Category: Uncategorized

  • PTI lawmakers from Sindh urge Imran to improve ties with PPP govt

    PTI lawmakers from Sindh urge Imran to improve ties with PPP govt

    Lawmakers of the Sindh Assembly belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have urged Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to strengthen relations between the Centre and the provincial government led by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) so that they are able to resolve public issues in their respective constituencies more efficiently.

    The premier met the MPAs at the Governor House during his two-day visit to the province.

    The delegation praised the premier’s suggestions in the new finance bill and decisions that were taken by the government to curb the spread of coronavirus. They also commended the PM on reaching out to the poor segment of the society through the Ehsaas Programme.

    “Public service is the first mission of the PTI government,” PM Imran said, urging the PTI lawmakers to be more proactive in resolving public issues.

    Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Zaidi and Special Assistant Dr Sania Nishtar were also present in the meeting.

    Among the MPAs were Omar Amari, Dr Syed Imran Ali Shah, Arsalan Taj Hussain, Bilal Ahmed, Syed Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Haleem Adil Sheikh, Jamaluddin Siddiqui and others.

    The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) delegation was also present during the meeting.

    According to reports, the delegation demanded Sindh’s share in the NFC award and discussed the privatisation of steel mills and eradication of locusts from agricultural fields in the province.

    The GDA delegation included Sardar Abdul Hakim, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Arif Mustafa Khan Jatoi and Irfanullah Marwat.

  • HSY shares how Lady Diana inspired him

    Princess of Wales Lady Diana was loved by millions across the world. She touched hearts wherever she went and inspired an entire generation.

    Renowned fashion designer, Hassan Sheheryar Yasin (HSY) recently shared how the late princess inspired him. Sharing a picture of himself with Prince William and Kate Middleton from their recent visit to Pakistan, HSY wrote, “Life is unpredictable and magical. Let me take you back.”

    Throwing it back to the day of Prince Charles and Lady Diana’s wedding, HSY said “I was a little boy who she [his mother] took along with her to stand way back in line to get a glimpse of the procession. She held me up on her shoulders the entire time so I could see beyond the sea of people in front of us. I was lucky to catch a glimpse of the Royal Carriage with the beautiful Queen of Hearts waving to the jubilant crowd as it passed us by.”

    “It was a magical moment. I was captivated. I would think about her and her regal posture, that stunning gown and her elegance and kindness for decades to come,” he said further. “She inspired me like she inspired countless others.”

    Read more – What did Mehwish Hayat & Prince William talk about and other inside details from the grand royal reception

    Coming back to the present day, HSY shared how honoured he was to have met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

    “I was celebrating my 25 years in fashion, it felt like I had come full circle,” said the designer while talking about his meeting with the royal couple. “This recognition of being invited from a handful from Pakistan to be introduced to them for your contributions in your field. I was overcome with gratitude. The son and daughter-in-law of the very same person who sparked my desire to be who I am were standing right in front of me and acknowledging my work,” he added.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CBiIK8phuh6/

    Meanwhile, HSY is gearing up for his official film debut. The designer will be making an appearance in Muhib Mirza’s Ishrat Made in China with a role that has been specially written for him. According to reports, the film is an action flick which revolves around gang rivalries and that HSY will be playing a negative role in it.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CA5ZCUvBR5K/
  • Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide elicits three deaths

    Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide elicits three deaths

    The untimely and tragic death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput has elicited three more deaths, including two suicides. According to reports, Sushant’s sister-in-law passed away from shock when she heard of his death, while two young fans committed suicide.

    Sushant’s sister-in-law, Sudha Devi, the wife of his cousin, couldn’t bear the loss and breathed her last in Purnea district of Bihar while the actor’s last rites were being performed on Monday, in Mumbai, reported the Times of India.

    A liver cancer patient, Sudha had reportedly stopped eating when she was informed about Rajput’s death by suicide. Family sources revealed that she kept weeping and recalling Sushant’s visit to his ancestral home last year.

    “Sushant’s untimely demise virtually shook her from within. She could not bear the loss,” said a family member.

    Meanwhile, a young fan of Sushant, who was suffering from depression, committed suicide a day after the actor’s death. According to reports, the 17-year-old girl allegedly hanged herself at her home in Patna after continuously watching the news of the actor’s suicide on TV.

    The victim’s mother told the police that her daughter was in depression because she was not performing well in her examinations. She had been watching and reading about the actor’s suicide and death on TV and social media, despite her mother’s warnings and insistence to not watch it.

    When her mother went to the terrace for a stroll, the girl hanged herself inside the bedroom.

    “She tied her mother’s sari to the ceiling fan to commit suicide,” said a police officer, adding that though her mother and neighbours rushed her to the hospital, she was declared dead upon arrival.

    Similarly, another fan of the actor committed suicide after he learnt of his demise.

    Did not know of son’s depression, says Sushant’s father

    While reports have stated that the Sushant was suffering from depression and was on medication, his father K K Singh told the police that his son would often feel “low” but he did not know that he was suffering from the illness.

    A senior Mumbai Police official revealed that “the family informed us that they do not know why Sushant was depressed and also did not mention if they had any suspicion on anyone.”

    The police are investigating Sushant’s suicide to ascertain what might have driven the young actor to end his life.

  • 1997: When Tariq Aziz defeated Imran Khan by a margin of over 45,000 votes

    1997: When Tariq Aziz defeated Imran Khan by a margin of over 45,000 votes

    Veteran actor and television host Tariq Aziz passed away in Lahore on Wednesday.

    He was 84 years old and was admitted to a private hospital last night after he fell critically ill. The cause of his death, however, has not yet been ascertained.

    Born in 1936 in British India, Aziz received his early education in Jalandhar (now in India) before starting his career at Radio Pakistan in Lahore. When state-owned Pakistan Television (PTV) started its broadcast in 1964 from Lahore, he became the first male news announcer of the country.

    In 1974, Aziz started the first-of-its-type game show, Neelam Ghar, from PTV. The show went on to register unprecedented heights. It was later rebranded as Tariq Aziz Show in 1996 before finally renamed Bazm-e-Tariq Aziz in 2006.

    Aziz also tried his luck in movies. He starred in Insaniyat (1967) alongside Waheed Murad and Zeba, following which he played a leading role in Haar Gaya Insaan.

    He received the Pride of Performance award in 1992 for his services.

    TARIQ AZIZ VS IMRAN KHAN:

    Unprecedented fame as a radio and television personality was, however, not it for Aziz who also went on to contest general elections in the 90s.

    He was active in student politics during his college days and had joined the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in 1970. In those days, Aziz was called a “firebrand socialist” known for charging up crowds with revolutionary slogans at Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s rallies. However, later he parted his ways and went back to the entertainment world. In 1996, he joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and was later elected member of the National Assembly from Lahore.

    Imran Khan, after founding Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in 1996 fielded himself from multiple seats in the 1997 general elections.

    Only from Lahore, Imran contested from NA-94 and NA-95 seats where he suffered defeats at the hands of Tariq Aziz and then PML-N president Nawaz Sharif, respectively.

    He received 4,595 votes against Aziz’s 50,227, paving way for Aziz’s election to the Lower House.

    Aziz was also one of the political activists who were charged with attacking the Supreme Court of Pakistan building in 1997.

  • Pakistan mourns as Tariq Aziz passes away

    Pakistan mourns as Tariq Aziz passes away

    The passing of Pakistan’s renowned TV/radio host, film actor and politician Tariq Aziz has left an irreplaceable void in the country and Pakistanis, including Prime Minister Imran Khan, mourned his death and remembered him and his work.

    According to Radio Pakistan, Aziz passed away due to cardiac arrest in Lahore on Wednesday. He was 84. ARY reported that the veteran host did not have any underlying ailments or conditions. He had been isolating at home ever since the coronavirus outbreak. Quoting his wife, the reporter said that a while before his death Aziz said he felt cold and put his head on his wife’s shoulder for some relief. He passed away soon after.

    Read more – Legendary Pakistani actress Sabiha Khanum passes away at 85

    In a condolence message, the Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Aziz was “an icon in his time and a pioneer of our TV game shows”.

    President Arif Alvi said that “a chapter closes with the sad demise of Tariq Aziz”.

    Meanwhile, from celebrities and politicians to sportsmen and journalists, everyone fondly remembered the legend and his iconic presence on the screen.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CBh4hApDDZr/

    Born in 1936 in Jalandhar, Aziz began his professional career from Radio Pakistan Lahore and was one of the most recognisable voices on the radio. Later, he joined PTV, where he not only became the state-owned television’s first announcer, he also became popular for his work on PTV’s Quiz Show Neelam Ghar, first aired in 1974. The show was later renamed the Tariq Aziz Show and also known as Bazm-e-Tariq Aziz.

    Aziz’s unique hosting skills on Neelam Ghar made him a household name in Pakistan over the past four decades in the country.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CBh5kIDhdoV/

    Other than that, Aziz was also a poet and a film actor – he was part of several films over the course of his career. He also featured in the super hit musical Salgira (1969), which went on to win two Nigar Awards that year.

    Aziz was also a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan between 1997 and 1999.

    He was awarded Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 1992 for his services to the nation.

    May his soul rest in peace.

  • Justice Qazi Faez Isa strikes back with ‘Imran, others’ properties in UK’

    Justice Qazi Faez Isa strikes back with ‘Imran, others’ properties in UK’

    Supreme Court’s (SC) Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who is facing a presidential reference for not disclosing his family’s assets, on Tuesday put the federal government in a tight spot before a full bench of the apex court by pointing out key leaders of the ruling party who also owned properties in the United Kingdom (UK), including Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and his special assistant on accountability, Shahzad Akbar.

    As a 10-judge full court, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, continued hearing the petitions against the reference, Justice Isa in a written statement informed the bench that PM Imran owned six properties, Akbar (five), Special Assistant to the PM on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfiqar Bukhari (seven) and Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Youth Affairs Usman Dar have three to his name.

    Former federal information minister Firdous Ashiq Awan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stalwart Jahangir Tareen each owned a property there as well. In addition, the judge submitted before the court that former military ruler Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf owned two properties in the UK.

    Justice Isa submitted the statement in response to SAPM Akbar telling the court that he did not receive any salary or benefit as the head of the Asset Recovery Unit (ARU).

    “Taking a cue from what is stated to have transpired in the case of the petitioner’s family, the search engine 192.com was used to search a few known public figures,” the statement read.

    The judge clarified that he was “not saying or suggesting, let alone allege” that the people he had identified had illegally acquired any property in the UK in violation of the income tax, the foreign exchange and/or money laundering laws.

    “Before an allegation of non-compliance with income tax law is made, the Federal Board of Revenue must check its records [of these individuals] and consider how much taxable income was declared and income-tax paid and whether they had non-taxable income, such as from agricultural land, which the Constitution exempts from payment of income tax.”

    Justice Isa further stated that before making an allegation with regard to the illegal transfer of money abroad, the State Bank “must check to determine whether the said individuals had foreign exchange accounts and whether through these accounts money was remitted abroad, to exclude the possibility of it sent to the UK through Hawala, Hundi or by any other illegal means”.

  • Sushant Singh Rajput’s death exposes the toxic side of Bollywood

    Sushant Singh Rajput’s death exposes the toxic side of Bollywood

    Indian police will probe whether the Bollywood actor who committed suicide the past weekend was depressed in part due to “professional rivalry,” in a film industry that is dominated by big names and has been accused of being insular, Reuters has reported.

    34-year-old Sushant Singh Rajput, who won acclaim and fans for his roles in several top-draw films, hailed from a middle-class family with no Bollywood connections – a relative rarity in the industry.

    He was found dead at his residence in Mumbai on Sunday.

    “There are media reports that he allegedly suffered from clinical depression because of professional rivalry. Mumbai Police will probe this angle too,” the home (interior) minister in Maharashtra, which includes the film capital Mumbai, tweeted late on Monday.

    Several of Rajput’s friends in the industry have written about his struggles to break through, while social media and some cultural commentators have criticised the allegedly closed culture in Bollywood, where some families have dominated for up to four generations.

    Rajput’s family has not commented so far.

    At least half a dozen accounts by Rajput’s industry colleagues suggested Bollywood’s clique-drive culture ostracised him, although none provided concrete details and it was not immediately clear who specifically they were talking about. However, hours after the actor’s death, the actor’s fans pointed fingers at Alia Bhatt and Karan Johar for driving him into depression.

    “I knew the pain you were going through. I knew the story of the people who let you down so bad that you used to weep on my shoulder,” Shekhar Kapur, who was supposed to direct Rajput in a film that was eventually shelved, wrote in a tweet on Monday.

    Legendary actor Dharmendra, while expressing his condolences said: “This beautiful beloved ‘show business’ is very cruel.”

    Raveena Tandon also voiced similar views.

    Meanwhile, actress Swara Bhasker called accusations against Bollywood personalities “the height of idiocy.”

    Sonam Kapoor also had a similar stance.

    Veteran actor Saif Ali Khan too, became part of the conversation as he showed distaste towards the hypocrisy the film industry is indulging in, soon after Singh’s demise.

    “Out of respect for him, for Sushant’s tragedy, maybe a day of silence or introspection would be a little more becoming than this outpouring of love – an outpouring of love from people who obviously didn’t care about him and people who famously don’t care about anybody else,” he stated.

    “We don’t care about anybody. You know, it’s a very cutthroat line of work. But to pretend that you do care is like the ultimate hypocrisy and I think that’s an insult to the dead, you know, it’s an insult to the soul that’s gone.”

    He went on to say, “Nobody really cares in this town. So to pretend they really care is, you know, it’s a little much for me, it’s a little much to digest. They’re really coming across as the most ‘feeling’ people because they want their fans to think that they’re the most, feeling people – but that’s just untrue! Just for Sushant’s memory, there should be some dignity. If nothing else, you should just create some silence. I don’t think this is the time to comment.”

  • Fakhr-e-Alam says his leaked audio is being taken out of context

    Fakhr-e-Alam says his leaked audio is being taken out of context

    Social media, at times can be absolutely relentless and the latest victim of it is singer-host Fakhr Alam, whose voice note, sent to a private group chat, was leaked and widely circulated on the internet.

    In the audio, which has been shared on various social media platforms, Alam can be heard sharing his opinion on the current political situation in the country. The singer was brutally trolled for his thoughts and comments.

    Following the leaked audio, Alam released a video – which has since been deleted – in which he stood his ground and said that the audio was unintentionally released in the public and that it was sent to a private group chat, which included members of the government and the opposition among others.

    When The Current reached out to the talk show host for further details, Alam, in a statement said: “An out of context audio from a private Whatsapp group has been released where we exchange banter on politics and gossip. The group consists of various individuals of good standing in politics and other important institutions of our beloved country. A mistake by a member resulted in this audio to go out of the group. However, this was a private conversation weeks ago but the timing of making it an issue is directly related to my tweeting in favour of another celebrity who was being targeted by social media teams of a political party.”

    He added: “This was followed by my sharing a video of a hospital situation in Lahore that further aggravated this social media team and as a result, they have taken this private voice note which is clearly in a tone of banter and humour online. Which is a breach of privacy and copyright infringement.”

    Read more – Vasay Chaudhry, Omair Rana slam Punjab Govt spokesperson for making derogatory remarks against Shafaat Ali

    Alam said he does not want to discuss the matter further because “we have much larger issues confronting us as a country”.

    “Pakistan does not belong to a single political party or ethnicity or sect. Disagreement is a healthy thing, but as long as we remain within civility. Someone’s failure, insecurities and vulnerabilities are further amplified when they react to a private conversation between friends.”

    He concluded, “My intention was not to hurt or harm anyone. Everyone knows my love for Pakistan, our armed forces, LEAs, etc. Instead of getting lost in petty issues like private jokes lets focus on ensuring we fight the pandemic united and prepare our people for the very difficult days ahead. Pakistan Zindabad.”

    Meanwhile, the National Award winning actor has been actively raising his voice for Pakistanis stranded abroad and campaigning for their safe return.

  • Maryam Nawaz shares the name of the book she read while in jail

    Maryam Nawaz shares the name of the book she read while in jail

    Good news for PML-N fans. Maryam Nawaz Sharif has joined Instagram, where she will be sharing snippets from her life, herself.

    In her first post, Maryam said: “Previously handled by my team, this account shall now be handled by me personally. I wish to keep it as apolitical as possible so you and I can have more human moments.”

    Staying true to her promise, Maryam’s next post was about a book she read while in Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore in October 2019.

    According to her notes, Maryam started reading Paulo Coehlo’s Manuscript found in Accra on October 6, 2019, and finished it two days later on October 8. She also shared some of her favourite lines from the book.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CBfr9OfjEes/

    Read more – Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker Bowles shares a list of her favourite books

    About Manuscript found in Accra

    According to Penguin Random House, “in 1974, an English archaeologist discovered a manuscript in Accra, the present capital of Ghana; carbon dating showed that it had originated in 1307. Written in Arabic, Hebrew, and Latin, the document describes a meeting in the year 1099 between the people of Jerusalem and a sage known as the Copt. It is the year in which the city, where Jews, Christians, and Muslims live together in harmony, is preparing for an attack by the armies of the Crusades.”

    It adds: “In this captivating novel, best-selling author Paulo Coelho brings to life the anguish of a city on the brink of annihilation. As the fearful citizens seek advice and reassurance, the Copt speaks of the principles that shape everyday lives and reveals why they will survive the destruction of Jerusalem and endure for generations to come. The novel unfolds as a sequence of parables exploring the meaning and value of love, faith, sex, friendship, beauty, bravery, loyalty, success, and community, and uncovering the sources of human fears and anxieties.”

  • ‘Hit-and-run’: Road accident in Islamabad further heightens Indo-Pak tensions

    ‘Hit-and-run’: Road accident in Islamabad further heightens Indo-Pak tensions

    • Two Indian High Commission officials detained briefly after running over pedestrian in Islamabad on Monday
    • Both officials of non-diplomat status handed back to Indian High Commission owing to diplomatic immunity while Indian reports claim they were let go off after New Delhi pressurised authorities in Pakistan
    • India had earlier claimed harassment and assault of officials and raised concerns over alleged abduction in response to expulsion of two Pakistan High Commission officials over ‘espionage’ in New Delhi

    A road accident in Islamabad has further heightened Indo-Pak tensions as diplomatic ties between the two neighbours continue to deteriorate ever since New Delhi’s abrogation of Article 370 for the annexation of held Kashmir last year in August.

    As per the details, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police on Monday arrested two staff members of the Indian High Commission (IHC) over their involvement in a hit-and-run incident.

    A vehicle, reportedly a BMW, hit a pedestrian walking on the embassy road at around 8 am. The two staffers, identified as Silvades Paul and Dawamu Brahamu, tried to flee after the incident but were caught by bystanders and handed over to local police.

    The critically injured pedestrian, whose identity has still not been revealed, was shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.

    Eyewitnesses said the car was being driven irresponsibly and had gotten out of control due to speeding on Khayabane Suhrawardy.

    While it is said that the police were initially unaware that the two accused belonged to the IHC, an FIR [First Information Report] registered at the Secretariat police station of the federal capital, a copy of which is available with this scribe, revealed that one of the officials also possessed Rs10,000 worth of counterfeit currency.

    Local police later informed the Foreign Office (FO) about the incident. However, on Monday evening the two staffers, neither of whom were diplomats, were released because they had diplomatic immunity.

    The two reportedly belong to India’s Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). A sixteen-member specialised security unit from CISF has been deployed at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad since 2009 for the protection of the high commission and diplomats posted here.

    Both were booked by the police for reckless driving, causing injury due to negligent driving, and possessing fake currency.

    It is pertinent to note that officials at the FO were initially unaware of the development, while Indian media reports claimed that the two officials had been abducted and shifted to an undisclosed location.

    Amid Indian claims that the “missing” officials were let go off after torture and New Delhi pressurising Islamabad against the alleged abduction, officials, including the assistant sub-inspector concerned, deny the claims saying it was “nothing but regular action against two people accused of hit-and-run besides possession of counterfeit currency”.

    Pakistan was further asked to return the two Indian staffers along with the official car to the high commission.

    Deputy Superintendent of Police Iqbal Khan said the Indians were detained and shifted to the police station for completing the legal process.

    The FIR also suggests the same.

    Deputy Inspector General (FIG) of Police Operation Waqaruddin Syed said that both the detained Indians were hours later released from the police custody after confirming their status from the FO.

    PAYBACK?

    “The officials were out for an official work before they went missing. The Indian government has taken up the matter with Pakistani authorities,” said Indian reports earlier in the day as they hinted at the possibility of “payback” in response to India declaring two officials of the Pakistan High Commission (PHC) in New Delhi “persona non grata requiring them to leave India within 24 hours” alleging that they had been found guilty of espionage.

    Pakistan had condemned the Indian government’s decision to expel the staff members as part of a “persistent anti-Pakistan propaganda”.

    Islamabad had said that the two staff members of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi were “lifted by the Indian authorities today (31 May 2020) on false and unsubstantiated charges”. They were subsequently released after the Pakistan High Commission intervened.

    “We condemn the detention and torture as well as threatening and pressuring of the diplomatic officials to accept false charges,” the FO had said.

    DIPLOMATS AND RASH DRIVING:

    Earlier this year, an SUV belonging to the United States (US) Embassy drove into a car on a main artery of the federal capital, killing a woman and injuring five members of her family.

    The police arrested the Pakistani driver of the US Embassy, named Amjad Zaman, and registered a case against him at Margalla police station.

    Accidents involving vehicles belonging to diplomatic missions, especially the US Embassy, have been frequent in recent years and in most cases the drivers got away unpunished by invoking diplomatic immunity.

    In April 2018, a motorcyclist was killed after being hit by a vehicle driven by the military attaché at the US Embassy in Islamabad.

    In Feb 2013, an SUV driven by an administrative assistant at the US Embassy hit two motorcyclists near Kohsar Complex on Margalla Avenue, killing one of them and injuring the other.

    In July 2010, an officer attached to the US Embassy’s Force Protection Department hit and killed a young man riding a motorcycle on 7th Avenue.

    In 2011, a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) contractor, Raymond Davis, caused countrywide outrage after he killed two persons when he ran over a motorcycle in Lahore. The deadly incident had strained ties between Washington and Islamabad. Davis went scot-free after paying blood money to the families of the victims.