Category: Uncategorized

  • HEC wants random drug testing to be conducted at educational institutes

    HEC wants random drug testing to be conducted at educational institutes

    The Higher Education Commission has demanded the federal government to form a policy and provide funds to curb the use of drugs in educational institutes. University students are likely to get tested for drugs on campus.

    As per reports, during a meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Science and Technology , it was revealed that more than 76 million Pakistanis are addicted to drugs with most of them being university students.

    “University students are increasingly getting attracted towards
    ice (methamphetamine) and other harmful drugs. The government should devise a
    policy to stop this,” said committee chairman Mushtaq Ghani.

    The
    HEC informed the committee about the issuance of guidelines for random drug
    screenings that will make campuses drug and smoke-free.

    “A policy would be needed to start random drug screening for which
    more human resource as well as testing labs will be required. With our current
    resources we can’t conduct drug screening tests at all universities,” said an
    HEC official.

    The committee has, therefore, advised the government to issue Rs21
    billion for the HEC.

    Conducting random drug tests, using peer pressure, signing
    contracts with NGOs and reaching out to the root of drug trafficking will pull
    drugs out from their roots, the HEC assured the standing committee.

    It was also decided that the Anti-Narcotics Force will be called in the meeting to discuss their opinion on the matter.

  • PCB will deduct players’ salaries if they don’t meet fitness standards

    PCB will deduct players’ salaries if they don’t meet fitness standards

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that it will deduct salaries of the players who do not meet the fitness requirements.

    According to a press release by the cricket board, “A player failing to meet the minimum fitness requirements will be fined 15 per cent of his monthly retainer, which will remain effective until he achieves the standards. Player failing consecutive tests will risk the chances of retaining his central contract category and may face demotion.”

    All centrally contracted players have to undergo the fitness test which will be held on January 6 and 7. The available players will attend the two-day testing, which is aligned to their contracts.

    Meanwhile, “Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir and Shadab Khan, who will be occupied with their commitments in the Bangladesh Premier League, will undergo the tests on 20 and 21 January.“

    Players will be tested in five major areas namely fat analysis, strength, endurance, speed endurance and cross-fit, with all areas carrying equal marks.

    Currently 19 top players are under contract in A, B and C categories and get monthly salaries ranging from 1.1 million to 0.5 million rupees based on their contract.

    Director of International Cricket PCB Zahir Khan said that the players have been informed about the board’s expectations and sanctions, adding, “This time we have decided to enforce penalties, which is in accordance with the contracts, as part of our objective to make the players more accountable and responsible for maintaining high fitness standards throughout the year.”

    Meanwhile, Imam ul Haq posted a picture of himself with his teammates “getting ready for the fitness test” while enjoying the winter sun and fresh oranges.

    Centrally contracted players:

    Category A – Babar Azam (Central Punjab), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh) and Yasir Shah (Balochistan)

    Category B – Asad Shafiq (Sindh), Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Haris Sohail (Balochistan), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Mohammad Abbas (Southern Punjab), Shadab Khan (Northern) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (Northern)

    Category C – Abid Ali (Sindh), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Imad Wasim (Northern), Mohammad Amir (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shan Masood (Southern Punjab), Usman Shinwari (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Wahab Riaz (Southern Punjab)

  • Mahira Khan shares never-seen-before pictures from the sets of ‘Superstar’, ‘Parey Hut Love’

    Mahira Khan shares never-seen-before pictures from the sets of ‘Superstar’, ‘Parey Hut Love’

    Superstar Mahira Khan welcomed the New Year by interacting with her fans in a #AskMahira Twitter session and sharing some exclusive behind the scenes pictures and videos from her films Superstar and Parey Hut Love (PHL). While Mahira had the leading role in Superstar, she had an extended cameo in PHL.

    Mahira started her trip down the memory lane with a picture of herself resting on the floor on the sets of her song Morey Saiyaan in PHL.

    In the caption, she said that she feels “super comfortable on the floor” and “prefers it to sitting on a chair.”

    Following that she shared more pictures of herself as Zeena including some adorable moments with producer and co-star Sheheryar Munawar and director Asim Raza.

    Mahira Khan & Sheheryar Munawar
    Mahira Khan & Asim Raza
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vrATYBbmV/

    Mahira then shared pictures of herself from the sets of Superstar and a video of herself learning the dance steps for Noori.

    L-R: Director Ehteshamuddin, Mahira Khan, Bilal Ashraf. Sitting – Nadeem Baig
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6xoFWGhCId/

    In the Twitter interaction with her fans, Mahira revealed the one film she can watch 10 times without getting bored, her last decade in a sentence, how she wants to be remembered, which Disney character she feels she is, and how she deals with her anger among other things.

    Mahira also offered meaningful advice to her fans.

    Guess how many nicknames Mahira had?

    Mahira also said that she wouldn’t mind working in an Iranian film.

    And last but not the least, will Mahira ever get married again?

  • Weekend events in your city

    Weekend events in your city

    Lahore

    Kartarpur turr by TurrLahore:

    Date: 4th Jan, 2020.

    Day: Saturday

    Time: 7:30 AM

    Venue: TurrLahore, Androon Shehr.

    Live Concert- Aqs The Band:

    Date: 4th Jan, 2020.

    Day: Saturday

    Time: 7PM – 11PM

    Venue: Club313, 237 FF Commercial Area DHA phase 4.

    Islamabad

    Mi Raqs’am – A Night Of Sufi Music:

    Karachi

    Atif Aslam Concert:

    Date: 5th Jan, 2020.

    Day: Sunday

    Time: 9PM Onwards

    Venue: IBA Main Campus, Karachi.

    Stepping stone:

    Date: 5th Jan, 2020.

    Day: Sunday

    Time: 2 – 4 PM

    Venue: Superpower Motorcycle, Pirani Tower, 75-C, 11th Commercial Street, DHA-Phase 2.

  • PML-N takes U-Turn on Gen Bajwa’s extension: report

    PML-N takes U-Turn on Gen Bajwa’s extension: report

    Contrary to earlier claims, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has reportedly decided to unconditionally back the amendments made to the Army Act by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf  (PTI) government to facilitate the extension service of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    According to Geo News, the decision was made after a meeting of PML-N parliamentary members received a message from the party leadership on Thursday, advising the party to fully back the amendment bill when it is tabled in the parliament by the government. 

    “The PML-N leadership reportedly does not want the position of COAS to become controversial, and has thus decided to support the PTI government in a bid to amend the Army Act under the directions of a verdict of the Supreme Court (SC) in this regard,” the report said.

    A day earlier, the federal cabinet had in an emergency meeting accorded its approval to amendments to the Army Act under which the premier will be empowered to extend the tenure of all services chiefs.

    The bill pertaining to the amendment will be tabled in the National Assembly on Friday and the amendment has been prepared as per the guidelines enumerated in the SC’s verdict.

    The top court had in November 2019 told the government to legislate on an extension in the COAS’s services within six months, allowing Gen Bajwa to stay in office until then, after briefly suspending the notification of the extension in his tenure.

    With the government going into action to ensure an extension for the army chief but lacking the numbers in the parliament for necessary legislation, the PML-N had earlier warned the PTI, saying it would not be easy if the hostile attitude of the Imran Khan-led government towards the opposition continued.

  • Hospital attack case: Court rejects bail of Imran’s nephew for arriving late

    Hospital attack case: Court rejects bail of Imran’s nephew for arriving late

    An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday rejected the bail of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s nephew, Barrister Hassaan Khan Niazi, in the case pertaining to lawyers’ attack on Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) in Lahore last month.

    According to ARY News, Niazi turned up late for the hearing, irked by which, ATC Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta cancelled the former’s interim bail, regretting he showed up late despite being a lawyer.

    With Niazi then offering an unconditional apology and filing a new bail application, he and nine of his colleagues were granted bail until January 6.

    The bail was granted subject to submission of a surety bond worth Rs100,000.

    A group of more than 200 lawyers, who had an ongoing “tussle” with the doctors of the PIC, had stormed the hospital last month, vandalised property and damaged dozens of vehicles besides setting a police van on fire.

    At least 52 lawyers were arrested and dozens of others booked after the attack during which at least four patients lost their lives.

  • VIDEO: ‘Mein ne jaan Allah ko deni hai’ haunts Afridi at National Assembly

    VIDEO: ‘Mein ne jaan Allah ko deni hai’ haunts Afridi at National Assembly

    The first session of the National Assembly on Wednesday was particularly harsh for Minister of State for Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi as members of opposition parties trolled him for his statements regarding the case against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah Khan, amid the government’s failure to present any “substantial evidence” before the court.

    According to media reports, opposition members repeatedly called Afridi a “liar” and mocked his oft repeated sentence “Mein ne jaan Allah ko deni hai” when the minister got up from his seat to respond to a query regarding the development work being undertaken in the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

    PML-N MNA Shahnawaz Ranjha said that Afridi was his friend but “inhon ne jaan Allah ko deni hai”.

    The opposition’s criticism angered Afridi who responded by saying that some people would give their soul to Allah like Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS), while some people would face God’s wrath like “Shimar and Firon”.

    He said that he would prove all allegations against him wrong if he was granted some time.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Interestingly, no person from the government benches — neither the PTI nor any of its coalition partners — came to Afridi’s defence as the opposition poked fun at the minister.

    Later, while speaking on the development in erstwhile FATA, Afridi informed the House that the budget for the merged tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) had been enhanced from Rs58 billion to Rs162bn.

    Afridi said that Rs62bn had been allocated to the KP government for the “recurrent and development budget” for erstwhile FATA.

    He said that Rs48bn had further been earmarked by the federal government according to its share of the National Finance Commission Award and released to KP, adding that the federal government had also released Rs10bn for the previous financial year 2018-19 to the KP government.

  • Ayeza Khan shares what her 2019 looked like

    Ayeza Khan shares what her 2019 looked like

    Ayeza Khan, who is currently riding high on the success of her ongoing drama, Meray Paas Tum Ho, took a trip down the memory lane and shared her fondest memories and highlights from 2019.

    Ayeza started the year with her birthday which was a celebrated on the beach with her family including husband Danish Taimoor. Her birthday is on January 15.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6voWdPhwc9/

    Then she shared pictures from husband Danish’s birthday celebrations.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vozQSBHEm/

    Playing Zubi in Yaariyan was a high point of her career

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vrIXhh2RI/

    It was then time for daughter Hoorain’s birthday

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vrnLYheso/

    Ayeza then shared happy pictures of her family from Eid

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vsIGohzxz/

    Being Sehar in Thora Sa Haq was also a highlight from 2019

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vsi9QBdwU/

    As was being the alumni. Ayeza has completed her Bachelors from the Newports Institute of Communications and Economics, Karachi

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vtvNuBCMr/

    Ayeza also got a new house last year

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vuGIJBz2l/

    Her son, Rayan, turned two and the family celebrated with a grand circus-themed party

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vu31ZBemZ/

    How can anyone forget that 2019 was also the year she stepped into the role of Mehwish in Meray Paas Tum Ho

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vwJ56BmaT/

    Ayeza signed off the year with a heartfelt note in which she recounted how going for Hajj changed her life and strengthened her faith, adding that she is ready for the next year as well as the next decade.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vzE0Qhw5i/
  • Police to launch crime app, install alert button in Rawalpindi police stations

    Police to launch crime app, install alert button in Rawalpindi police stations

    Rawalpindi’s Regional Police Officer (RPO) Dr Sohail Habib Tajik has said that a crime App was being launched to facilitate citizens in registering complaints about any criminal activity, Dawn reported.

    According to the details, the RPO revealed this news while addressing a press conference at his office for the first time after assuming the charge.

    Dr Sohail also said that a “helper” button will also installed in police stations to facilitate citizens in registering complaints about any criminal activity in the city.

    In case of failing to get the police response, the complainant can press the helper button which will automatically forward an emergency call to all senior police officers. The button will generate a SOS message as soon as the complainant presses it.

    All senior officers, including the RPO, district and circle police officers, will receive the message at the same time, making it impossible for the police officials present at the police stations to ignore the complaint.

    The RPO said, “All available resources will be spent on the police force,” adding that he believe in transparency and want to get positive results by introducing community policing in the city.

    Dr Sohail also said that people were afraid of visiting police stations to lodge their complaints but the mobile app would help them approach the authorities without any fear.

    He further informed that a total of 400 police employees serving at residences and offices of police officers had been called back and posted to police stations to strengthen the police working more.

    RPO said that his top priority was to gain citizen’s confidence and to change public perception about police department.

  • Mahira Khan wants more swift action against child rapists

    Mahira Khan wants more swift action against child rapists

    The brutal rape and torture of a 10-year-old student by a Madrassa teacher in Abbottabad’s Mansehra sparked national outrage.

    One of Pakistan’s most vocal actors, Mahira Khan took to Twitter to voice her concern and demanded the authorities to “make an example out of these monsters.” In her tweet, she also tagged the Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari.

    In response to her tweet, the minister said that the perpetrator has been arrested and that efforts are being made to prevent these horrendous crimes. She shared that the Zainab Alert Bill has been passed by the Standing Committee of Human Rights and that “much as we would like to simply catch these monsters and publicly punish them, the government has to go according to the law.”

    She also revealed that a “holistic policy on child abuse” is being prepared on the direction of Prime Minister Imran Khan and “within two weeks it should be ready with all stakeholders being taken on board.”

    Mahira thanked the minister for her response and requested for more swift action to be taken again such issues. She also asserted that more noise should be made so that “a loud and clear message should go out to these predators.”

    Other than Mahira, actor-activist Nadia Jamil has also been raising her voice on the matter of child sexual abuse.