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  • ‘Horrifying’: Twitter users slam ‘Tere Bin’ promo for depicting assault

    Trigger warning: discussions of marital rape, assault

    In the topsy-turvy world that is Pakistan right now, ‘Tere Bin’ is playing its part by keeping fans running around in circles. With the love-hate relationship between the main leads Murtasim (played by Wahaj Ali) and Meerab (Yumna Zaidi) switching from adorable to toxic to downright horrifying in the recent episode, fans have had enough.

    The recent episode of the drama tried to one-up itself to see how low it can go in disappointing its viewers, with once again the writers deciding to bring out the Murtasim caught cheating with Haya card, and ending the episode with Meerab’s assault.

    From the promo, viewers can definitely assume that Meerab has been assaulted by her husband and has chosen to leave him.

    Was it necessary that Murtasim, who is currently one of the most feminist male leads on our screens, be thrown under the bus just to churn up some views? Why did the writer even assume that after stalking, slapping and attempted suicide, this ‘love story’ had to hit its peak with the most heinous thing: domestic violence?

    Legal analyst Reema Omer criticised the scene on Twitter, writing:

    “TW: After months of justifying Murtasim slapping, shoving, dragging, asking Meerab to jump off the roof to prove her chastity + other toxic/violent behaviour, even #TereBin fan club is up in arms over the possible marital r*pe suggested by the promo Some silver lining, I guess.”

    Founder of ‘Something Haute, Aamna Isani wrote that she was shocked by the depiction of assault, and how could this possibly be a chance after this that Murtasim’s character would be redeemed.

    Users were tweeting that they were heartbroken at how the writer of the show has completely destroyed Murtasim’s character

    Many were tweeting that this was the end of their support for the drama, given that there is no possible justification to depict marital rape and domestic abuse.

  • Imran finally condemns attack on Lahore CC House

    Almost 10 days after Corp Commander House in Lahore was ransacked and burnt during protests by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters, party Chairman Imran Khan has condemned the attack, Geo has reported.

    In an informal chat with journalists outside an anti-terrorism court in Lahore, Imran Khan said that the attacks led to Pakistan’s image being damaged, adding that they should not have happened.

    “I have condemned it earlier too. Every Pakistani is condemning it,” the former Prime Minister reportedly said.

    He also lashed out at the Pakistan Democratic Movement led government for “arresting 7000 people.” However, he said that he has been stressing on dialogue since 11 months.

  • Fake daddy citizenship scam: Migrant women are offering British men £10,000 to pose as fathers of their children

    Fake daddy citizenship scam: Migrant women are offering British men £10,000 to pose as fathers of their children

    According to reports, there is a growing trend of British men accepting payments of up to £10,000 to have their names added to the birth certificates of children belonging to migrant women.

    A recent investigation by BBC Newsnight has revealed that scammers are utilising Facebook as a platform to find willing participants.

    These individuals claim to have assisted thousands of women in securing UK citizenship for their children and obtaining residency for themselves.

    Facebook, in response to the findings, informed the BBC that such content is explicitly prohibited according to their rules. To delve deeper into the issue, an undercover BBC researcher, assuming the identity of a pregnant woman residing in the UK unlawfully, engaged with individuals offering these services.

    One of the agents, using the alias “Thai,” informed the researcher that he could arrange for several British men to pose as fake fathers. He presented a comprehensive package at a cost of £11,000. The undercover operative was introduced to a British man named Andrew, who would feign being the child’s father and receive £8,000 from the total fee.

    If a migrant woman is residing illegally in the UK but gives birth to a child fathered by a British citizen or a man with indefinite leave to remain, the child automatically attains British citizenship. Subsequently, the mother can apply for a family visa, granting her the right to remain in the UK and pursue citizenship in due course.

    In the previous year, a total of 4,860 family visas were granted to “other dependants,” encompassing individuals applying to stay in the UK as parents of British children. It should be noted that deliberately providing false information on a birth certificate is a criminal offense.

    The Home Office assured the BBC that it has implemented measures to prevent and detect instances of immigration fraud involving falsified birth certificates. The investigation revealed that this illicit practice is prevalent in various migrant communities, including those from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka, and has been ongoing for many years.

    The investigation further uncovered that these illegal activities were widely advertised on Vietnamese Facebook groups intended for jobseekers.

    Meta, the parent company of Facebook, stated that “the solicitation of adoptions or birth certificate fraud on Facebook” is strictly prohibited. The company pledged to continue removing content that violates their policies.

  • President Alvi advises Imran Khan to openly condemn May 9 events

    President Alvi advises Imran Khan to openly condemn May 9 events

    President Arif Alvi has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan should openly condemn the May 9 violent protests that broke out across the country.

    In an interview with Hamid Mir aired on Geo News, the president called for a probe into the violence.

    “The people involved should be punished in line with the law,” he said, emphasizing that taking action should not mean that the suspects are tortured.

    Alvi, referring to the human rights violations taking place in the country, said that we need to be careful, else it will set a very bad precedent.

  • ‘Auspicious day’: Pakistan, Iran inaugurate Polan-Gabd electricity transmission

    ‘Auspicious day’: Pakistan, Iran inaugurate Polan-Gabd electricity transmission

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif along with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi inaugurated an electricity transmission line project from Iran to Gwadar at Mand-Pishin crossing point of Pakistan-Iran border on Thursday.

    The two leaders also inaugurated a sustenance marketplace at the Mand-Pishin crossing point.

    “This is an auspicious day for Pakistan-Iran friendship,” PM Shehbaz Sharif said while addressing a press briefing.
    “In coming years, these markets would emerge as major trade points,” he added.

    “We have decided to finalise the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries at the earliest,” said the prime minister.

    The project, which has been delayed since 2009, was finished in a record-breaking four months, according to Minister of Information Marriyum Aurangzeb.

  • It’s all about self-love: 77-year-old Ohio woman marries herself

    It’s all about self-love: 77-year-old Ohio woman marries herself

    Dorothy Fedeli, or Dottie, of Ohio, has married herself over the weekend.

    Fedeli is an American woman who was living alone since divorce after nine years of marriage and was living a single life since the past 44 years.

    Fideli is a resident at the O’Bannon Terrace Retirement Home. The mother of three and grandmother was married once in 1965 in a quick courthouse ceremony.
    Over the weekend, the 77-year-old walked down the aisle to marry the love of her life, herself.

    “Because this is something I’ve always wanted. I wanted to get married and have a happy life but things didn’t work out that way and now I have a second chance in doing something that’ll make me happy,” Dottie said.

    Fedeli’s friends and family were also invited, including her daughter who baked a cake for her mother.

    Fideli says she got the idea from neighbors who saw a woman do the same thing on a talk show.
    “Love, love is the most important thing in this world. If it’s not in the cards for them, then there’s something out there that will make them happy and find themselves in life and fulfill their soul,” said Fideli.

  • Imran Khan asks NAB for his shaving kit left in police lines Islamabad

    Imran Khan asks NAB for his shaving kit left in police lines Islamabad

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has submitted a written response to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case.
    The PTI chairman was summoned today by NAB in connection with an investigation related to a £190m settlement from the UK at 10am today.

    In the written response, Imran said that it was not possible for him to appear before NAB Rawalpindi and join the investigation as he was in Lahore for obtaining bail in a multitude of cases.

    Imran said that the allegations made by NAB are “absolutely false, frivolous and concocted”.

    He said he was in the process of applying for, and obtaining, bail in a number of other legal cases and would not be available before his protective bail expired on May 22.

    Imran has also asked back for his shaving kit and the clothes that he left behind in Police Lines Islamabad. “Kindly note that although the inquiry report was provided to me during custody, I could not carry the said Inquiry report, or for that matter, my clothes and shaving kit, with me when I attended the court proceedings before the honourable Islamabad High Court on 12-05-2023,” read the document.

    “As such, I would request that before serving me a Call Up Notice and pursuant thereto recording my statement and requiring production of documents accordingly, a copy of the said Inquiry report (along with my clothes and shaving kit that have been left behind in the room where I stayed in Police Lines Islamabad) may be immediately forwarded to me at my address at Zaman Park, or, in the alternate I will instruct my legal counsel in Islamabad, Mr. Gohar Ali Khan, ASC to visit your office at your convenience, to collect the copy of the report of Inquiry I left behind while proceeding to attend the Court hearing on 12-05-2009.”

  • Shah Rukh Khan steps away from Don 3

    Excitement rose when Excel Entertainment confirmed that work on the film ‘Don 3’ had started, with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan joining ‘Don 3’. Farhan Akhtar is set to write the script while Ritesh Sidhwani will produce.

    However, Bollywood news website E Times has now reported that King Khan has decided to step away from the project, after long discussions with Akhtar and Sidhwani. The report revealed that the ‘Pathaan’ actor wasn’t keen on reprising his iconic role because it did not fit in to the kind of cinema he wants to do at the moment. Furthermore, the actor felt that the film wouldn’t help him cater to a wide-set audience, which is why he decided to exit the production of ‘Don 3.

    This news is indeed heartbreaking for fans who had grown up loving the Don franchise but currently, Akhtar is looking for an actor from the new generation of Bollywood actors who can take on the ever-loved gangster. The original script, according to media reports, had planned on bringing three generations of actors together who had played the beloved villain, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan- and a new actor who would be the next ‘Don’.

  • Lahore, do you know what the biggest pollutant in your city is?

    Lahore, do you know what the biggest pollutant in your city is?

    The Urban Unit of the Planning and Development Department of Punjab has released a report revealing that over 80 per cent of Lahore’s pollution originates from the transport sector.

    Titled “Sectoral emission inventory of Lahore,” the report represents the first comprehensive attempt in the Punjab province to assess atmospheric pollutants resulting from human activities across six developmental sectors.

    The report identifies various primary sources of pollution in Lahore. Transportation accounts for 83 per cent of the emissions, making it a significant contributor. The increasing number of registered vehicles in Lahore, including a notable rise in two-stroke vehicles such as motorbikes, scooters, and auto-rickshaws, is a cause for concern.

    However, it is worth noting that vehicle figures may be inflated as anecdotal evidence suggests that many vehicles in the Punjab province are registered in Lahore.

    In addition to transportation, the burning of crop residues contributes 3.9 per cent to the pollution levels, while waste burning—a common practice in the outskirts of Lahore—accounts for 3.6 per cent.

    Furthermore, the report highlights that emissions from the industrial (9 per cent), domestic (0.11 per cent), and commercial (0.14 per cent) sectors primarily result from the consumption of inefficient fuels like coal and diesel oil.

    The report also examines the health impact of the pollution in Lahore. The concentration of pollutants in the city’s ambient air exceeds the defined limits of Pollutant Equivalent Quantities (PEQs). Air pollution is currently the most severe form of pollution affecting the residents of Lahore.

    Citing the Air Quality Life Index Fact Sheet for Pakistan, the report reveals that if the World Health Organization’s guidelines for an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 5µg/m3 are met, the average life expectancy of Lahore residents could increase by 6.8 years. Moreover, the rising pollution in the city has led to an increase in respiratory diseases.

    The report emphasises the broader challenge of air pollution in Pakistan and the subsequent problems it causes. Pakistan’s air quality performance, as assessed by the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) published by Yale University in 2022, ranks 176th out of 180 countries with a score of 5.7 in air quality points. This indicates a decrease of -0.3 compared to the previous report. The World Air Quality Report (2021) by IQAir also ranks Pakistan as the third-most polluted country in terms of air quality.

    Additionally, the report highlights the country’s high climate vulnerability and environmental degradation. Rapid urbanization is exacerbating exposure to pollution within Pakistani cities. Urban areas, while significant centers of energy production and atmospheric emissions globally, are particularly susceptible to climate-related disasters.

    Major urban centers in Pakistan face challenges such as inadequate waste management, rapid urban sprawl, air pollution, poor access to water and sanitation, and congestion.

  • Pakistan ke saath nahin khelna chaahtay: Jay Shah on Indo-Pak bilateral series

    Pakistan ke saath nahin khelna chaahtay: Jay Shah on Indo-Pak bilateral series

    Ahead of World Cup 2023 to be played in India, the matter of hosting Asia Cup has become a thorn of contention between Pakistan and India.

    Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wants to shift the whole tournament from Pakistan to another venue as the Indian government is not allowing their team to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns.

    In a tit for tat move, Pakistan has also threatened India that if BCCI and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) do not resolve the issue on a happy note, then Pakistan also will not travel to India for the World Cup and will instead play their matches at a neutral venue.

    In this chaos, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman offered a bilateral test series on a neutral venue including England, Australia, South Africa or where ever India wants.

    In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Sethi had mentioned the possibility of arranging bilateral Test matches between the arch-rivals at neutral venues, citing the potential for a successful turnout in Australia or England.

    “Yes, I think bilateral Test matches can be played in Australia, England, South Africa,” Sethi had said. “But I think the best bet would be England, and following that Australia. If you can get a house full in any of the Australian stadiums, fine, that would be great.”

    However BCCI secretary Jay Shah refuses to play any kind of bilateral series with Pakistan, saying that they are not at the stage to play any kind of series in the future or in upcoming days.

    The source reaffirmed the BCCI’s stance, making it clear that they are not ready to pursue any cricketing engagements with their Pakistani counterparts.

    “No plans for such kind of series to happen in the future or upcoming days. We aren’t ready for any kind of bilateral series with Pakistan,” the BCCI source was quoted as saying.

    Jay Shah is the son of BJP leader Amit Shah; the ruling party of India who do not want good relations with Pakistan.

    Jay Shah is also the main person behind Asia Cup 2023 controversy between Pakistan and India.

    Despite the extensive popularity of Pakistan-India matches at the box office, both arch-rivals have rarely met outside of major cricketing events due to political issues between the two nations. Their most recent bilateral series was in 2013, and they last played a Test match against each other in December 2007.