip in which Amma is praising Bushra Jee and expressing her appreciation for her.

    Zebaish, which airs on Hum TV, has been written by Bushra, who also the leading lady of the drama. The drama also stars her sister Asma Abbas, niece Zara Noor Abbas, Asad Siddiqui, Babar Ali, Zoya Nasir and Shabbir Jan.

  • Man falls in love with beggar girl while distributing food, marries her

    Man falls in love with beggar girl while distributing food, marries her

    A unique wedding has been seen in Kanpur, India where, while distributing food on the pavement, a young man fell in love with a begging girl and both of them tied the knot amid the lockdown.

    Anil, a driver from Kanpur’s Kakadeo area came across a beggar, Neelam when he went out to distribute food as per the instructions of his employer among the needy. He was attracted to Neelam that turned into true love.

    Talking to an Indian news outlet, the bride said, “My father died long ago and my mother suffered a paralysis stroke. My brother and sister-in-law used to beat me up and one day they threw my mother and I out of the house.”

    Left without a roof over her head and little resources, Neelam started begging to make ends meet.

    “He started talking to me when he came to know about my circumstances. One day, he convinced me to give up begging. We started interacting daily, and developed a friendship which blossomed into love”, said Neelam.

    Anil told reporters: “I admired her courage and guts. She was not only fending for herself but also for her paralysed mother.”

    Anil shared his feelings with his employer who guided him to take care of Neelam and her mother because the lockdown had made their life much more difficult. And then he started providing to them two times a day.

    His employer, Lalta Prasad convinced Anil’s family to let him marry the girl he loved and he finally proposed to Neelam.

  • Punjab spends Rs8,600,000 on Buzdar’s helicopter trips

    Punjab spends Rs8,600,000 on Buzdar’s helicopter trips

    The Punjab government has spent Rs8.6 million in 16 months — from August 2018 till November 2019 — on the helicopter flights of Chief Minister (CM) Sardar Usman Buzdar, including 14 flights to his hometown and constituency, Punjab Information Commission has revealed.

    According to data released by the commission, CM Buzdar made his first visit to Mian Channu and Pakpattan from Lahore on August 28, 2018, on his official helicopter soon after assuming the office.

    In September 2018, the helicopter was used twice for local flying in Lahore. Interestingly, the helicopter was used five times in October out of which Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan used it thrice to visit Punjab Governor’s House during his visits to the provincial capital.

    In November 2018, the official helicopter was used 14 times — thrice to Dera Ghazi Khan, which is also the constituency of the Punjab CM. The official chopper was used to visit Taunsa Sharif, the hometown of the provincial chief executive, during the same month.

    In February 2019, Buzdar paid a visit to Multan, Rajanpur and DG Khan while in the same month he also went to Taunsa via helicopter.

    In April 2019, the Punjab CM made 28 trips on his official helicopter of which five were made to Taunsa. In May 2019, he made 27 visits, eight in July, 13 in August, 10 in September, 14 in October, and 11 in November, of which two trips were to DG Khan.

    He also made several visits to Pakpattan on board his official helicopter during this period.

    The Punjab government helicopter made a total of 164 flights and remained air borne for 119 hours and 30 minutes during this period.

  • IHC to decide on petition seeking removal of aviation minister

    IHC to decide on petition seeking removal of aviation minister

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday reserved its verdict on the maintainability of a petition seeking the removal of Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan from office for bringing the issue of pilots’ dubious licences out in the open.

    The petition, filed by one Advocate Tariq Asad, submitted that the remarks tarnished the image of the country in the international community.

    The petition was filed a day after the European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) has suspended the authorisation for the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to operate in Europe for six months. In another related development, the United Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Agency suspended PIA flight operations from three airports — Birmingham, London Heathrow and Manchester.

    Recalling the EASA decision, the petitioner said if a pilot possessed a fake/dubious licence, the minister should have taken action against them instead of bringing the matter in the knowledge of the National Assembly from where the national and international picked it up.

    Subsequently, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah reserved his verdict on the matter which he said to announce later.

  • Punjab govt to give 40% fee reduction to technical education students

    Punjab govt to give 40% fee reduction to technical education students

    Minister for Industries Punjab, Mian Aslam Iqbal has approved a 40% fee reduction for technical education students. 

    He chaired a meeting to allocate the annual budget for the provincial Board of Technical Education that has been approved.

    According to reports, a 13 point agenda was presented by the board on which all the members of the meeting agreed.

    A decision was taken that students who have been promoted without a formal examination this year due to the coronavirus pandemic in the country will be given 40% relief in tuition fees.

    The fee reduction is only for the students of Diploma for Associate Engineering (DAE), commerce, Matric (tech) and Matric (vocational).