Category: Uncategorized

  • Strong earthquake jolts Islamabad, parts of KP, Punjab

    Strong earthquake jolts Islamabad, parts of KP, Punjab

    A strong earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale jolted Islamabad and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) as well as Punjab on Friday evening.

    According to initial reports, tremors were felt in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Sialkot, Chiniot, Murree, Jhelum, Hafizabad, Peshawar, Parachinar, Abbottabad, Haripur, Kohat and Lower Dir among other cities. Parts of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) were also jolted.

    The epicenter of the quake was Hindu Kush mountain range in Afghanistan, 210 kilometres below the earth’s crust, geological wing of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said.

    People of the areas where the quake was felt rushed out of their homes and other buildings in panic reciting verses from Holy Quran. The epicenter of the quake has not yet been determined.

  • I only watch wrestling on TV: judge who wants Musharraf hanged at D-Chowk

    I only watch wrestling on TV: judge who wants Musharraf hanged at D-Chowk

    Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Waqar Ahmed Seth, who on Thursday made headlines for his damning remarks in Gen (r) Pervez Mushrraf’s treason case judgement, has said that the only thing he watches on TV is wrestling.

    The PHC CJ, who was a part of the three-judge special court trying the former military ruler for treason, had a day earlier drawn ire of people on both mainstream and social media for proposing Musharraf’s public hanging.

    Both the government and the army had expressed “anger” over a specific paragraph 66 of the detailed judgement and termed it “unlawful”, “inhuman” and “unconstitutional”.

    Para 66 of the verdict read: “We direct the law enforcement agencies to strive their level best to apprehend the fugitive/convict [Pervez Musharraf] and to ensure that the punishment is inflicted as per law and if found dead, his corpse be dragged to the D-Chowk [in front of the Parliament House], Islamabad, Pakistan, and be hanged for three days.”

    With the government deciding to move the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and file an appeal against the verdict during a meeting of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) strategic committee, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan after his telephonic conversation with Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, a lawyer, Advocate Moazzam Butt, on Friday praised Justice Seth for staying calm despite all the backlash.

    “It’s impressive how calm you are,” the lawyer said to Justice Seth as the latter heard a case at the PHC, Express News reported.

    Responding to the lawyer’s praise, the judge said that nothing had happened until he left home earlier in the day. “I don’t watch TV… I only watch wrestling,” he was quoted as saying.

  • Muslim world should build its own market, technologies: Malaysian PM at summit skipped by Imran

    Muslim world should build its own market, technologies: Malaysian PM at summit skipped by Imran

    Muslim-majority countries should build their own markets and produce their own technologies to become self-sufficient, Malaysian Prime Minister (PM) Mahathir Mohammad has said during the ongoing Kuala Lumpur Summit that was skipped by Pakistan.

    “There are 1.7 billion Muslims. Obviously this is a big market if we decide to source our needs from Muslims and Muslim countries. Then we enrich ourselves,” he said while stressing the importance of technological and industrial progress in national development.

    According to Anadolu Agency, the Malaysian premier said that Muslim countries did not have enough products by themselves and had to source most of their needs from other countries, as a result of which money flowed out.

    “When money flows out, we become poor. But if we source, the things that we need from Muslim countries, then obviously our wealth will stay within the Muslim community, and we become richer,” he said.

    “That is why among the things that should solve problems of Muslims is to build a market and produce the things and source them from each other but it is important we learn how to produce our own things,” he added.

    He underlined that Muslim nations “will forever be playing catch-up” with the rest of the developed world “if we do not start creating and developing our own technologies.”

    “We have no choice but to start working on this,” he said.

    The three-day Kuala Lumpur Summit is ongoing in the Malaysian capital with the attendance of hundreds of government officials and representatives from civil society and business sectors from across the Muslim World.

    While the Malaysian premier’s statements are much similar to those made by his Pakistan counterpart, Imran Khan, Islamabad has pulled out of the conference over concerns it could “divide” the Muslim world.

    Pakistan’s Gulf allies, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), had earlier expressed reservations over the country joining the summit, following which Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had confirmed that neither he nor PM Imran would be attending the summit.

    “Pakistan pulled out of the summit due to concerns by Saudi Arabia that the meeting could create a new bloc that would rival the existing 57-member state Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC),” he had said.

  • PIA suffered losses worth Rs32.7bn in first half of 2019: report

    PIA suffered losses worth Rs32.7bn in first half of 2019: report

    Pakistan International Airline (PIA) and its subsidiary, PIA Investments Limited, continue to bleed massively due to a variety of reasons, ranging from mismanagement to lack of transparency and weak audit controls by independent auditors as well as the auditor general of pakistan, Profit reported.

    According to reports, PIA’s before tax unaudited six-month loss for the period January-June 2019 stands at Rs32.746 billion, which, after taxation, is expected to be in the range of Rs38-39 billion. Although PIA revenue generation in this period has risen by 44pc in terms of Pak Rupee, it does not reflect the actual revenue since almost 55-60pc of its revenue is earned in hard foreign currency through sales at its various international outlets and travel agents.

    Rupee devaluation as compared to 2018 is in the range of approximately 39-40pc, while the cost of fuel has increased by over 19pc. PIA route miles decreased as compared to 2018.

    According to the annual report of PIA for 2018, the national flag carrier registered a total loss of Rs. 59.685 billion. It was the highest ever loss for PIA since the years 2008-2011 when it was headed by Ijaz Haroon and Nadeem Yousafzai, the former MDs who were allegedly involved in financial embezzlements causing losses of billions to the national exchequer.

    Mismanagement, lack of transparency, and weak audit controls remain the underlying reasons that impede PIA in becoming a profitable organization.

    Since 2015, PIA Investments Limited, a subsidiary of PIA, has also registered losses while the senior management continues to enjoy all kinds of perks and bonuses. Dr. Najeeb Samie, the current MD of PIA Investments Limited, was set to retire in 2015. However, because of his connections, Dr. Najeeb managed to receive extensions in his retirement. Dr. Najeeb is a member of the board of directors of HBL and also serves as a director in several tourism entities in France and the USA.

    Perhaps that is why the meetings of the board of directors of PIA Investments Limited have always been held in either New York or Paris and never in Pakistan. Not only is this a violation of rules of PIA Investments Limited but it also prevents the Auditor General of Pakistan to be a part of these meetings. In the meeting of the board of directors, a summary of the accounts in the past 6 months, pricing mechanisms, and quantification of the expenditures of the organization were discussed.

    Moreover, since the days of Ijaz Haroon, unqualified individuals have been appointed as Chief Internal Auditors. The primary requirement for an individual to be installed at this post is that they must be a qualified Chartered Accountant. So far, MBA graduates and audit diploma holders have been chosen to conduct internal audits of the PIA.

    The board of audit hasn’t met in 2019. Audit experts have expressed serious concerns that no meeting of the Audit Board of PIA has been held yet.

    The only positive point in the report is that PIA’s revenue increased by 44% during the first six months of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. However, nearly 60% of this revenue was earned in foreign currency through international sales. The revenue from January to June was hit by a 40% rupee devaluation and a 19% increase in the cost of fuel in comparison to H1 2018.

  • What’s next for Trump and who can replace him?

    What’s next for Trump and who can replace him?

    United States (US) President Donald Trump has been impeached for abuse of power in a historic vote in the House of Representatives, setting up a Senate trial on removing him from office after three turbulent years.

    By a 230 to 197 vote in the Democratic-majority House, the 45th US president on Wednesday became the third occupant of the White House in American history to be impeached.

    But what happens next and who can replace Trump if the Senate convicts him?

    According to AFP, the stage is set for the US president’s trial where the party of defendant Trump gets to set the rules and some senator, who will be jurors, are already delivering their verdicts.

    Trump is expected to stand trial in the Republican-led Senate beginning in early January, and if convicted, he will be removed from office. While it would be an unprecedented outcome, it looks like a highly unlikely conclusion.

    THE TRIAL:

    If the procedures used in the 1868 and 1999 Senate trials of Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton are repeated, Democratic prosecutors will enter the Senate to read out the charges against Trump.

    “All persons are commanded to keep silence, on pain of imprisonment,” the Senate sergeant at arms will admonish. This is the official who notifies the White House by summons that the president has been charged.

    After that the 100 senators — 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats — will sit in judgement on one of the world’s most powerful men.

    To remove him from office, 67 of them have to find him guilty — highly unlikely, given the Republicans’ numerical strength.

    Their numbers also mean they get to decide if witnesses can be called, and which ones, how long prosecutors can take to present their case and how long the trial will last. If the Senate doesn’t want to try Trump at all, it can simply dismiss the case, by a simple majority vote.

    And given Trump’s political hold over his party, the rules can be dictated by the White House itself.

    WHO CAN SUCCEED TRUMP?

    In the unlikely event that the Senate convicts and removes Trump from office, Vice President Mike Pence would become president and complete Trump’s term, which ends on January 20, 2021.

    The 48th vice president of the US has previously also served as the 50th governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2017 and a member of the US House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013.

    He is the younger brother of U.S. representative Greg Pence.

  • South Africa to visit Pakistan for T20 series in March

    Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced that it will be sending its team to Pakistan for the T20I series in March next year, a private news outlet has reported.

    According to the details, the news was revealed by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Wasim Khan, during a press conference ahead of the Pakistan-Sri Lanka’s 2nd Test match in Karachi.

    The T20 series between Pakistan and South Africa is expected to take place after the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    Wasim Khan said, “The CSA has accepted our invitation and agreed to send their team to Pakistan next year to play three T20Is, most probably in March immediately after the PSL”.

    Wasim also hoped that all the top South African players will visit to the country with the team and expects good news in the next few weeks’.

    The official schedule is yet to be announced by the cricket board.

    He further informed that Australia will be touring Pakistan in 2022 for a two-match Test series, however, the board is trying to convince Cricket Australia to play three matches instead of two.

  • Sheheryar Munawar visits Nankana Sahib with ‘brother from another mother’

    Sheheryar Munawar visits Nankana Sahib with ‘brother from another mother’

    The historic opening of the Kartarpur Corridor has thrusted Pakistan’s Sikh heritage and culture into the spotlight, as a result of which, more and more people are attracted towards these places.

    Sheheryar Munawar recently took a trip to Nankana Sahib, one of the Sikh religion’s holiest sites, and he was blown away with the experience.

    Taking to Instagram, Sheheryar shared a few photos from his trip and wrote, “My brother from another mother, Karan Singh is visiting us from London and wanted to pay his respects at Nankana Sahib.”

    Sheheryar shared that he left early morning from Lahore for Nankana where he and his friends were “welcomed with such warmth by the management there.” He said that they spent about two hours there “soaking in the beauty, spirituality, and history of this magnificent place.”

    Concluding his experience, Sheheryar said that he felt very content with his visit.

    “In a region where we have seen extreme polarisation of ideologies and the use of “hate” as a political tool, it is very reassuring to know that my country and her people are one that appreciate and cherish diversity. Just as we stepped out of the premises, in that very moment, my heart was as content as the smile on my brother Karan’s face.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6QBCDdHFbo/

  • Hum jaisi auretein apney aap par qeemat nahi lagati: Mahira Khan lashes out

    Mahira Khan rarely loses her cool. But after a Twitter user slut-shamed her, Mahira hit back with a hard response.

    It all started when Mahira tweeted about, what we’re assuming is, the Musharraf verdict.

    Replying to Mahira’s tweet, a Twitter user reverted to name-calling the actor and demeaning her.

    https://twitter.com/MomalFayax/status/1207643435248828418?s=20

    In response, Mahira hit back at the user with a savage tweet.

    Whether you agree or disgree with someone’s ideas, thoughts or profession, no one gives you the right to abuse or belittle someone. About time we understand that.

  • Hamza Ali Abbasi takes his words back about not accusing judges of being anti-Army

    Hamza Ali Abbasi takes his words back about not accusing judges of being anti-Army

    Ever since a special court on Tuesday awarded death penalty to former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf for high treason, there is pretty much nothing else anyone can talk about.

    Hamza Ali Abbasi, who is one of Pakistan’s most vocal actors, has been tweeting furiously on the matter. Earlier in the day Hamza had requested people who support Musharraf to express their views without accusing judges of being anti-Army or pro-Nawaz Sharif.

    However, after the special court issued its detailed verdict, an excerpt of it went viral on social media, Hamza remarked that he takes his “words back about not accusing judges of being anti-Army or anti-Pakistan.”

    “We direct the Law Enforcement Agencies to strive their level best to apprehend the fugitive/convict [Musharraf] and to ensure that the punishment is inflicted as per law and if found dead, his corpse be dragged to the D-Chowk, Islamabad and hanged for three days,” read the excerpt.

    Earlier, he had tweeted that PML-N and others need to apologise for their allegations on the judiciary, during the cases against the Sharifs.

    He also added that the courts should apply the same procedure to Ishaq Dar others who are not present in the country.

  • ‘If found dead, Musharraf’s corpse should be dragged to D-Chowk, hanged for three days’

    ‘If found dead, Musharraf’s corpse should be dragged to D-Chowk, hanged for three days’

    The special court that had earlier found former military ruler General (r) Pervez Musharraf guilty of high treason, on Thursday issued its detailed verdict, an excerpt of which has left Twitterati stunned.

    “We direct the Law Enforcement Agencies to strive their level best to apprehend the fugitive/convict [Musharraf] and to ensure that the punishment is inflicted as per law and if found dead, his corpse be dragged to the D-Chowk, Islamabad and hanged for three days,” read the excerpt.

    Here’s what Twitterati have to say about it:

    https://twitter.com/SameenaERana/status/1207595507004170242

    The dooming excerpt was, however, a part of the dissenting opnion of one of the three judges, Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth. This was also confirmed by lawyer Reema Omer.

    A copy of the detailed verdict has been handed to an official of the Ministry of Interior.

    READ FULL VERDICT:

    On Tuesday, the court had sentenced Musharraf to death for imposing a state of emergency on November 3, 2007, adding that it had found him guilty of high treason in accordance with Article 6 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

    The case was heard by a bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court (LHC) and Justice Nazar Akbar of the Sindh High Court (SHC).

    The special court, in its detailed verdict authored by Justice Seth, stated that Musharraf “has been afforded more than his due share of fair trial” and “given every opportunity to defend himself”. The court said that “the facts of the case are well documented” and “clearly demonstrate the guilt on the part of the accused”.

    “It proves beyond a shadow of reasonable doubt all the charges of High Treason levelled against the accused by the State,” the verdict adds.

    “We, with the majority of 2 as to 1, allow the complaint and hold the accused guilty of high treason as defined at Article 6 of the Constitution and pass punishment under section 2 High Treason (Punishment) Act, 1973. Thus, the convict be hanged by his neck till he is dead,” it reads.

    It was a majority verdict, with two of the three judges giving the decision against Musharraf.