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  • Indian government says missile fired at Pakistan accidentally due to technical malfunction

    Indian government says missile fired at Pakistan accidentally due to technical malfunction

    The Indian government has released a statement about a “high-speed flying object” that fell in Mian Channu, Khanewal district, saying that it accidentally got fired due to a technical malfunction.

    The statement from the Indian Ministry of Defence says, “The Government of India has taken a serious view and ordered a high-level Court of Enquiry.”

    “It is learnt that the missile landed in an area of Pakistan. While the incident is deeply regrettable, it is also a matter of relief that there has been no loss of life due to the accident.”

    Earlier this week, an object crashed in Mian Channu. On Thursday, Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major-General Babar Iftikhar said, “A high-speed flying object was picked up inside the Indian territory by Air Defence Operations Centre of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). From its initial course, the object suddenly manoeuvred towards Pakistani territory and violated Pakistan’s air space.”

    In his briefing he also said that “Whatever caused this incident to happen, it is for the Indians to explain”, adding that the incident could have resulted in a major aviation disaster.

  • Gen Bajwa told me not to call Maulana Fazlur Rehman ‘diesel’: PM Khan

    Gen Bajwa told me not to call Maulana Fazlur Rehman ‘diesel’: PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Major-General Qamar Javed Bajwa has asked him not to call Jamiat-Ulema-eIslam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman “diesel”.

    “I was just talking to Gen Bajwa and he told me not to refer to Fazl as diesel. But I am not the one who is saying that. The people have named him diesel,” the prime minister said. He was addressing a public gathering in Dir.

    The premier said that in a recent media talk, Fazl had said when he comes to power, he would “mend an institution”. This, the premier said, was a reference to Pakistan Army.

    https://twitter.com/UmerNaseem_/status/1502251719526424582

    “Today, Pakistan exists because of the army,” the prime minister said. “Will these people fix the army?”

    If today the world does not recognise Pakistan’s green passport, it’s because of these three stooges: Imran Khan

    Speaking about the three “stooges” — leaders of JUI-F, PPP, PML-N — who have joined hands against him, PM Imran said the chiefs of these three parties are among those who have been ruling the county for the last 30-35 years.

    https://twitter.com/ChicoJahangir/status/1502267420504899584

    “If today the world does not recognise Pakistan’s green passport, it is because of these three because these three mortgaged Pakistan,” he claimed.

    Speaking about the no-trust motion filed against him, he said he had been praying that the Opposition would take such a step

    I will take all three wickets with one inswing yorker: PM Khan

    “This has given me a chance to take three wickets in one ball,” he said, three wickets being a reference to Zardari, Shehbaz, and Fazl. “I am competing against these three dacoits and … I will take all three wickets with one inswing yorker.”

    He alleged that the Opposition had been demanding an NRO from him.

    “They tell me that they will topple my government if I don’t close corruption cases against them. But I tell them that I will not close the cases even if I have to give my life for it. I am not doing politics against you but fighting a jihad.”

    He continued that he had called on people to gather at Islamabad’s D-Chowk a day before the session for voting on the no-confidence motion, which is yet to be scheduled.

    The person who met Modi; how will he fix the Pakistan army?

    Without mentioning the name of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, PM Imran Khan said that the “biggest coward and the biggest liar” of Pakistan is residing outside the country.

    “They say I shouldn’t call him fugitive but the fact is that he is a fugitive and liar,” the premier said, adding that he started lifafa (envelope) journalism in Pakistan.

    “The person who tried to bribe former army chief Asif Nawaz Janjua with a BMW is planning to fix the Pakistan army,” he said, taking a jibe at the PML-N supremo.

    “The person who met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Nepal and invited the person who is torturing the Kashmiris to a wedding; how will he fix the Pakistan Army,” he questioned.

    Once again criticising them, he questioned: “Who will fix the army — PDM chief, who told the American ambassador that he is ready to serve him if given one chance, or PPP’s Asif Ali Zardari, who wrote a letter to the Americans to protect him from the army?”

    “Or will Shehbaz Sharif, who said that I did wrong by criticising the European Union, fix the institute?”

    PM Khan says only ‘animals are neutral’

    Speaking about PPP’s “Awaami March”, he said that after so much they brought people to Islamabad from Sindh and what was the message that he gave: “kaanpein tang rahi hain.”

    Taking a jibe at PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the PM said that by the time Bilawal leaves politics, new words will be added to the dictionary like “kaanpein tang rahi hain, cheeni ugg rahi hai.”

    “This is what happens when you forcefully try to make a person a leader…kaanpein taangti hain,” he stated.

    He further added that Allah did not allow us [PTI] to be neutral as only “animals are neutral” because the animals do not distinguish between good and evil. “Humans stand with the good,” he concluded.

    Restrain your tongue: Shehbaz Sharif

    Responding to PM Khan’s speech, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif said, “You are talking about sisters and daughters in a way that is not allowed in the civilised world and Islamic society. I want to warn you, restrain your tongue or we have to restrain.”

    Keep your fight political: Maulana Fazl

    Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Friday took a swipe at PM Khan and told him to “keep his fight political,” after the premier launched a verbal assault at the Opposition during a public gathering in Lower Dir.

    Fazl said: “Your foul language makes you ineligible to hold the post of the prime minister as there is no nobility in you.”

    The PDM chief claimed to have the majority to overthrow the PTI-led government and went on to call the premier “crazy.” 

    “We have experience in dealing with such situations,” he warned.

  • Pakistan’s Ahsan Ramzan reaches final of IBSF World Snooker Championship

    Pakistan’s Ahsan Ramzan reaches final of IBSF World Snooker Championship

    Pakistan’s 16-year-old Ahsan Ramzan has qualified for the finals of the IBSF World Snooker Championship, which is being played in Qatar.

    Ahsan Ramzan defeated world defending champion, Mohammad Asif, who is also a Pakistani, to reach the final.

    Ramzan got emotional after beating his senior, Mohammad Asif with deciding frames 5-4 in the semi-final match.

    Mohammad Asif was leading a game with 2-0. However, the game became crucial in the third frame. The margin of victory in the frame decreased drastically as Ahsan Ramzan leveled the score with 2-2. He knocked out Asif in the ninth set.

    Ahsan Ramzan will play the final match today with Iranian player, Amir Sarkhosh who defeated Pakistani player with 5-4.

    Mohammad Asif was leading a game with 2-0. However, the game became crucial in the third frame. The margin of victory in the frame decreased drastically as Ahsan Ramzan levelled the score with 2-2. He knocked out Asif in the ninth set.

    Ahsan Ramzan will play the final match today with Iranian player, Amir Sarkhosh.

  • ‘FC, Rangers will handle security on the day of no-confidence vote’: Sheikh Rasheed

    ‘FC, Rangers will handle security on the day of no-confidence vote’: Sheikh Rasheed

    In a press conference, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that Rangers and Frontier Corps (FC) will handle the security of Parliament House, Parliament Lodges, and MNA Hostel in the capital on the day the National Assembly (NA) votes on the no-trust motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    Sheikh also warned that he will not take into consideration the stature of a leader and take all-out action against anyone who disrespects the law.

    “I will trample those who take the law in their hands next time,” he said.

    The minister’s statement came a day after Parliament Lodges’ showdown on Thursday. A heavy contingent of the police raided the Parliament Lodges and arrested members of the Ansarul Islam — a volunteer force of the Jamat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) — who were invited to provide security to Opposition lawmakers.

    Recalling last night’s incident, the minister said, “Around 362 families live there [Parliament Lodges]. Of them, 53 are senators and 278 are MNAs. I don’t want to spread terror but we do not have some good reports as recently we caught a group from Bara Kahu planning terror activities in Islamabad.”

    Moreover, Rasheed claimed that there is video evidence that shows Senator Kamran Murtaza using extremely foul language against the police but the cops continued to calm him down. He blamed the Opposition for creating a scene.

  • ICC rates Pindi wicket below average, Babar Azam defends

    The Inter­national Cricket Council (ICC) rated the first Test match between Pakistan and Australia pitch “below average” and penalised it with one demerit point after the match ended in a dull draw earlier this week in Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

    In a report, Ranjan Madugalle, the ICC match referee for the Pak-Aus Test series said, “The pitch did not have a great deal of pace and bounce in it for the seamers nor assisted the spinners. In my view, this does not represent an even contest between bat and ball. Therefore, in keeping with the ICC guidelines, I rate this pitch as below average.”

    In response, The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) claimed that no Pakistani venue has received a demerit point before. However, it accepts ICC’s decision and has given assurance of the quality of pitches in upcoming matches.

    It is pertinent to mention that demerit points remain active for a rolling five-year period. When a venue gets five demerit points, it is suspended from hosting international cricket matches for one year.

    Pakistani skipper Babar Azam has defended the Rawalpindi pitch. The cricketer said that no matter how a pitch is it is important for players to perform on it.

    However, Australian opener David Warner said that he is hopeful of a result-producing wicket in Karachi Test against Pakistan which is going to be played tomorrow (Saturday).

    After the Rawalpindi draw match, Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry criticised PCB for “choosing a dead wicket” in the historic Test Match.

  • Qavi Khan-Faran Tahir starrer film gets banned in Pakistan for controversial content

    Qavi Khan-Faran Tahir starrer film gets banned in Pakistan for controversial content

    The internationally acclaimed film, I’ll Meet You There, has been banned by the Central Board of Film Censors of Pakistan (CBFC) for not displaying a true image of Pakistani and Muslim cultures.

    Veteran actor Qavi Khan and Pakistan-British actor, Faran Tahir, who got famed for Iron Man are starring in the film.

    The film was released in 2021 worldwide and it was set to release in Pakistan. However, CBFC did not issue a Non-Objection Certificate (NOC) to the film.

    While talking to The Express Tribune, the Senior officer said, “I’ll Meet You There was reviewed by the full board of CBFC, and after watching it was decided that the film is not suitable to be given NOC for a release in the country. There were several controversial topics and details that opposed our policy. The board unanimously agreed on a ban.“

    The director of the film, Iram Parveen Bilal has recently given an interview to The Variety, and said in response, “I’ve been mulling over the decision by the Central Board of Film Censors, calling our film I’ll Meet You There a ‘negative image of Muslims.’ A film that was made with blood, sweat, and tears by a Muslim, financed by Muslims, and made in the face of a post 9/11 world and a Trump presidency; a film whose very purpose was to combat Islamophobia and to create a positive portrayal of Muslims. A film already released abroad and celebrated widely by the Muslim Pakistani diaspora and seen as a needed and humanised representation of our people. How could that intention be reframed so oppositely and so negatively?”

    Tahir has also shown disappointment over the banning of the film. He emphasised that Pakistanis living abroad are labeled as ‘‘not reflecting true Pakistani culture.’ They represent their country with pride and love however our own people hurt us.

    He said, “It is disheartening, disappointing, and shameful that issues that Pakistani ex-pats face in their lives are trivialized and labeled as ‘not reflecting true Pakistani culture.’ We, Pakistanis, represent our country with love and pride every day while living in foreign lands. We do this to support our families and loved ones. We do this to support our country financially and in every other way. We do this with nothing but love for our country and yet to be cast aside by our very own is deeply hurtful.“

    The film portrays a modern and moving portrait of three generations of a Muslim-American family. Faran Tahir is playing the character of a cop, Majeed, and his teenage daughter, Dua who is portraying the role of a gifted ballerina. Their life changed when Majeed’s father unexpectedly visited their home from Pakistan.

  • Nawaz and Aleem decide to work together: Jahangir Tareen ka kya banega?

    Nawaz and Aleem decide to work together: Jahangir Tareen ka kya banega?

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif and disgruntled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Aleem Khan have reportedly met in London.

    As per media reports, Aleem met Nawaz on Wednesday for three hours. Former finance minister Ishaq Dar and Nawaz Sharif’s sons also attended the meeting.

    Sources privy to the matter have revealed that Nawaz and Khan have decided to work together.

    Aleem left for London on Wednesday to meet Jahangir Khan Tareen and Nawaz Sharif. It was reported that Aleem would discuss the future course of action with Tareen for the group as the Opposition has submitted the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    Moreover, reports of differences between the Tareen group and Aleem Khan have also come to the surface.

    In a report published in The News, it was revealed: “Jahangir Khan Tareen is avoiding meeting Aleem Khan because he is facing pressure from some hard-line members of his group. As such, there has been no contact between Jahangir Tareen and Aleem Khan. The hard-line members of the Tareen group believe that joining hands with the Aleem Khan group was tantamount to hijacking the Tareen group.”

  • Police arrests father who murdered seven-day-old daughter

    Police arrests father who murdered seven-day-old daughter

    The Punjab Police has arrested the alleged murderer, Shahzaib Khan who killed his newborn daughter in Mianwali on Sunday because he wanted a son.

    The police confirmed the arrest on their official Twitter on March 10 by posting Shahzaib Khan’s image.

    The newborn girl, Jannat was murdered by her father on Sunday in Mianwali. He shot her four times and was taken immediately to a hospital but unfortunately, was pronounced dead.

    Punjab Chief Minister (CM), Usman Buzdar, and Punjab Inspector General (IG) of Police, Rao Sardar Ali Khan, took notice of the incident.

    Former Punjab CM, Shehbaz Sharif also tweeted after police arrested the accused.

    “I am unable to process the mind-numbing incident of the killing of a baby girl. Utterly grotesque and barbaric. How could a father do this to his own child? Wish we could learn how our beloved Prophet (PBUH) treated his daughter & women in general” he wrote.

    Spokesperson of Mianwali police, Zarrar Khan said, “The police were told by the complainants that the killer had been complaining for three or four days that he had wanted a son and he had been very angry.”

    The First Investigation Report (FIR) was filed in a police station by Shahzaib Khan’s cousin, Hidayatullah.

  • ‘Army has nothing to do with politics’: DG ISPR

    ‘Army has nothing to do with politics’: DG ISPR

    Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar on Thursday categorically stated that the Pakistan Army has nothing to do with politics.

    “I had clearly stated in my last press conference that the army has nothing to do with politics,” said General Iftikhar, adding, “It is this way and it will remain this way.”

    He also requested that there “be no unnecessary speculations about this now”.

    DG ISPR on Thursday briefed the media on an Indian “high-speed flying object” that fell in Mian Channu, Khanewal district on Wednesday night.

    “It was a supersonic flying object, most probably a missile, but it was certainly unarmed,” he said.

    “On March 9, at 6:43pm, a high-speed flying object was picked up inside the Indian territory by Air Defence Operations Centre of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). From its initial course, the object suddenly manoeuvred towards Pakistani territory and violated Pakistan’s air space, ultimately falling near Mian Channu at 6:50pm.”

    “When it fell, it damaged civilian properties,” he said, adding that no loss of life was reported.

    “It is important to highlight that the flight path of this object endangered many international and domestic passenger flights — both in Indian and Pakistani air space — as well as human life and property on the ground. Whatever caused this incident to happen, it is for the Indians to explain. It, nevertheless, shows their disregard for aviation safety and reflects very poorly on their technological prowess and procedural efficiency,” he said, adding that this could have resulted in a major aviation disaster.

  • Maulana Parliament Lodges showdown: What happened in Islamabad last night?

    Maulana Parliament Lodges showdown: What happened in Islamabad last night?

    On Thursday (March 10), a heavy contingent of the police raided the Parliament Lodges to expel members of the Ansarul Islam — a volunteer force of the Jamat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) — who were invited to provide security to Opposition lawmakers.

    At least four legislators and more than a dozen Ansarul Islam volunteers were arrested during the operation. As per reports, MNA Maulana Jamaluddin, Salahuddin Ayubi, and spokesperson Mufti Abdullah were also arrested.

    After the release of JUI-F workers and lawmakers, Maulana Fazlur Rehman directed party workers to open the highways they had earlier blocked in protest against the police operation. He had set a deadline of 9am for the government to release arrested parliamentarians and party workers.

    In an audio message shared on Twitter, Maulana Fazl said there was “no need” to block the roads now since all parliamentarians and workers have been released.

    Addressing a press conference after the police action, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had said the Opposition was bringing “mobs” into parliament, adding that “no one is allowed to keep private militia”.

    The federal minister had said the government conducted “five-hour long talks with the Opposition” as Pakistan was not a “banana state”.

    “I have directed all chief secretaries and inspector generals to take those into custody who attempt to take the law into their hands.”

    Rasheed warned that no one should take the law into their hands, otherwise action would be taken

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter and said, “The Jamiat goons apologised by holding their ears and left. They are part of a specific mafia group that is working for their own interests.”

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill said that Maulana Fazl had been “making calls all night and asking for forgiveness and for his workers to be released so he could have some honour left”.

    Opposition Leader and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif said that raiding the residence of members of parliament was dictatorship and fascism.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that the attack on parliamentarians cannot be tolerated. “This police attack is proof that Imran Khan is panicking,” Bilawal said, “Imran Khan, enough is enough,” he warned.

    The incident happened just days after the Opposition filed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.