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  • Pakistanis prefer to sink with me than support the ‘three stooges’: PM Khan

    Pakistanis prefer to sink with me than support the ‘three stooges’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Thursday called the Opposition leaders Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Shehbaz Sharif, and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari the “three stooges”, referring to a classic American program. He told party members the Opposition’s no-trust move was a “blessing” as it had “lifted” the entire party and now all ready to ready for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally.

    Addressing the Pakistan Overseas Convention in Islamabad he said, “When the people saw the faces of the three stooges — they decided against supporting them and expressed their desire to go down with [me],” PM Khan.

    I challenge media, economists, and Opposition parties to debate with govt over performance

    PM Khan challenged media organisations, economists, and Opposition parties to debate with the government over its performance in the last three and half years, saying that “nobody served Pakistan as we did”.

    “[Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana] Fazlur Rehman sold religion for 30 years,” he thundered. “In my 3.5 years, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has said you cannot disrespect Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in the name of freedom of expression. [Canadian Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau has given a statement [against Islamophobia]. This has happened for the first time.”

    The premier said there had been a debate at the United Nations and a resolution would be passed against Islamophobia, adding that it was “because of us” and how the government raised the matter at different forums.

    The premier said that the Opposition parties had been taking turns in governing Pakistan during the last 30 years but the PTI government would “prove” that it had built the nation.

    They cannot defeat us: PM Khan

    The premier said he and his team were always trying to figure out ways to reduce the impact of inflation on the masses, but after the Opposition’s no-confidence motion, the focus shifted to mainstream politics rather than inflation.

    PM Khan said neither of the three parties — PPP, PML-N, and JUI-F — worked at the grass-root levels and did “actual politics”, while the PTI struggled for more than two decades to get to where it is today. “They cannot defeat us.”

    “Nawaz became the chief minister through General Jilani; Shehbaz, who used to give bribes to get his work done, Zardari became the president by ‘showing’ a fake paper; Fazl has been selling the religion from the last 30 years,” he said.

    If they are the ones to save Pakistan, it is better to drown with Imran Khan

    “I was thinking of how the country changed suddenly in 10 days, inflation was forgotten and my entire party was lifted.”

    All the Opposition politicians used to call each other corrupt, he said, thanking them for coming together so the nation could see that “if they are the ones to save Pakistan, it is better to drown with Imran Khan”.

    The premier said that PTI had risen from the grassroots which is why the Opposition parties could not compete with it.

    Fallen into captains trap

    PM Imran Khan said the Opposition leaders were under the “false impression that the people had forgotten their corruption”, but they were wrong as now, they had fallen into the “captain’s trap”.

    “I predict that not only is their no-confidence motion going to fail, but they will taste defeat in the 2023 general elections as well,” he said, foreseeing his party’s triumph in the polls.

    PM Khan said due to the corruption of the politicians, the country had become a “slave” to the foreign powers. “When our then prime minister [Nawaz Sharif] met then US president Barack Obama, his legs were shaking as he was cautious against saying something his ‘master’ might feel bad”.

    “Because they know [those countries] can catch their [corrupt Pakistani politicians’] money laundering whenever they want,” the prime minister said.

    Not anti-US, UK and India

    “You [Nawaz and Zardari] should have at least said that no law in the world allows anyone to play the role of judge, jury, and executioner,” he said, stressing “never have I been anti-American, anti-Britain or anti-India”.

    “I pray that a sensible leadership comes into power in India so that we can hold talks with them after revoking the August 5, 2019, decision on Kashmir.”

    Only an uneducated man would be against a country, he elaborated, adding that he was against their policies. “I was against the war on terror from day one and I will remain so.”

    The premier said 100 drone strikes had been conducted in Pakistan during the governments of Nawaz Sharif and Zardari and PTI leaders had staged sit-ins to protest but “they had no shame”.

    He also mentioned India’s “Hindutva” policy, expressing the wish that a “better government” comes to power in the neighbouring country that would grant rights to Kashmiris.

    Pakistan military was the reason behind the country’s stability

    The Pakistan military was the reason behind the country’s stability, as he gave an example of other Muslim countries — Libya, Syria, and Yemen — where the situation was dismal.

    Noting that despite having differences with former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, PM Imran Khan lauded him and acknowledged that he was a self-reliant leader.

  • Convicted Murderer Zahir Jaffer appeals death sentence

    Convicted Murderer Zahir Jaffer appeals death sentence

    Zahir Jaffer has filed an appeal in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against his conviction. Zahir was awarded the death penalty in the Noor Mukadam murder case. A sessions court on Feburary 24 sentenced Zahir Jaffer to death. The staff members at Zahir’s house who aided in keeping Noor in Zahir’s house, Iftikhar and Jameel, were sentenced to 10 years in jail. Additional Sessions Judge Ata Rabbani announced the verdict. All other accused were acquitted, including Zahir’s parents and TherapyWorks staff.

    Earlier, on behalf of Noor’s father, Shaukat Mukadam, different appeals were filed by lawyer Shah Khawar in Islamabad High Court (IHC). The appeals challenge the acquittal of Zahir’s parents, Asmat Adamjee and Zakir Jaffer. The appeal also challenges the acquittal of domestic helper Jamil, and six Therapy Works employees including its CEO Tahir Zahoor.

  • Pakistan approaches UN while US says missile incident is anything other than an accident

    Pakistan approaches UN while US says missile incident is anything other than an accident

    Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told the Indian parliament that the country is conducting a review of its standard operating procedures (SOPs) for operations, maintenance and inspection of weapons systems, reports Dawn.

    “We attach the highest priority to the safety and security of our weapon systems. If any shortcoming is found, it would be immediately rectified,” the Indian defence minister added.

    The statement came after an Indian “accidental” missile launch at Pakistan that fell in Mian Channu, Khanewal district on March 9. After two days, the Indian government released a statement in which they said the missile accidentally was fired due to a technical malfunction.

    An Indian media reports claim that India informed Pakistan about this “accidental firing” soon after it happened. However, Pakistan said that India failed to inform Islamabad about the accidental launch immediately, and waited until after the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced the incident about “high-speed flying object” and sought clarification from New Delhi.

    Meanwhile, Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi approached United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Qureshi briefed Guterres on the matter and stressed that this needs to be addressed by the international community, including the UN Security Council (SC). Qureshi briefed Guterres on the matter stressed that this needs to be addressed by the international community, including the UN Security Council (SC).

    US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price on Monday said there is “no indication” that India launched a missile attack on Pakistan. He said that it was “anything other than an accident”. He also advised the journalist [who asked the question] to reach out to the Indian Defence Ministry for a follow-up.

    “I’m not familiar with that particular incident. What I would say is that nuclear safety around the world, especially in countries — nuclear-armed countries, is always a conversation that is ongoing,” Price added.

  • Punjab govt announces exams schedule and summer vacations

    Punjab govt announces exams schedule and summer vacations

    The Punjab Education Department has announced the examination schedule and summer vacations on Monday. As per the notification, a new academic session 2022-2023 will commence from August 1.

    According to the notification, the examinations for classes 1-8 will be held in the month of May while students will get two months of summer vacations from June 1 to July 31.

    Similarly, the Sindh Education Department has also announced a new academic session from August 1.

    The provincial department also agreed to hold an annual examination of elementary classes (4-8) on May 2. The matriculation examination will be conducted from May 17 and the result will be announced on July 17.

    The examinations for intermediate will begin on June 15, 2022. The admission for Higher Secondary School will begin from July 1 to 31.

    The Sindh education steering committee announced the examination pattern, which will contain 40% Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and 60% of detailed questions.

  • ‘Will Kareena Kapoor sit with a newcomer?’: Hira Soomro defends Sana Javed amidst controversy

    ‘Will Kareena Kapoor sit with a newcomer?’: Hira Soomro defends Sana Javed amidst controversy

    Chupke Chupke fame actor Hira Soomro took to her Instagram handle to share her stance on the on-going Sana Javed controversy.

    The young star stated that there is a division of status amongst celebrities and that is needed to be considered during professional collaborations.

    She also cited Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor’s example and said that even she will not share her space with a newcomer.

    It is to be noted that the behavior of Pakistani film and drama actress Sana Javed has been called inappropriate by other personalities of the industry, while several posts made by other artists on social media also went viral.

    Model Fareeha Sheikh wrote a 4 page long note against Sana Javed on her Instagram account after which there were queues of posts against Sana’s negative attitude.

    In her post, Fareeha Sheikh termed Sana Javed as unserious and said that “she is not the only victim of Sana Javed’s bad behavior but there are many others like her.”

    Talking about the incident that happened to her, Fareeha Sheikh said that Sana Javed does not like to see any other artist in front of her and she needs special protocol, she looks down on others.

    Make-up artist Ikram Gohar has also said about the incident that happened to him: Not knowing how to do it, Sana Javed stopped him from using the bathroom of his house for 4 hours, forcing him to go to a nearby restaurant and use the bathroom.

    ALSO READ: ‘Because of this woman, karma is a bitch’: Faysal Qureshi’s daughter Hanish exposes Sana Javed

    ALSO READ: SHOCKING: Why was Sana Javed replaced with Urwa Hocane in ‘Neeli Zinda Hai’ after days of shoot?

  • ‘Bilawal dil ka jaani hai’: Sheikh Rasheed

    ‘Bilawal dil ka jaani hai’: Sheikh Rasheed

    “Bilawal dil ka jaani hai,” said Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed about Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

    Speaking about the Opposition’s long march towards the federal capital, the minister said that they are coming here to do “Duma Dum Mast Qalandar“.

    “They [Opposition] are coming since the last four months. Let them come. If anything happens, the loss will be of the Opposition. Imran Khan has finished his four years, he has one year left and he will work through that one year,” said Rasheed, adding that the Opposition has only created confusion in the past four years.

    The reporter asked Rasheed that Bilawal’s Awami March pulled a large crowd and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman too has street power, to which Rasheed interjected and said that he provided more security to Bilawal than the people attending his ‘Awami March’.

    Rasheed again reiterated the fact that Prime Minister Imran Khan is going nowhere. On being asked about the governance in Punjab, Rasheed said, “I don’t do Punjab politics.”

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is set to hold a ‘public meeting’ at D-Chowk on March 27.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday called the entire nation to march towards the federal capital on March 23 for an anti-government long march.

  • “Hijab is not essential part of Islam”, India’s Karnataka High Court supports hijab ban

    “Hijab is not essential part of Islam”, India’s Karnataka High Court supports hijab ban

    The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday upheld the government’s decision to ban hijab in educational institutes in the Indian state. The court ruled that the hijab is not an essential part of Islam.

    The hearing was headed by three judges who agreed that the “prescription of uniform is a reasonable restriction on fundamental rights.”

    The state government during the hearing told the court that a ban on hijab does not violate fundamental rights to practice and profess a religion under Article 25 of the Constitution.

    The court also added that religious symbols should not be involved in the uniforms of educational institutes.

    A group of Muslim female students from Udupi government college had filed a petition to allow them to wear hijab which, according to them, is a fundamental right to practice religion. However, the Karnataka High court rejected their plea and ruled in favour of banning the hijab by the state government.

    Anas Tanwir, a lawyer who is now representing the girls is planning to appeal to the Supreme Court. He termed the Karnataka court’s ruling “disappointing” and “erroneous”.

    “I believe it is a wrong interpretation of the law,” he said while talking to Al Jazeera.

    “As far as an essential religious practice is concerned, [that] should not have been the question. The question should have been whether the [authorities] had the power to pass such orders.”

    The tension arose in January when a section of the Hindu right-wing group appeared wearing saffron scarves and threatened female Muslim class fellows not to wear the hijab during classes, which made state government college in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka, ban the hijab and saffron scarves over fears of rising tension.

  • Ab tou dharnay hongay: Govt, Opposition set to do jalsas on same day in Islamabad

    Ab tou dharnay hongay: Govt, Opposition set to do jalsas on same day in Islamabad

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is set to hold a massive, what they are calling, a ‘public meeting’ at D-Chowk on March 27.

    As per media reports, the government has cautioned lawmakers that they will have to make their way through the crowd of ‘one million’ to enter Parliament House for casting their vote on the no-trust motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, which is expected to take place on March 28.

    The decision to gather PTI workers at D-Chowk on March 27 was made in the ruling party’s core committee meeting, which was presided by PM Khan himself.

    It is being reported that the core committee was also attended by National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser and Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.

    Meanwhile, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday called the entire nation to march towards the federal capital on March 23 for an anti-government long march.

    “People should be ready for staying in Islamabad […] we are not sure till when will the long march last,” said Fazl.

    “From the door of the Parliament House to Shahrah-e-Dastoor, we will hold a historic rally. Through this, we will give a safe passage to all lawmakers for reaching the [assembly] safely and casting their vote,” said Maulana Fazl.

    PDM chief made the announcement after a meeting of Opposition parties which was hosted by Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif.

    In response to the PDM chief’s announcement, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said he had already stated that the Opposition was against the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) session in Islamabad.

    “I had already said that Fazlur Rehman’s real agenda was against the OIC conference. They are not able to accept that OIC foreign minister’s meeting will take place here after 15 years,” tweeted Fawad.

    PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan said on Monday announced that the voting on the no-confidence motion against PM Khan will take place after March 27.

  • Extreme heatwave across the country to begin this week: Pakistan Meteorological Department

    Extreme heatwave across the country to begin this week: Pakistan Meteorological Department

    The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued a warning on Monday for an extreme heatwave across the country this week, stating that day temperatures in most parts of the country, are likely to remain unusually high due to persistent high pressure in the upper atmosphere. The heatwave is supposed to take over most parts of the country except for Karachi.

    As per the alert issued by PMD. “Day temperatures in Northern Balochistan, Upper Sindh, South Punjab, Kashmir and adjoining areas will remain 09-10°C above normal.”

    “Day temperature in Islamabad, Upper & Central Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Lower Sindh and South Balochistan will remain 07-08°C above normal.”

    As per a mobile weather application, the temperature in Lahore can rise up to 38 °C, 36 °C in Islamabad, and 33 °C in Peshawar.

    According to the advisory, the country’s dry spell and hot temperatures may cause water stress for standing crops, vegetables, and orchards, and farmers should manage crop water properly.

    “The general public is advised to avoid unnecessary exposure to direct sunlight. Gusty winds are also expected in North Balochistan, South Punjab and Upper Sindh during the period,” the alert read.

  • ‘Bahubali’ hero Prabhas’ die-hard fan commits suicide after his film ‘Radhe Shyam’ flops?

    ‘Bahubali’ hero Prabhas’ die-hard fan commits suicide after his film ‘Radhe Shyam’ flops?

    Indian celebrity fans are often reported to take extreme steps to express their love and admiration for their beloved star. Be it getting their face or name inked to standing outside their abode, to get their attention, fans, at times, cross every limit of fandom.

    The actor is recently in news for his latest release Radhe Shyam, which also stars Pooja Hedge in the lead role. As per the online reports, one of Prabhas fans has committed suicide because of the actor’s latest film.

    According to media reports, Prabhas’ 24-year-old fan Ravi Teja took the extreme step after reading negative reviews about the film. Other reports also suggested that after watching the film, he returned home disappointed and hung himself to the ceiling fan. It is begin said that Ravi Teja was heartbroken as Radhe Shyam didn’t live up to his expectations.

    Radhe Shyam' makers release Valentine's special glimpse from Prabhas and Pooja Hegde-starrer

    Informing about the same, a user wrote on Twitter, “#Prabhas Fan Commits Suicide. Fans are deeply disappointed with a negative talk for #RadheShyam. The suicide of Prabhas’s fan has shocked everyone. Ravi Teja is a big fan of Prabhas. He was very upset with the mixed result. He committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan.”

    Reportedly, the incident has been reported to the police and they are already investigating the matter.

    Prabhas’ Die-hard Fan Commits Suicide After Reading Radhe Shyam’s Reviews

    Speaking about Radhe Shyam, the Radha Krishna Kumar directorial has garnered bad reviews for its weak plot. Apart from Prabhas and Pooja, the film co-stars Murali Sharma, Sachin Khedekar, Priyadarshi, Kunaal Roy Kapoor, Sathyan, Jayaram, and Sasha Chettri in the key roles. Radhe Shyam is dubbed in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada.

    After raising the excitement with its posters and songs, Radhe Shyam is doing below average in South India but has miserably failed to rule the Hindi box office.