Blog

  • Abdullah Shafique shines as Pakistan completes record run-chase, beating Sri Lanka in 1st Test

    Abdullah Shafique shines as Pakistan completes record run-chase, beating Sri Lanka in 1st Test

    Abdullah Shafique scored an unbeaten 160 as Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets in the first Test on Wednesday in Galle, chasing down a record mark of 342.

    To take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, the visitors won the game in the final session on the fifth day of competition.

    The most successful fourth-innings chase at Galle previously occurred in 2019 when Sri Lanka defeated New Zealand by a score of 268.

    For the hosts, left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya got four wickets and is on the verge of a record-breaking four consecutive five-wicket hauls in his first two Tests.

    In a series-leveling Test victory against Australia last week at the same location, he grabbed 12 wickets on his debut, six in each innings.

    As soon as Sri Lanka used up their final two umpire reviews, which both featured Jayasuriya, Pakistan started the day on 222-3.

    Mohammad Rizwan began the day with a boundary off Ramesh Mendis and maintained his optimism by taking singles and twos before being bowled out for 40 by Jayasuriya.

    Rizwan, a wicketkeeper-batsman who entered the two-match series following a successful stay with English county Sussex, was not saved by a review.

    Shafique has so far maintained his composure and performed the anchor job flawlessly, scoring his second Test century on day four to put the pursuit in front.

  • What next for the PML-N? Experts weigh in

    What next for the PML-N? Experts weigh in

    On July 17, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) suffered a heavy loss in the by-elections as it only managed to win four seats out of 20 while its rival party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won 75 per cent (15 seats) of the Punjab constituencies.

    Despite the PML-N’s disastrous performance in Punjab, the federal government has decided to complete its constitutional tenure till August 2023. The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday (July 19). The coalition partners also agreed that they will give a tough time to Imran Khan.

    The Current reached out to experts to ask their opinion on what the PML-N should do next and what will be PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s next move.

    Here is what they have to say.

    PML-N is no longer popular among the masses: Shafqat Mahmood

    “PML-N is no longer popular among the masses. The people of Pakistan have realised that these people are “bhayaanak” [horrible]. It is because of their history of corruption and bad governance during the last three months that they have been badly defeated,” said PTI leader and former Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood.

    Talking about Khan and his future plans after winning the Punjab by-polls Mahmood said, “PTI only wants fair and free elections. On July 22, PTI will be in power in Punjab once again.”

    PML-N needs to go to the drawing board: Mansoor Ali Khan

    Senior journalist Mansoor Ali Khan said that the PML-N needs to go to the drawing board to fix its problems and start the process all over again.

    “They have to go back to the drawing board and start the process again. The most important thing in the present situation for the PML-N to think about is when can Nawaz Sharif come back to Pakistan. His absence has already caused a lot of damage. The party really needs to take a look at all the mistakes committed by them, which led to its defeat in the Punjab by-polls.”

    “I think this is Imran Khan’s winning moment and he will only want early elections. Khan will keep putting pressure on the government and will only want elections. Since the last two months, we have already witnessed him doing this and the Punjab by-polls result is evidence enough that Khan’s plan is working.”

    Federal capital without Punjab is nothing: Kashif Abbasi

    Senior journalist Kashif Abbasi said that the federal capital without Punjab is nothing.

    “The PML-N should talk to the PTI and find a way to work towards early elections. There is no point in running the federal capital without Punjab.”

    Abbasi said that Khan has all the cards at the moment while the PML-N is in trouble.

    “Early elections will possibly favour the PTI as well. So at present, early elections are the solution both for the PTI and PML-N.”

    Early elections should be called: Absa Komal

    Journalist Absa Komal said that the PTI secured a clear mandate in Punjab by sweeping the by-polls in PML-N’s home ground.

    “Ideally, sanity should prevail within the PML-N and early elections should be called.”

    “Khan sahib will keep on resisting, especially if the government creates problems in making Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi chief minister. Meanwhile, he will continue to build a narrative about the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Khan will continue to use his victory in Punjab for building his future narrative,” said Komal.

    PML-N reaction

    Meanwhile, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said that these by-elections cannot measure the popularity or unpopularity of the PML-N. 

    Finance Minister Miftah Ismail stated in an interview that the government would keep making difficult choices in an effort to save the economy and keep the nation from going bankrupt.

    The finance minister also noted that it was crucial for the government to take unpopular measures, which also resulted in political setbacks. “But if need be, we will take more tough decisions,” he said.

  • BTS members’ Instagram earnings: From Jin charging PKR 13.6 crore to RM charging PKR 33 lacs per post

    BTS members’ Instagram earnings: From Jin charging PKR 13.6 crore to RM charging PKR 33 lacs per post

    The South Korean boy band BTS enjoys a massive fan following around the globe. It’s the ARMY (their fandom) that helped the septet rise to immense fame. Well, apart from their concerts, shows, and other endorsements, the boys are very much capable of minting quite some huge amount of money from social media too.

    Just last year in December the septet – RM, Jin, Suga, Jimin, Jungkook, V and J-Hope made their Instagram debut leaving the entire ARMY super elated. Just in a day, the boy band welcomed millions of followers on the social media handle. Talking about their social media handle, take a look at the earnings the boys can make once they start dropping sponsored posts. We are sure the numbers will leave you baffled.

    BTS 7 Fates Chakho: Bangtan Boys' Webtoon Takes On Monster In MCU-like World, Members In Awe; Watch

    RM (Kim Namjoon): The leader of BTS RM enjoys a massive fan following of 36M followers on Instagram. The posts on his account are all about museum outings, concert pictures and many other interesting updates on his daily life. As per the report by Koreaboo, the price of a sponsored post on the leader’s account would be a whopping cost of $16K which is around PKR Rs 33 lacs.

    Jin (Kim Seokjin): Jin who is the eldest member of the boy band enjoys a fan following of 37M followers on Instagram. Apart from his cute snaps and thriving stories, according to the same reports, he can earn up to $614K (PKR- 13.6 crore).

    V (Kim Taehyung): Everyone’s beloved member V has a huge number of followers of 47M and growing followers. Every minute his followers are just growing in real-time, all thanks to his high engagement posts and stories. Even though V has claimed that he does not understand the algorithm of IG, according to the reports, can get about $68K USD-$810K.

    Jungkook (Jeon Jungkook): aka The Golden Maknae of BTS who enjoys 43M plus Instagram followers can earn around USD 33K to $395K.

    Jimin (Park Jimin): The heartthrob of BTS has 39M plus followers on Instagram and can reportedly earn about USD 63K to USD 756K. The bar has been set super high for other artists for sure.

    Suga (Min Yoongi): Yoongi has a humongous following of 36M plus followers on Instagram and can make up to USD 54K to $645K.

    J-Hope (Jung Hoseok): Lastly, everyone’s J-Hope Oppa who has a following of 37M plus can earn about USD 37K to $449K.

  • Govt to distribute 100,000 laptops under Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme

    Govt to distribute 100,000 laptops under Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme

    About 100,000 students enrolled in government universities and colleges will soon receive free laptops as part of the Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme, according to the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) for Youth Affairs, Shaza Fatima Khawaja.

    She said in a Monday interview with APP that the programme will only award young people with high-quality laptops based on their merit.

    “These laptops will be provided to all Ph.D. and postgraduate students, while the top performers in undergraduate programmes will also be included in the scheme,” she said.

    The SAPM claimed that the laptop program’s allotted quota for Balochistan students has been doubled, along with quotas for students who are disabled and 50 per cent of the program’s allotted quota for women. Prime Minister Skilled Programme will provide skills and information technology training to up to 100,000 youth.

    She claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League (N) government launched the Prime Minister Youth Program in 2013, which had six steps for empowering youth.

    Khawaja rejected the impression of closing the Prime Minister Youth Loan Scheme terming it wrong, and added, the restructuring of this program has been done under which the loan limit has been revised.

    “Now the youth will be provided interest-free loans up to Rs500,000, while loans from Rs500,000 to Rs7,500,000 will be provided on easy terms,” she told APP.

    She emphasised the urgent need to provide these youth with skills education in line with market needs by stating that 20 lakh graduates enter the market each year after completing their education.

  • Google to launch its Android Earthquake Alerts System in Pakistan

    Google to launch its Android Earthquake Alerts System in Pakistan

    Google has announced the launch of its “Android Earthquake Alerts System” in Pakistan, which will send automatic early warning alerts that help people be prepared for an emergency.

    “Android Earthquake Alerts System is a no-cost, helpful android feature that detects earthquakes around the world and alerts people. It uses sensors in Android smartphones,” said Google in a statement.

    “When people look up ‘earthquake’ or ‘earthquake near me’, they will find relevant results, along with helpful resources on what to do after an earthquake,” the statement further added.

    “Pakistan has experienced several earthquakes in the past, especially in the northern and western parts of the country. With the expansion of this earthquake alerts system, android users in Pakistan may receive automatic early warning alerts that help them be prepared for an emergency.”

    “One feature titled ‘Be Aware’ alerts people when earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.5 occur, or an intensity level of 3 or 4 on the MMI scale. The notification is sent along with the distance of the earthquake’s epicentre. The alert uses the phone’s current volume, vibration, and Do Not Disturb settings.”

    The Android Earthquake Alerts System was initially launched in New Zealand and Greece.

  • New Covid symptom only occurs at night

    New Covid symptom only occurs at night

    A leading immunologist has warned that a new Covid variant can cause a different symptom that only occurs at night.

    BA.5 was first discovered in South Africa earlier this year. It is a highly-contagious subvariant that can cause night sweats. The variant is contributing to a fresh wave of infections across the world.

    Professor Luke O’Neill from Trinity College Dublin called this symptom “strange”.

    “One extra symptom from BA.5 I saw this morning is night sweats.”

    “The disease is slightly different because the virus has changed. But if you are vaccinated and you’re boosted, it doesn’t progress into the severe disease,” Professor O’Neill added.

    BA.5’s ability to reinfect is concerning to healthcare professionals. It is pertinent to mention that previously, if a person had been infected with SARS-CoV-2, they were considered safe from the virus after one cycle ended. With the subvariants, this is not the case anymore.

  • Janhvi Kapoor blames Sara Ali Khan for choosing a non-heater room in freezing cold to save Rs 6,000 on their vacay

    Janhvi Kapoor blames Sara Ali Khan for choosing a non-heater room in freezing cold to save Rs 6,000 on their vacay

    The much-awaited Koffee With Karan season 7 is back with stirring cups of steamy confessions, secrets, and manifestations. In the season’s second episode, the new Bollywood besties, Sara Ali Khan and Janhvi Kapoor graced the couch with stories about their style, wits, and misadventures.

    Host Karan Johar asked them about life, work and love; the dynamic duo reveals stories of their travel and adventures. Bonding over the scenic beauty of Kedarnath, Janhvi and Sara’s trip hit a roadblock as they faced two near-death experiences.

    Recollecting Khan’s choice of a low-cost no-heater hotel in a bid to save Rs 6000, Janhvi shared how this choice nearly froze them. She said, “I had traveled to Kedarnath with two thermals, one puffer jacket, three shawls, two-track pants, and two sweaters. Karan, I wore every single piece of clothing I had owned and was still shivering,” adding that by the time Sara returned to their room after meeting her friends, her lips had turned blue and she was shivering! She even added that apart from the absence of a heater in the freezing -7℃ weather, the bathroom in the hotel was also doubtful, “If I had sat on that pot, it would have shattered,” said Janhvi Kapoor adding to her bad-hotel stay story.

    Sara Ali Khan And Janhvi Kapoor's Kedarnath Trip

    Later Janhvi chose a hike at Bhairavnath over walking a normal path, the duo were faced with an unexpected twist in their adventure. Sara Ali Khan said, “We decided to go to Bhairavnath and there was a normal path for walking. But we thought ourselves to be better. We chose to hike instead. There was an 85 incline of just rocks and Janhvi is like let us just climb this,” Though skeptical of climbing the incline, Sara admitted that she was afraid of being called a buzzkill. However, the adventure turned sour as their climb became very scary. Admitting about fear kicking in, Sara mentioned how at one point, she was sure they would fall off owing to dangerous rocks.

    With no escape in sight, they found solace when they saw a fan coming toward them as they hung off the cliff. Much to their dismay, he was of no help, as he only wanted to take a selfie with them. Eventually, Sara’s driver found them after almost 30 minutes of being stuck, and they were rescued with the help of special forces.

  • Video: Ukrainian soldier’s life saved by iPhone 11 Pro

    Video: Ukrainian soldier’s life saved by iPhone 11 Pro

    A Ukrainian soldier was saved by his iPhone 11 Pro and his video has gone viral on social media.

    The clip shows a Ukrainian soldier taking an iPhone out of his bag. The iPhone acted as a bulletproof vest for the man as the bullet would otherwise have killed him.

    What’s interesting here is to see that the battery of the phone didn’t explode and acted as a shield for the soldier.

    The phone was completely destroyed because of the bullet.

  • Punjab govt sends The Minor to shelter home, will be handed over to parents

    Punjab govt sends The Minor to shelter home, will be handed over to parents

    The Punjab Police sent The Minor to a Dar-ul–Aman (shelter home) on the orders of the court, Head of Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit Salman Sufi tweeted.

    “Punjab Gov has secured The Minor at Dar UL Aman under strict security and protection after a court order. Sindh Government has been requested to dispatch a child protection bureau team to take her to her parents. Mr Zaheer is being traced for arrest.”

    The Minor appeared before a magistrate’s court and claimed that her life is in danger and requested the court to send her to a shelter home.

    Lawyer Jibran Nasir tweeted, “To save their own life Zaheer/accomplices will go to any length. Please see the application submitted in name of The Minor. She says my relationship with my husband Zaheer isn’t good, I have separated from my husband & have no protection from my Parents hence I need to go to Darul Amaan.”

  • Pakistani rupee hits new all-time low of Rs224 against US dollar

    Pakistani rupee hits new all-time low of Rs224 against US dollar

    Despite the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) announcement that the multibillion-dollar loan programme would resume, the Pakistani rupee plunged to an all-time low against the US dollar on Tuesday, reaching Rs224 in the interbank market.

    Today, the local currency continued to lose value against the US dollar and lost another Rs8.80. In the interbank market on Monday, the rupee fell by Rs4.25 or 1.97 per cent against the US dollar.

    With ongoing political unrest and a bad macroeconomic environment, the currency has considerably depreciated.

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has begun to stifle the outflow of small dollar amounts of less than $100,000 in order to prevent a further decline in the reserves, putting numerous factories at risk of closure and financial penalties.

    According to the sources, Pakistan is using a variety of capital controls, including restrictive measures, to prevent a situation resembling default while the IMF takes its time approving and disbursing a $1.12 billion loan tranche.

    Resuming the loan programme will increase the nation’s ability to make international payments and unlock foreign currency inflows from other bilateral and multilateral sources as well.

    Additionally, China has extended its $2.3 billion loan to Pakistan and deposited it in the State Bank a few weeks ago. In line with the decline in the rupee, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) fell 770 points during Monday’s intraday trading. After “political and economic uncertainties in Pakistan,” the capital market came under fresh pressure, a specialist claimed.

    Finance Minister Miftah Ismail stated in an interview that the government would keep making difficult choices in an effort to save the economy and keep the nation from going bankrupt.