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  • ‘A bigger enemy of Pakistan than Imran has not been born’: PM Shehbaz

    ‘A bigger enemy of Pakistan than Imran has not been born’: PM Shehbaz

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif did not mince his words when talking about Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

    “Thank God Pakistan was saved from default. Imran Khan wanted Pakistan to become Sri Lanka. Look at his real face,” said the PM on Thursday. He stated that after the crucial International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme restarted for Pakistan, the country was able to stand back on its feet.

    “I was sitting in a meeting when the minister of finance gave me the news [of the IMF bailout package], so I told him in front of everyone that Pakistan was saved from default,” he said.

    “But at least we were saved from a default which is what Imran Khan wanted. A man who gets letters written just so that the IMF programme could fail […] tell me, is there a worse way to show hatred with the country?”

    Shehbaz Sharif was referring to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Taimur Khan Jagra’s letter to the finance division, asserting that it had proven PTI chief’s intention to sabotage the country’s fate.

    Shehbaz went on to say that only thinks about himself and said, “Imran Khan kay sur par main sawar hon, aur uski apni main sawar hai tu Pakistan ka kya banay ga? [What will become of Pakistan if he only keeps thinking of himself?]”

    The premier further said that a bigger liar, cheater, deceiver and enemy of Pakistan than Imran Khan had never been born.

    The prime minister said that when he was in the opposition, Imran Khan conspired to send his members to jail, but they did not create a fuss. “Now everyone should look at Khan’s language.”

    PM Shehbaz said that the exemption for fuel adjustment charges (FAC) in August’s billing will apply to consumers who use under 300 units of electricity.

  • Court to hear Gill’s plea for bail on Sept 5

    Court to hear Gill’s plea for bail on Sept 5

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s Chief of Staff Dr Shahbaz Gill approached Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday, September 2, after failed efforts to get bail from a trial court in a sedition case filed against him.

    Gill requested that he should be released on bail, stating that senior doctors at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) performed a medical examination on August 17 and the medical board found “evidence of physical torture”. 

    The court has fixed a hearing on September 5.

    Shahbaz Gill’s bail plea dismissed in sedition case

    A district and sessions court in Islamabad dismissed the post-arrest bail petition of Gill on Tuesday (August 30).

    Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal pronounced the reserved verdict.

    Shahbaz Gill was taken into custody on August 9 from Bani Gala Chowk for inciting the public against state institutions.

    There have been claims of torture and sexual abuse by Gill during his detention.

    PTI leader Shireen Mazari said that the rejection of Gill’s plea was “shameful”.

    She alleged that the “state is hellbent on torturing Gill to try and get to IK”.

    Islamabad court rejects plea to send Gill on physical remand

    A district and sessions court in Islamabad rejected a request by the Islamabad Police for an extension in the physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill on August 24. He is under custody in a sedition case.

    Another case has also been registered against Gill over possession of an illegal weapon.

    Read More: ‘Yes, it’s true’: Shahbaz Gill confirms he was sexually assaulted in police custody

    The prosecution sought an extension in Gill’s physical remand, which was strongly opposed by PTI’s lawyers. After hearing the arguments, the court sent Gill on judicial remand.

    Islamabad court approves two-day physical remand of Shahbaz Gill

    A district and sessions court on Monday (August 22) granted a two-day physical remand of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s chief of staff, Shahbaz Gill, to the Islamabad Police in a sedition case.

    Gill was presented in court today after he was discharged from the Pakistan Institute Of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital, where he was admitted last week.

    During the hearing, the judge asked about his medical report and remarked that the decision to grant an extension in remand will be taken after reviewing the report.

    Gill told the court: “I was fed forcefully; 10-12 people shaved me; they lied to me about my bail.”

    Earlier, a video of Gill surfaced on the internet where he can he heard saying that he is eating in protest.

    PTI lawyer Babar Awan told the court that Gill has been in custody for 14 days and that it was enough time for the police to investigate him.

    However, the prosecution disagreed and demanded that more time was needed for the probe. The prosecutor requested the court to extend Gill’s remand.

  • ‘Pakistan’s international debt should be immediately cancelled’: British MP

    ‘Pakistan’s international debt should be immediately cancelled’: British MP

    United Kingdom (UK) Member of Parliament (MP) Claudia Webbe has called on the international community to cancel Pakistan’s debt as the country’s inflation hits the highest level since 1973.

    In a statement on Twitter, Webbe said, “Inflation in Pakistan is at an all-time high at 27 per cent! Pakistan’s international debt should be immediately cancelled – they should instead be given reparations for the climate crisis caused.”

    According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), Pakistan’s Consumer Price Index-based inflation (CPI) climbed by 27.3 per cent on a year-over-year basis in August 2022.

    Prior to this statement, she repeatedly urged foreign countries to stand shoulder to shoulder in full solidarity with Pakistan and termed the silence from western countries a “moral crime”.

    “We need a global climate tax so that the global rich can be made to pay for the climate damage they cause in the world,” she said.

    She also blamed rich countries for the climate crisis and said that they should bear the cost, not Pakistan, as the country is responsible for 1 per cent of global emissions.

    On her official Twitter account, she also shared videos of the devasting floods in Pakistan.

    Water levels continued to rise on Friday as the overall death toll from the devastating floods has crossed 1,200.

    On Thursday, the UK announced an additional £15 million of lifesaving support for flood victims in Pakistan.

    More than 33 million people are affected — one in every seven Pakistanis — and reconstruction work will cost more than $10 billion.

    United Nations (UN) chief Antonio Guterres called the floods a “climate catastrophe” and launched an appeal for $160 million in emergency funding. Meanwhile, western countries have also donated millions of dollars to Pakistan.

  • The highly demanded feature Twitter is testing is out

    The highly demanded feature Twitter is testing is out

    Microblogging website Twitter said it is testing the edit button for a limited number of users. The feature will be initially available for paid users only.

    “If you see an edited Tweet, it’s because we’re testing the edit button,” the official Twitter account tweeted Thursday.

    “This is happening and you’ll be okay,” the tweet added

    https://twitter.com/Twitter/status/1565318587736285184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

    “Edit Tweet is a feature that lets people make changes to their Tweet after it’s been published. Think of it as a short period of time to do things like fix typos, add missed tags, and more,” said the company in a blog post.
    “For this test, Tweets will be able to be edited a few times in the 30 minutes following their publication. Edited Tweets will appear with an icon, timestamp, and label so it’s clear to readers that the original Tweet has been modified. Tapping the label will take viewers to the Tweet’s Edit History, which includes past versions of the Tweet.”
    “For context, the time limit and version history play an important role here. They help protect the integrity of the conversation and create a publicly accessible record of what was said,” the statement added.
    “Twitter Blue” subscribers will have access to the Edit button.

    Following the completion of initial internal testing, the Edit Tweet feature will be made available to a few Twitter Blue subscribers later this month.
    Earlier this year, Twitter announced that the company is working on the Edit button

  • Hong Kong’s Captain takes tips from Babar Azam ahead of match

    Hong Kong’s Captain takes tips from Babar Azam ahead of match

    Ahead of a crucial match in Asia Cup, Hong Kong’s captain took tips from Pakistan skipper Babar Azam.

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared a video in which the two skippers can be seen chatting with each other.

    Hong Kong skipper, Nizakat Khan, who aspires to follow footsteps of Babar Azam is seen asking tips from Babar Azam.

    “Koi tip hame bhi do (give us some tips too),” Khan asked Babar, to which the Pakistani skipper replied: “Kya tips chahiye (what tips do you want)?”

    As per ICC latest ranking table, Babar Azam is at the top of the list in ODI and T201 men’s cricket ranking. He is the fastest batsman to score 2500 runs in T20 international cricket. He took 67 matches and 62 innings to reach this milestone. He also holds the record of scoring most hundreds in a series.

    During the conversation, Pakistan born Hong Kong skipper praised Babar Azam for his batting abilities. In the video, he could also be seen trying out Babar Azam’s bat. Earlier, Nizakat Khan said that it was his dream to play for Pakistan.

    Read more: It was my dream to play for Pakistan: Pakistan-born Hong Kong Captain

    Pakistan will be playing against Hong Kong on September 2 at 7:00 pm. The winning team will qualify for the Super 4. India, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka have already made it to Super 4.

    This the first T20I format match between the two teams. Pakistan is confident of securing a place in Super 4.

  • Pakistan’s iconic ‘wow grape’ meme to be sold as NFT

    Pakistan’s iconic ‘wow grape’ meme to be sold as NFT

    The “wow grape” meme that won the hearts of many people across the world is due to be auctioned as a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) on September 30, 2022, on the digital art marketplace Foundation.

    When a YouTube channel posted a video of a celebration at a Pakistani school in Saudi Arabia, a school teacher, Sehar Kamran’s “wow grape” moment became meme material for netizens.

    Snippets from the video quickly went popular on the internet, becoming a frequent model for the creation of memes that inundated social media.

    The tagline “wow, great” was actually misunderstood as “wow grape” by internet users. Since then, the phrase “wow grape” has appeared regularly in texts, images, gifs, and videos on the internet.

    The auction will be held in partnership with the Sweden/Pakistan-based software business, Maqssoft, with Sehar Kamran’s permission.

    Reportedly, a percentage of the earnings from NFT sales will go toward the rehabilitation of flood victims in Pakistan.

  • ‘Mujhe itna dewaar say mat lagain ke mai sari qaum ke samnay unki shaklain rakh doon’: Imran Khan

    ‘Mujhe itna dewaar say mat lagain ke mai sari qaum ke samnay unki shaklain rakh doon’: Imran Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan warned his opponents against pushing him against the wall.

    “I have been tolerating all this for the last four months. The more you try to intimidate me, the more I will fight back,” said Khan while addressing a gathering in Sargodha, on September 1.

    “Mujhe itna dewaar say mat lagain ke main sari qoum ke samnay unki shaklain rakh don jinho nay apnay mufaad ke liye mulk ko mushkil main dala [Don’t push me against the wall otherwise I will expose all those faces to the nation who have put the country in trouble for their interest]”, warned Khan.

    Talking about his public support, the former Prime Minister said that he can shut down the federal capital whenever he wants.

    “My nation is standing by me. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is spread all over, from Gilgit Baltistan to Khyber Pakthunwkan. We’re in Punjab and Azad Kashmir. Whenever I want, I can shut down Islamabad,” he said.

    “I am telling you again, don’t push me that much. The more you will try to put pressure, scare me and file FIRs, I will fight back more strongly,” he told his opponents.

    Khan further alleged that conspiracied were hatched to sideline him. “It was decided in closed door meetings to side line me. I thank God I got to know about their plans. I have made a tape and recorded the names of four people who hatched the conspiracy against me. If any thing happens to me I know my country will not spare them,” he told the crowd.

    Responding to Imran Khan’s speech, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that when one loses power they talk in a similar manner as does Imran Khan.

    “He [Imran Khan] must try and block Islamabad. You have provincial governments, you must spend your time making the lives of people better there, rather than claiming to shut down the capital. This is not the way democracy works,” rebuked the former Premier.

    “It is the people who will push Imran Khan to the wall for all the lies he has been telling,” said Khaqan.

  • Video: Young shoe polisher wins hearts by donating half of his earnings to flood victims

    Video: Young shoe polisher wins hearts by donating half of his earnings to flood victims

    A charity organisation, Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan, posted a video of a young boy donating Rs30 for flood relief efforts.

    The shoe polisher has been donating to the flood relief camp at Thokar Niaz Baig in Lahore for the last five days, according to the Alkhidmat Foundation.

    It went on to say that since he did not have any money to donate the day before yesterday, he shined some shoes and donated Rs30 of the Rs60 he had earned.

    In the emotional video, the boy can be seen searching his pockets for money before putting it inside the contribution box.

    The post has been retweeted 8k times and received over 24k likes, with others applauding the noble gesture from a poor youngster. Some netizens stated that it is a lesson for people who earn a lot of money but do not contribute or have a big enough heart to donate enough money in such instances.

  • ‘Heartbreaking’: Bollywood celebs react to the plight of flood victims in Pakistan

    ‘Heartbreaking’: Bollywood celebs react to the plight of flood victims in Pakistan

    Severe flash floods have wreaked havoc in Pakistan; the country’s citizens are suffering from homelessness and many have also lost loved ones.

    Floods triggered by incessant rains have killed more than 1000 people including 300 hundred children. The catastrophic flooding has rendered millions of people homeless during the last few days. People from across the globe are also sending prayers, donations, and supportive words to Pakistani citizens, who are concerned about the flood victims.

    Bollywood actors Ishaan Khatter and Aly Goni took to their Instagram stories to express their concerns and prayers for the plight of flood victims in Pakistan. While Aly made a prayer, Ishaan termed the situation as heartbreaking.

    Even Turkish superstar Engin Altan Duzyatan stated on Instagram that he is praying for Pakistan.

  • Kashmiri freedom fighter Syed Ali Shah Geelani honoured on first death anniversary

    Kashmiri freedom fighter Syed Ali Shah Geelani honoured on first death anniversary

    People living on both sides of the border and across the globe are observing the first death anniversary of veteran Kashmiri separatist leader and former chief of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

    Marking one year since the great freedom fighter’s passing, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said that Geelani “still remains as relevant to the freedom struggle today as he was in life”.

    In a tweet, the premier said, “Syed Ali Geelani personified the very essence of Kashmiris’ struggle. Frail in body but firm in resolve, he powered the resistance movement with belief in the idea of freedom from Indian yoke.”

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said today he has joined the Kashmiri people “in paying rich tribute to the bravest and most ardent advocate of Kashmir’s freedom struggle”.

    “Geelani sb’s memory will continue to inspire Kashmiris in their quest for a future free from Indian occupation”, he added.

    Earlier in the day, Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) also took to Twitter to pay tribute to the veteran Kashmiri separatist leader.

    “Pakistan nation pays tribute to brave Syed Ali Shah Geelani for epic resistance and fight against worst Indian oppression/atrocities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu Kashmir (IIOJK). His lifelong struggle for right to self-determination as per aspirations of people of Kashmir and UN resolutions shall always inspire generations to come,” the tweet said.

    Former Human Rights Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari said, “Today is the death anniversary of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, a symbol of Kashmiri’s struggle against India’s illegal occupation of IIOJK. His suffering along with ongoing persecution and torture of Kashmiri leaders by fascist Modi govt should be remembered before imported govt opens trade with India.”

    The government of Pakistan gave a Nishan-e-Pakistan to Geelani to honour his struggle for the freedom of IIOJK. He was placed on house arrest after August 5, 2019 when the Indian government revocated the special constitutional status of Kashmir. He passed away while still confined to his home.