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  • ‘Moved from a small jail to a bigger one’: Asia Bibi reveals hardships, poverty in exile

    Asia Bibi has given her first interview since 2020 to New Lines Magazine. She left for Canada in 2019 after being acquitted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in a false blasphemy case that led to a death sentence.

    Ailia Zehra writes that despite claims from right-wing groups that Bibi received funding from anti-Pakistani groups to live a comfortable lifestyle in Canada, the truth is far from it.

    Bibi was a farm labourer residing in the Nankana Sahib district in Punjab. In 2010, she was arrested under the blasphemy laws after an argument with her Muslim neighbours. In 2010, she was arrested and sentenced to death by a judge in Sheikhupura, while the verdict was upheld by the Lahore High Court.

    Local politicians like Salmaan Taseer, who was then the Governor of Punjab, and Shahbaz Bhatti, who was the Federal Minister for Minority Affairs and also a Christian, had condemned this arrest. Both were outspoken critics of the blasphemy law and vowed to release Bibi from prison. However, Taseer was shot dead by his bodyguard in 2011, while Bhatti was also assassinated the same year by the Pakistani Taliban.

    In 2018 when Bibi was cleared of blasphemy charges by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Bibi was kept under protective custody for six months and then flown to Canada in secret where she reunited with her husband and two daughters.

    However, in this interview Bibi reveals that despite getting international support from organizations for her release, since her arrival in Canada she had not received financial support for her ailing husband and two disabled daughters. She works 14 hours a day at a menial job which is not able to cover her expenses. Her health is deteriorating because of a joint ailment.

    Bibi said that she was not able to bring her other three children with her. Her husband is unemployed and needs heavy medication without which he could get extremely sick. Bibi also got teary-eyed by opening up about not being able to visit her parents, as her mother passed away while she was in prison and her father is still in Pakistan.

    “My biggest sorrow is that I could not get to meet my father before coming to Canada. I will carry this grief in my heart for the rest of my life,” she said.

    Bibi also disclosed that there are no organizations to reach out to in order to get her children currently in Pakistan back to her, because the support she was offered at the time of her departure was limited.

    Since the three years Bibi and her family have been staying in Canada, she confessed that it has been incredibly hard to adjust to a new lifestyle because of the cultural and language barriers, especially the limited support from Pakistani authorities:

    “My husband and I are illiterate,” she confessed. “Our children could not get an education either. You could imagine how hard it would be for someone like us.”

    The article explained that although there are many government programs that provide facilities for refugees like Asia and her family, going through the process is over whelming as Bibi was not used to carrying out such procedures. On whether the Pakistani Consulate in Canada had reached out to help with facilities, Bibi said she couldn’t expect them to support her as she is still regarded as a criminal in Pakistan with extremist groups still targeting Christian communities:

    “Tehreek-e-Labbaik was asking the government to kill me,” Bibi said. “Under such circumstances, how can the government offer me support?”

    Although there was an outpouring of international support, after her escape to Canada media attention faded away and left her with little support to fend for herself and her family:

    “Many individuals who used my name to make money have also forgotten me…After my release, I felt like I had been moved from a small jail to a bigger one. During the six months I spent in protective custody, I feared I would be killed or sent back to jail.”

  • PM, president awaken spirit of service as nation celebrates Pakistan Day

    Amidst political turmoil, the 83rd Pakistan Day is being celebrated on Thursday.

    Pakistan Day is the celebration of the passing of the Lahore Resolution on March 23, 1940, when the All-India Muslim League demanded a separate nation for the Muslims of the British Indian Empire.

    According to Radio Pakistan, the day started off with a 31-gun salute in the federal capital and a 21-gun salute in provincial capitals.

    A change of guards ceremony was also held at the mausoleums of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal in Karachi and Lahore, respectively.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif gave a message to the country, urging the nation to pay tribute to the sacrifices of the country’s founding fathers but stressed not to lose sight of the challenges staring the country in the face.

    “The challenges are topped by a combination of economic instability and the inability to settle the rules of the game. An environment of political chaos explains why we have failed to develop our economy on a sustainable basis,” said the PM.

    The premier said that for Pakistan to “achieve great heights”, the countrymen will “have to forge unity in our ranks, equip ourselves with national purpose and vow to wage a struggle in line with the legacy of our forefathers”.

    “Today the nation pays homage to Pakistan’s founding fathers for their political wisdom, sagacity & determination to wage a relentless struggle for a separate homeland,” the premier tweeted.

    In his message to the nation, President Dr Arif Alvi recalled that the country established state institutions, made its defence impregnable, achieved nuclear deterrence, curbed terrorism, overcame the Covid-19 pandemic, and displayed the spirit of sacrifice and cooperation in the face of natural calamities.

    However, he said, we still have a long way to go to ensure the rule of law, strengthen democracy, reduce inequalities in our society, empower women, provide the rights of persons with disabilities, eradicate terrorism and extremism, ensure the political and economic stability of the country, and protect the human rights of our citizens.

    Today, we pay tribute to the founding fathers of our nation whose struggles and sacrifices led to the creation of Pakistan, he said.

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also conveyed his wishes to the citizens on the occasion.

    In a tweet posted on Thursday, he wished for the country to “grow, prosper and thrive in peace and harmony consistent with the vision of our founding fathers”.

  • Mobile phone imports in Pakistan drop by nearly 70%

    Mobile phone imports in Pakistan drop by nearly 70%

    According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), Pakistan’s import of mobile phones has decreased by 68.29 per cent during the first eight months of the current fiscal year (2022-23) compared to the same period last year.

    The value of mobile phones imported from July to February (2022-23) was US $447.855 million, whereas it was US $1412.445 million in the corresponding period of the previous year.

    In February 2023, the import of mobile phones decreased by 76.73 per cent compared to February 2022. The imports for February 2023 were valued at US $33.054 million, whereas the exports for February 2022 were US $142.033 million.

    Furthermore, the data shows that the import of mobile phones witnessed a month-on-month decline of 36.39 per cent during February 2023, as compared to January 2023, with imports valued at US $51.960 million.

  • SBP expected to increase interest rates again on IMF insistence

    SBP expected to increase interest rates again on IMF insistence

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is reportedly considering increasing the interest rate by 2 per cent during the upcoming Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in a bid to unlock the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.

    This follows failed negotiations between the Shehbaz Sharif-led government and the IMF, with the latter demanding that Pakistan raise the interest rate by 4 per cent due to its belief that inflation is lower in Pakistan as per the interest rate.

    The SBP had already increased the interest rate by 2 per cent, but now the IMF is reportedly pressuring Islamabad to raise it again by 2 per cent. The MPC is scheduled to meet on April 4 to review the interest rate as per the IMF’s demand.

    According to The News, the SBP has reportedly agreed to raise the interest rate by 2 per cent in accordance with the Fund’s demands. On March 2, the SBP raised the monetary policy rate by 300 basis points to 20 per cent due to a deterioration in inflation outlook and expectations amid recent external and fiscal adjustments.

  • Twitter users, activists condemn Mahira Khan, Anwar Maqsood’s sexist remarks about Maryam Nawaz, Marriyum Aurangzeb

    Social media was enraged yesterday at the comments made by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senator Afnan Ullah Khan who remarked that Mahira Khan had mental health problems and Anwar Maqsood was a drunkard, in a tweet which celebrities and feminist activists slammed as sexist.

    What had prompted this reaction? It was a conversation at a session titled ‘An Evening With Mahira Khan’ held at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi. In a clip that went viral, Mahira Khan was seen commenting about two females fighting and poisoning each other. To which Maqsood responded by saying that these two women were PML-N leaders Marriyum Aurangzeb and Maryam Nawaz.

    “I am restricted from talking about politics, I can’t say anything about anyone. Hopefully the situation will get better soon. What you said about poisoning, abusing each other so I gave an example, it is also happening in real life. Also both are actors, not character actors.”

    Can we condemn the disparaging comment made by the PML-N senator, whose party is currently under the leadership of a woman, and is also the one ruling the country? Absolutely, because how a politician comments about their critics reveals how thin-skinned and shallow-minded they are, especially when the critic is a woman.

    But to completely sideline the fact that Khan, who has been outspoken about gender inequality and the need to improve the way media represents women on screens, especially sitting next to a renowned leftist screen writer, could resort to making sexist jokes about female politicians whose views she doesn’t agree with? Twitter users could not over look this fact, and criticised Khan’s sexist behavior for directly targeting female politicians of the opposite party as a way to score points.

    Feminist activist Leena Ghani mentioned that it was male politicians who are consistently over-emotional, and behave in a horrible manner, but it’s astounding why Khan chose to overlook them and target Aurangzeb and Nawaz

    The Twitter page of Aurat March condemned Khan’s and Maqsood’s comments as ‘cringe’

    Twitter users like journalist Gharidah Farooqi criticised these comments as ‘shameful’:

    Zebunnisa Burki criticised both Khan and Maqsood for making such disgusting comments

    Another user wrote that it wasn’t proper for a woman to mock another woman politician in this manner

  • ‘Check on your loved ones’: Celebrities are praying for followers after magnitude 6.5 earthquake jolts Pakistan

    ‘Check on your loved ones’: Celebrities are praying for followers after magnitude 6.5 earthquake jolts Pakistan

    On Tuesday night, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake jolted Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

    The powerful jolts killed nine while 44 were injured, according to Al-Jazeera.

    Celebrities across Pakistan urged their followers to take necessary precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

    During an earthquake, please remember to wear proper shoes and exit your home to prevent any injuries from the jolts, and stay on open ground until the situation is safe.

    Actor Saba Qamar sent her prayers and wished for everyone to stay safe:

    Cricket captain Babar Azam urged his followers to take care of their loved ones

    Pakistan cricket player Shaheen Afridi prayed that everyone remained safe during the earthquake

    Actor Mahira Khan wrote on her Instagram stories that she was praying for everyone’s safety.

  • Babar Azam all set to receive Sitara e Imtiaz on 23rd March

    Babar Azam all set to receive Sitara e Imtiaz on 23rd March

    Pakistan’s men cricket team captain and top run scorer in the PSL Season 8, Babar Azam, will be awarded the country’s third biggest civilian award Sitara-e-Imtiaz on March 23.

    Babar Azam will be the youngest player to get the coveted award. At just 28 years of age, Babar Azam is the top run scorer in the latest PSL edition with 519 runs and also Pakistan’s top run scorer.
    Previously, former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed held the record as the youngest person to be awarded the prestigious award.

    Sarfaraz, who led Pakistan to the Champions Trophy title in 2017, was given the award by then Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair at the Governor House in Karachi in 2018.

    Last year on August 14, the government announced that it will be conferring Babar with the country’s third-highest civilian honour.

    The star batter will be taking a break from cricket to attend the ceremony, as he will not be participating in the series against Afghanistan, which is scheduled to start on March 24.

    Babar Azam is not the only cricketer to get Sitara-e-Imtiaz, as many more including former captains Misbah ul Haq, Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan have received the award.

    Mohammad Yousuf received the award in 2011, Saeed Ajmal in 2015, Inzamam ul Haq in 2005 and Javed Miandad in 1992.

  • PepsiCo Celebrates World Water Day with 100% Water Replenishment in Company-Owned Operations

    Lahore, March 22, 2023: PepsiCo Pakistan organized an event today to celebrate World Water Day 2023 by sharing that the company is replenishing 100% of the water they use at their Snacks manufacturing facilities in Sundar and Multan watersheds, in line with its global vision to become Net Water Positive by 2030. The company also showcased a unique Water Stewardship Model Community that is being set up in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature – Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan). The Center of Water Informatics and Technology (WIT) at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) will provide technical expertise for the project while Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) will create policy briefs based on the project learnings to facilitate policymakers.

    The event was held at WIT LUMS with an aim to raise awareness about the importance of water and sanitation and to promote sustainable management of water resources through public-private partnerships. A robust overview of various water conservation projects by PepsiCo Pakistan across the country was shared, including partnerships with multiple stakeholders such as the government, non-profit organizations, academia, and policymakers. PepsiCo Pakistan also honored Community Leader Dr. Humera Saleem, who has been a key part of spearheading community mobilization for the PepsiCo Foundation and WaterAid supported Access to Safe Water program in Humak, Islamabad.

    Eugene Willemsen, CEO PepsiCo Africa, Middle East, and South Asia (AMESA), and Furqan Ahmed Syed, CEO PepsiCo Pakistan and Afghanistan along with stakeholders from WWF-Pakistan, SDPI and WIT LUMS unveiled the Water Stewardship Model Community project. The expansive project willinclude water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities and enable sustainable sewage water management in one underserved community in rural Punjab for a focused intervention that delivers positive outcomes. The model village will illustrate the end-result of this collaboration for water access and stewardship, improved sanitation and replenishment, employing state-of-the-art interventions for WASH and Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS). In line with our Alliance for Water Stewardship and Water Replenishment agenda, this model will exemplify PepsiCo’s commitment to directly benefiting communities within our watershed.

    A high-level panel discussion on “Accelerating Collaboration for a Net Water Positive Future ” featuring distinguished panelists Arif Jabbar Khan (Country Director WaterAid Pakistan), Dr. Shafqat Munir Ahmed (Director Resilient Development Program SDPI), Maha Qasim (CEO & Founder Zero-Point Partners) and Dr. Abubakr Muhammad (Director WIT LUMS) was also conducted at the event, focusing on critical issues related to the water crisis in Pakistan, including access to safe drinking water, sustainable water management, private sector engagement in water stewardship, and the role of technology and innovation in addressing water challenges.

    Speaking on the occasion, Eugene Willemsen, CEO PepsiCo AMESA said, “Being an agriculture company at our core, water is a critical resource for PepsiCo’s business. It is, therefore, a strong imperative for food producers like us to follow through a Net Water Positive vision, ensure water resources are in a better state due to our presence, achieve sustainable water security, replenish more water than we use and support collaborative solutions to reduce water stress at the local community-level. Local stakeholder engagements and partnerships play a key role in paving our way towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. PepsiCo Pakistan’s tangible win is reflective of our accelerated water stewardship efforts in the region, reiterating our pep+ sustainability commitment to the people and the planet.”

    Syed M Abul Hassan Kazmi, Senior Director Supply Chain and Office of Sustainability Lead PepsiCo, said, “At PepsiCo, we are reengineering the ways in which we use water within our operational boundaries and outside them, in our communities. Our focus is on water protection and conservation across our value chain, in line with the vision of becoming Net Water Positive.  We have achieved 100% water replenishment in our company-owned operations in the Sundar and Multan watersheds and continue to work extensively on accelerated programs that focus on water conservation and access to safe water for communities.”

    Dr. Abubakr Muhammad added, “Leveraging the power of industry-academia linkages and information-driven technologies for water issues in Pakistan will surely accelerate transformation in water conservation and use. We are happy to assist PepsiCo, WWF-Pakistan, and SDPI at the Model Community in collecting and visualizing real-time data of various critical interventions for community uplift.”

    About PepsiCo

    PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $86 billion in net revenue in 2022, driven by a complimentary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

    Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for the planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo. 

  • ‘We need more men like him’: Writer behind ‘Mujhe Pyar Hua Tha’ revealed why she wrote Saad as a non-toxic character

    Saad from the drama ‘Mujhe Pyar Hua Tha’ has won the nation’s heart for breaking stereotypes that are associated with the toxic male lead in Pakistani dramas, and being an attentive husband and care giver to the female lead, Maheer (played by Hania Amir).
    Twitter users have praised Wahaj Ali for brilliantly portraying the sensitive and caring Saad, and how at every step he has remained a character who was fearlessly devoted to his wife, and was a dedicated son to his parents.

    The writer behind the iconic drama, Sidra Sahar Imran, gave an interview to Fuchsia magazine where she opened up about the character of Saad, and why she felt that it was important to address the toxic double standards in our society that shame men for showing emotions or for being ‘kind-hearted’:

    “I had observed that often romance novels will depict the girl as the sati savitri who will sacrifice all that she has, but I used to think that men also exist in our society why can’t we depict them the same way?”

    Looking at the feedback Saad’s character was receiving, Imran said that most people were shocked.

    “I can see that mostly people are shocked that a man like Saad is acting this way. Because we are so used to men not being able to tolerate a lot of abuse. Our society cannot understand the fact that men should be sensitive and soft-spoken, since we are used to the standards telling them to be tough and loud. In our male-dominant society, we encourage men that to be a real man, they need to be aggressive and out-spoken to prove their worth. But there are a lot of men like Saad out there and I wanted to write a character like him.”

    Imran also revealed that there was a way she could have catered to these expectations after Maheer and Saad’s marriage, and demonstrate his anger and possessiveness but she refused:

    “I didn’t want my character to act in this manner, after coming a long way. He will not cater to such toxic standards about what a real man is.”

  • Energy ministry announces uninterrupted power supply during sehr, iftar and taraweeh in Ramzan

    Energy ministry announces uninterrupted power supply during sehr, iftar and taraweeh in Ramzan

    The Ministry of Energy announced on Wednesday that no loadshedding will take place during sehr, iftar and taraweeh in the holy month of Ramzan, in accordance with the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

    The Prime Minister has directed for an uninterrupted supply of electricity during Ramzan, and the ministry has subsequently issued directives to power distribution companies to ensure this.

    The ministry has requested that DISCOS ensure the supply of electricity during sehr, iftar, and taraweeh, with zero load management an hour before and after sehr, and one hour before iftar and three hours after.

    According to Geo, control rooms will be established at the operation circle level to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of power. Additionally, special teams have been formed to address grievances at division and sub-division levels.

    In the event of transformer failure, additional transformers and trolleys will be made available. Today (Wednesday), the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will convene in Peshawar for the sighting of the Ramzan ul Mubarak 1444 AH moon.