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  • Govt vs Supreme Court: Ruling alliance rejects ‘controversial’ bench constituted to hear pleas on SC bill

    Govt vs Supreme Court: Ruling alliance rejects ‘controversial’ bench constituted to hear pleas on SC bill

    The ruling alliance on Thursday rejected the eight-member bench constituted earlier in the day to hear petitions challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023.

    In a harshly worded statement, the coalition government vowed to resist attempts to remove parliament’s authority and interfere in its constitutional scope. The ruling parties further said, “such a move was never seen in the history of Pakistan and the Supreme Court”.

    The statement mentioned that top court judges — Justice Faez Isa and Justice Aminuddin Khan  — had in their earlier judgments openly expressed their objection to the “one-man show”, biased and dictatorial behaviour and the formation of special benches, while criticising the unchecked powers the Chief Justice of the apex court holds.

    “The constitution of the controversial bench in haste and fixing the bill for hearing, apart from the will and intent, also clearly expresses the decision to come, which is sad and tantamount to murder of justice,” the ruling alliance maintained.

    “With the formation of the eight-member controversial bench, the facts stated in the judgments of these honourable judges have become clearer,” the statement read.

    “The constitution of the controversial bench in haste and fixing the bill for hearing, apart from the will and intent, also clearly expresses the decision to come which is sad and tantamount to murder of justice,” the ruling alliance maintained.

    The bench set to hear plea against the bill comprises of Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bnadial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha A. Malik, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Shahid Waheed.

    The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023, is aimed at depriving the office of the CJP of powers to take suo motu notice in an individual capacity. It was initially passed by both houses of parliament and sent to the president for his assent. However, President Dr Arif Alvi had sent it back, saying that the proposed law travelled “beyond the competence of parliament”.

    The formation of the bench was met with surprise from the legal fraternity as the bill is yet to become law.

  • Rare type of bird flu causes first death in China

    Rare type of bird flu causes first death in China

    According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a woman in China has died after contracting a rare type of bird flu, making the death the first known human fatality from the strain.

    However, the H3N8 subtype of avian influenza does not seem to spread from person to person.

    The woman, aged 56, was from the southern province of Guangdong and is the third person to have contracted this subtype, with the previous two cases also reported in China last year. Although the Guangdong Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the third infection in the woman last month, no further information has been provided regarding her death.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that the person who died from the rare H3N8 subtype of avian influenza had various pre-existing health conditions and had been in contact with live birds.

    In China, sporadic cases of bird flu among humans are frequent as avian flu viruses are prevalent among the large populations of domesticated and wild birds. The WHO mentioned that samples taken from a wet market that the woman visited before falling ill tested positive for influenza A(H3), indicating that this might have been where she contracted the infection.

    Although the H3N8 subtype of avian influenza is uncommon in humans, it is prevalent among birds and typically does not cause any noticeable symptoms in them. It has been known to also infect various other animals. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that no other individuals who were in close proximity to the woman were found to have been infected.

  • Pakistan’s auto sector records 98% sales growth in March despite high prices

    Pakistan’s auto sector records 98% sales growth in March despite high prices

    Despite high car prices, Pakistan’s auto sector has seen a growth of 98 per cent in March, selling about 7,201 units compared to 3,642 units sold in the previous month. The increase has provided a ray of hope to the auto sector, which has picked up some pace after several months.

    However, car sales, including sales of non-Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA) vehicles, plunged 68 per cent in March compared to the same month last year, due to non-production days and a decline in purchasing power.

    The monthly growth is due to better volumetric sales of Pak Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC) and Indus Motors, which increased by 475 per cent and 6 per cent respectively on a month-on-month basis. Arif Habib Limited also stated that due to rising inflationary pressure, consumers have switched to affordable vehicles of below 1000cc, which increased by 423 per cent.

    Despite the recent growth, fears of a slowdown still exist due to measures taken by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to curb imports, resulting in production limitations as auto assemblers require prior permission to import completely knocked-down (CKD) units and raw materials.

    Sales of all other variants of cars, jeeps, tractors, pick-ups, three-wheelers and two-wheelers have also witnessed a year-on-year decline in March 2023, according to data released by PAMA a day earlier.

    In the first nine months of fiscal year 2022-23, 85,776 units were sold, down 50 per cent from 172,612 units sold during the same period in FY22. Sales of 1300cc and above cars were recorded at 2,913 units, down 67 per cent compared to the same month of the previous year’s sales of 9,280 units. In March 2023, 1,000cc cars recorded sales of 964 units, including 475 units of Suzuki Cultus and 489 units of Suzuki WagonR, against 2,410 units in the same month last year.

    Further breakdown of the data reveals that below 1000cc vehicles recorded a sale of 3,324 units, lower by 70 per cent than 11,109 units sold last year. Suzuki’s new Alto sold 2,542 units in March 2023 compared to 9,814 units in March 2022.

    Buses and trucks saw a decrease to 308 units in March from 565 units in the same month last year, while sales of jeeps and pick-ups decreased to 2,150 units from 4,403 units sold during the same period last year. Sales of tractors dropped to 2,984 units from 5,651 units in March 2022, while sales of rickshaws and motorbikes also decreased to 84,307 units in March against 151,010 units in the same period last year.

    PSMC recorded a jump of 475 per cent on a monthly basis to 5,628 units primarily due to the availability of CKD parts amid an easing of LC issues, while Indus Motors reported an increase of 6 per cent month-on-month to 1,912 units in March. However, Honda Car (HCAR) sales declined by 49 per cent month-on-month to 835 units in March due to the closure of the plant for 23 days on account of CKD issues.

    Hyundai sales were down 34 per cent month-on-month, with Tucson down 46 per cent month-on-month to 380 units and Sonata down 40 per cent month-on-month to 118 units in the period under review.

  • President Alvi shares list of 10 must-read books

    President Alvi shares list of 10 must-read books

    Dr Arif Alvi, the President of Pakistan, has shared a list of his favourite books for readers.
    In a 31-minute-long video, President Alvi listed his top must-read books and encouraged the youth to study them too.

    Check out President Alvi’s recommendations below:

    • The End of History and the Last Man
    • The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order
    • Journey into Europe
    • The Islamic Enlightenment: The modern struggle between faith and reason
    • Humane: How United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War
    • Three Presidents and an Aide: Life, Power & Politics
    • Think Again
    • Through Two Doors at Once: The Elegant Experiment That Captures the Enigma of Our Quantum Reality
    • The Illustrated Rumi: A Treasury of Wisdom from the Poet of The Soul
    • Sukhn-e-Iftikhar | سخن افتخار

  • Saas-bahu tamasha say akhir chuti mili, Hum TV’s ‘Fairy Tale’ is winning hearts

    Pakistani dramas have a quintessential love story format: shy and naive girl meets mysterious and broody boy, a quick marriage, fights, misunderstandings, infidelity, the necessary tarka that is the scheming saas, her weird obsession with her son and then jump to the happily ever after.

    But this Ramzan, ‘Fairy Tale’ has put a twist in the tale and given audiences a wholesome, enemies-to-lovers story that has captivated audiences. That there’s a headstrong female lead, is just icing on the cake.

    The plot has engaged audiences right from the start with a completely different set up: game shows. It revolves around the 20-years-old Umeed, a chai-obsessed vivacious girl who dreams of becoming a millionaire to be able to afford all the things her strict father refuses to purchase for her. When the opportunity to sign up for a game show turns up, Umeed is quick to fly to Islamabad, but her outspoken nature puts her at direct odds with Farjaat, a grumpy CEO who is her complete opposite in every way.

    Audiences have praised the story for its humor and creativity. Twitter users have pointed out how Umeed and the rest of the women in the show depict female friendships in healthy ways.

    Other users have praised the growing chemistry between Umeed and Farjaat, and how despite how the two coming off as complete opposites, they are able to cultivate respect, coming to love the unique perspectives they bring into each other’s lives.

    Although not much is said between the two because of how much Umeed and Farjaad are trying to avoid each other, but Twitter users love how the male lead’s powerful expressions show how much he is falling for Umeed despite his efforts not to.

    And yes we’ll happily take an extra ten episodes only to watch them bicker in an adorable manner.

  • She grabbed, squeezed, and threatened, claims woman from Maryam’s viral video

    Journalist Waqas Ahmed has posted an unedited statement by the woman who allegedly harassed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice-President Maryam Nawaz.

    A viral video that surfaced on the internet a few days ago showed the woman asked Maryam Nawaz for a selfie. When the PML-N leader posed with her, she made a video of her ridiculing the politician publicly.

    Maryam Nawaz was taken aback when the woman, after taking a selfie with her, asked her to repeat after her “My family are thieves”.

    In an email sent to the journalist, the woman has written, “I have seen the video of Maryam Nawaz going viral and would like to let you know that I am the girl in the video. First and foremost, I would like to stay anonymous as that video was a private video taken months ago meant only for close family but unfortunately it was leaked by someone, which I never intended.”

    “Secondly, I would never have felt the need to speak out however, have grown annoyed with the so called comments regarding, ‘her grace and patience’. My actions were not respectful and that’s exactly how I intended for them to be, I have no respect for corrupt politicians no matter what party or country they belong to, my heart will always be with people who are suffering, and when I can see that the legal system is not working in their favour, I have no issue with public ridicule. I also have no affiliation with the PTI party or Pakistani politics, so that is a nonsense narrative. I have no care for those individuals who are coming out to ‘condemn’ me for my actions, they mean nothing to me, I didn’t even know they existed.”

    “As I said, my actions were not intended to be respectful and Maryam’s further actions were not either, which is not an unexpected response given the situation, but her blissfully ignorant supporters seem to assume she is the most well composed woman. In the video you can see she grabs my shoulder to which she then squeezes my arm and threateningly tells me to delete the video, what you don’t see in that video are the three bodyguards surrounding me.”

    “To note, I was by myself. All of them, with Maryam grabbing me, refused to let me go until they had seen proof that the video was deleted. The grown men demanded that they go through, not just my camera roll but also my recently deleted photos, to which I stood my ground and refused. It was only until they began to become more aggressive and I eventually became uncomfortable that I had shown them that I had, ‘deleted’ the video, that too, was to Maryam’s daughter because I refused to show the men at Maryam’s request.”

    “There was an attempt of a power play in demanding that I delete the video, when I had the right to do what I did, I did not physically touch her like she did to me nor did I feel the need to. Freedom of speech is a human right here. A politician is a public job and thus public criticism/scrutiny should be expected. In that moment, when Maryam and her guards tried to overpower and intimidate me, I felt for a minute the helplessness thousands of Pakistani’s feel for being unable to freely speak and live how they want.”

    “And to those who have criticised me for being an obnoxious overseas Pakistani, they are right that I am far from Pakistan, yet why do I feel more hurt for the way Pakistanis are being treated than some of those who actually live there? Privilege is a gift, and I intend to use mine to raise the voice of those who are suffering and not to suppress them. Regardless of whether or not it garners attention, which in this case, was not the intention. You are free to share this on social media.”

    Where many criticised the lady for her act, several people praised Maryam Nawaz for her composure.

  • Fact check: Did passengers refuse to travel with Nawaz Sharif in a plane?

    Fact check: Did passengers refuse to travel with Nawaz Sharif in a plane?

    Claim: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has reached Saudi Arabia from London to perform Umrah.

    A fake screenshot was shared by multiple Twitter accounts that passengers have refused to travel with Nawaz in the same airplane.

    The screenshot was taken from 7News and it has the name of the reporter Rana Waheed.

    Fact: However, the news turned out to be old and the reporter himself clarified that this has nothing to do with Nawaz’s recent visit to the Kingdom.

    In a tweet, he said, “This news and screenshot are old. I left 7news three years ago, and now I am working in PNN as a special correspondent.”

    Political Secretary to Maryam Nawaz, Zeeshan Malik, also retweeted the clarification of the reporter.

    Sharif is expected to spend the last 10 days of Ramzan as well as celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr in Saudi Arabia on the invitation of the royal family.

  • Video: Police in Rajanpur kill, eat snake, say it tastes like fish

    Video: Police in Rajanpur kill, eat snake, say it tastes like fish

    A video of policemen in Rajanpur eating a snake after grilling it is going viral on social media. As per details, the cops seen in the video belong to the Rapid Response Force.

    The video shows several police officers in Ghotki using their survival skills to catch a regular cobra. The snake was subsequently stripped of its skin and cooked on coals, using the metal rod from an AK-47 assault rifle as a skewer.

    “It tastes like fish,” said one of the cops.

    “We have been trained to eat snakes to fulfil our protein needs as snakes are a very good source of protein,” said another cop.

    The police officers are involved in a mission to drive out criminal gangs who are taking refuge in the lush vegetation that thrives along the rivers in Sindh. These areas are used as hiding places criminals including those involved in abduction for ransom, murder and armed robbery.

  • Iran to install cameras in public places to catch, punish women not wearing Hijab

    Iran to install cameras in public places to catch, punish women not wearing Hijab

    The police in Iran have announced a new measure to enforce the country’s mandatory dress code for women. Cameras will be installed in public areas and streets to identify and punish women who do not wear veils. Those who violate the dress code will be sent warning messages about the consequences of their actions. This move is an attempt to control the growing number of women who are choosing to not follow the compulsory dress code.
    The violators will receive “warning text messages as to the consequences”, said the police statement. The move is aimed at “preventing resistance against the hijab law”, it said.

    Iran has seen widespread demonstrations since the September 16, 2022, death of 22-year old Mahsa Amini after she was arrested in Tehran. She was taken into custody for not wearing the hijab, thus, breaching Iran’s strict dress code for women.

    Iran has an official law that requires females, including girls as young as seven years old, to wear a hijab. The law was introduced after the year 1979 and has resulted in approximately 40 million women and girls being under continuous observation.

  • ‘She’s everything, he’s just Ken’: ‘Barbie’ movie trend spreads across the internet

    Something shifted in the atmosphere, Mother Nature began healing, world peace seemed like a reality when the trailer for the most anticipated film this year ‘Barbie’ dropped last week.

    Featuring a stellar cast with actors like Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Dua Lipa and many more, the film has award winning Greta Gerwig as writer and director.

    As soon as the trailer dropped online, its hilarious catch phrase ‘She’s everything. He’s just Ken’ took the internet by storm because what phrase better captures the brilliance and vivacity of women and how men are simple and stupid in comparison?

    Twitter users began coming up with their own versions of Ken and Barbie and honestly we are rooting for the producers to consider re-making the film with a new set of cast members.

    Check out some of the hilarious replies.

    RUDE. But sorry Fawad, Sanam will always remain classy and outstanding.

    https://twitter.com/shayadzohair/status/1643630864864034816?s=20

    Petition for Kareena Kapoor to star as the next Barbie!

    https://twitter.com/shayadzohair/status/1643631206221717507?s=20

    We’re manifesting this jori to come back and re-make the film pls pls

    Reese Witherspoon will always remain the GOAT

    Our fav Scooby Doo couple

    Anyone born in 1997 will understand the craziness behind the picture. Enough said.

    The OG Ken and Barbie themselves!