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  • ‘Pakistan is our strategic partner’: US responds to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks

    ‘Pakistan is our strategic partner’: US responds to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks

    The United States (US) has responded to Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in the Indian parliament, Lok Sabha, that the policies adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi have brought Pakistan and China closer.

    The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price refused to “endorse” such a statement on Washington’s behalf and said, “Pakistan is our strategic partner.”

    “I’ll let Pakistanis and the PRC (People’s Republic of China) speak for themselves about their relationship. These remarks will certainly not be endorsed by me,” Price said during a regular press briefing.

    The US said it values its relationship with Pakistan while emphasising that there was no requirement, as far as Washington was concerned, for other countries to choose between the US and China.

    “We’ve made the point all along that it is not a requirement for any country around the world to choose between the United States and China,” Ned Price told reporters when asked if Pakistan and China have become closer because “they feel abandoned” by the US.

    Rahul, while speaking in Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks on President’s address during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament on Wednesday, said, “India’s single most important strategic goal has been to keep China and Pakistan apart but what you have done has only brought them together.”

  • ‘Firecracker, Insane’: Alia Bhatt impresses Anushka, Janhvi and others in Gangubai Kahthiawadi’s trailer

    ‘Firecracker, Insane’: Alia Bhatt impresses Anushka, Janhvi and others in Gangubai Kahthiawadi’s trailer

    The trailer of Alia Bhatt starrer Gangubai Kathiawadi has been released The much-anticipated trailer depicts the real-life story of a sex worker in Mumbai’s Kamathipura who was forced into prostitution at a young age.

    Directed and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the movie will release in cinemas on 25th Feb 2022.

    Gangubai Kathiawadi also features Ajay Devgn, Jim Sarbh, Seema Pahwa and Vijay Raazi.

    Have a look at the trailer:

    Many celebrities have praised Alia and the trailer:

  • PCB announces revised schedule of Australia’s tour to Pakistan

    PCB announces revised schedule of Australia’s tour to Pakistan

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the revised schedule of Australia’s tour to Pakistan. The tour will comprise of three Tests, three ODIs, and one T20I.

    The tour will now start and end in Rawalpindi with the opening Test to be played from March 4-8 and the four white-ball matches to be played from March 29 to April 5.

    The change in the first Test venue means that the second Test will be played in Karachi from March 12-16 and the third in Lahore from March 21-25.

    PCB Chief Executive Faisal Hasnain said: “We are pleased that the Cricket Australia Board has formally approved their side’s five-week tour itinerary and confirmed that their best available players will visit Pakistan for the first time in 24 years. We are really excited to host Pat Cummins and his players, and look forward to a competitive series that will comprise three Tests, three ODIs and a T20I.”

    “While Australia will arrive at the back of strong performances in their home series against England, our team has been playing excellent cricket resulting in our players sweeping the ICC Awards. This braces for a keenly contested series, something that the fans will thoroughly enjoy and remember for a long time,” he added.

    The schedule has been revised to ease logistical and operational challenges as well as to avoid Pakistan Day rehearsals, which usually commence in Islamabad in the second week of March.

    The two cricket boards have also agreed that the Australia Test side will complete their isolation in Australia, before arriving in Islamabad on February 27 on a chartered flight. After a one-day room isolation, they will hold training sessions at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.

    Australia’s white-ball players are expected to arrive in Lahore on March 24 following isolation in Australia. After a one-day isolation upon arrival, they will integrate with other members of the side and travel to Islamabad for the first ODI in Rawalpindi on March 29.

    The Tests will be part of the ICC World Test Championship, while the ODIs are linked to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League from which the top eight sides, including hosts India, will qualify directly for the 2023 50-over World Cup.

    Earlier, Australia’s Test team captain Pat Cummins had said that a near full-strength squad will tour Pakistan as only a few players have security concerns for the forthcoming tour.

    Revised schedule:

    Feb 27 – Arrival in Islamabad

    Mar 4-8 – 1st Test, Rawalpindi

    Mar 12-16 – 2nd Test, Karachi

    Mar 21-25 – 3rd Test, Lahore

    Mar 29 – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi

    Mar 31 – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi

    April 2 – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi

    Apr 5 – one-off T20I, Rawalpindi

    Apr 6 – Departure

  • Banned Baloch organisations have the support of ISIS and TTP: Sheikh Rasheed

    Banned Baloch organisations have the support of ISIS and TTP: Sheikh Rasheed

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, said that there was a link between Baloch militant groups and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as well as other militant groups, to carry out terror attacks in Pakistan.

    Rasheed further said that the Afghan Taliban acted as a bridge for conversation with TTP.

    “The Taliban tried to converse with TTP and make them understands things but the result turned out differently. Instead of negotiations, we are witnessing an increase in terrorism.”

    Rasheed said, “The banned TTP has begun demanding extortion in Peshawar.” He also said that the TTP may have been involved in the Naushki and Panjgur attacks on security forces.

    The Interior Minister stated that the Baloch Nationalist Army (BNA) was not capable of carrying out the attacks in Naushki and Panjgur, but that TTP could be behind those attacks. He further added that this was his own analysis.

    Sheikh Rasheed said that terrorists have contacts in India and camps in Afghanistan.

    He added that Daesh (ISIS) and other militant organisations are also increasing terrorism in the country.

    When asked by anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada how the Afghan Taliban were allowing all the contacts between Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and these militant groups, which were posing a threat to the security in Pakistan, Sheikh Rasheed said: “These groups are connected through phones. We have given a high alert. There is a great increase in terrorism and the situation can go to any side.”

    The interior minister said that TTP now has the latest weapons, all of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) weapons are with them. Those weapons are also being sold, smuggled in Afghanistan and coming to Pakistan as well.

    Rasheed said that terrorists enter from Afghanistan to carry out attacks in Pakistan and go back, as happened recently in two major attacks on security forces; terrorists went back to Afghanistan after conducting attacks.

    On February 3, it was reported that two separate terrorist attacks have been successfully repulsed by the Pakistan Army in Balochistan’s Panjgur and Noshki areas.

    In a press release, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said “both attacks have been successfully repulsed while inflicting heavy casualties to terrorists”.

    According to the ISPR, terrorists were in contact with their handlers in Afghanistan. They said that after the Taliban’s takeover, we were told that attacks from the war-torn neighbour will stop but they have increased.

  • Former CJP Gulzar Ahmed will get foolproof security

    Former CJP Gulzar Ahmed will get foolproof security

    The Ministry of Interior has approved the Supreme Court (SC) Registrar’s request of providing foolproof security to former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed.

    The Registrar’s Office requested foolproof security for the retiring judge at home and throughout his travels in a letter dated January 27.

    “Justice Gulzar Ahmed has dealt with a number of high profile cases of public importance, matters of constitutional and sensitive nature including terrorism, extra-judicial killings, minorities’ issues, enforcement of fundamental rights, restoration of the Karachi Circular Railway and directing removal of encroachments and launching of criminal investigations against officials involved in misconduct,” the letter read.

    “Therefore, to avoid any untoward incident, the Government of Pakistan may take all possible measures to protect the life, liberty and honour of the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan and his family after his retirement,” it added.

    Read more- Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed retires tomorrow

    Justice Gulzar had taken oath as the CJP in December 2019. He retired on February 1 and was replaced by Justice Umar Ata Bandial who took oath as Pakistan’s 28th Chief Justice of Pakistan on February 2.

  • Twitter praises Qasim Akram’s all-round performance in U19 CWC

    Twitter praises Qasim Akram’s all-round performance in U19 CWC

    Pakistani Twitter praises the Under-19 Pakistan cricket team captain Qasim Akram for the heroic all-round performance with the ball and the bat at the U19 Cricket World Cup as the 19-year-old became the first player in the 45-year history of Youth ODIs to hit a century and pick up a five-wicket haul in the same game.

    Pakistan posted a massive 365 for three, courtesy Qasim’s 80-ball 135, opener Haseebullah Khan’s 151-ball 136 and Muhammad Shehzad’s 69-ball 73.

    Coming in at number three, the captain shared a 229-run stand with Haseebullah after the 134-run opening stand was broken by Raveen de Silva.

    With his off-spin, Qasim (5 for 37) broke through the Sri Lanka line-up to leave them stumbling at 41 for 5 and they never recovered. Sri Lanka was eventually bowled out for 127 with number nine Vinuja Ranpul top-scoring with an unbeaten 53 off 58 balls.

    Qasim’s talent is well known in Pakistan circles. The teenager generated a lot of interest among not one but two champion teams at the PSL. Islamabad United had him on its wish list but in the end, he went to Karachi Kings, where he will be joining the senior national captain Babar Azam.

    Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Twitterati are lauding the cricketer for his outstanding performance.

  • Pakistanis call out drama for showing hero not believing kidnapped wife after attempted rape

    Pakistanis call out drama for showing hero not believing kidnapped wife after attempted rape

    Pakistani Twitter is calling out a drama serial Aitebaar for showing a husband not believing his wife, and assuming she was raped by goons after she tells him that she was not raped. The drama serial features Zarnish Khan and Syed Jibran in lead roles, in the characters of Parisa and Hamza respectively.

    The particular scene is from the second episode of the drama in which the wife Parisa is trying to convince Hamza that she was not raped, but Hamza refuses to believe his wife.

    Parisa and Hamza were in the car when kidnappers took Parisa with them after beating Hamza and leaving him on the road. However, Parisa luckily manages to escape from the situation and remains unharmed.

    The husband in the scene says to his wife: “Mein nae bhula pa raha kay kisi geayr ne tumhe chuwa hai” (I am unable to forget that some stranger has touched you.” To which Parisa explained it to him that nothing happened to her but he refused to believe.

    Pakistani Twitter is calling out the drama serial for showing a husband victim blaming his wife:

    The drama is written by Maimoona Aziz and is directed by Nadeem Siddiqui.

  • Counter Terrorism agents arrests two alleged members of ISIS from Khanewal, Punjab

    Counter Terrorism agents arrests two alleged members of ISIS from Khanewal, Punjab

    The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) is claiming that they have arrested two members from ISIS after a raid in Khanewal city, Punjab.

    The spokesperson of the CTD revealed that the suspects were preparing for attacks on the important installations and worship places. The team also recovered banned literature, weapons, and hand grenades.

    Further investigation is still underway.

    A new wave of terrorism is hitting cities across Pakistan from the beginning of the year, 2022 after a ceasefire was unilaterally ended by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

    Last month, terrorists targeted Lahore with a bomb blast at a famous crowded marketplace, New Anarkali. Three people died including one child and several were injured in the attack.

    Recently attacks occurred in Balochistan on a Wednesday evening resulting in four soldiers embracing martyrdom and killing 15 terrorists. Terrorists tried to enter a security forces’ camp from two locations. The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attacks.

    Similarly, an incident occurred on January 28, when 10 soldiers embraced martyrdom after terrorists attacked a security forces’ check-post in Balochistan’s Kech district.

  • AGP wants Punjab’s special medical board to examine Nawaz’s health reports

    AGP wants Punjab’s special medical board to examine Nawaz’s health reports

    The office of the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) on Thursday requested the Punjab government to place fresh medical reports on the health of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif before a nine-member medical board for examination and further evaluation, reports Dawn.

    The provincial government has been requested to place the document, issued by Dr Fayaz Shawl from Maryland, United States (US), before the nine-member medical board with a request to examine it and evaluate the “known and reported facts and public activities” of Mr Sharif to form an opinion, if any, on this subject, said a one-page letter issued by Secretary Khalid Khan Niazi with the approval of AGP Khalid Javed Khan. The letter has been addressed to Punjab Home Secretary Zafar Nasrullah Khan.

    In its letter to the Punjab government, the AGP’s office explained that the request for placing Nawaz’s health reports before the special medical board was made in view of the January 11 decision of the federal cabinet wherein the AGP’s office had been directed to initiate proceedings for apparent violation of the undertakings given by Nawaz and his younger brother Shehbaz before the Lahore High Court (LHC).

    Earlier this week, Hussain Nawaz, son of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, lashed out at the government and said that neither Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan nor his party members have any say when it comes to Nawaz’s health. 

    Hussain while speaking on Geo News‘ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, responded to the questions on why the medical reports of Nawaz Sharif are not being sent to Pakistan and why was the family sending a doctor’s opinion and not legitimate reports for the medical boards to examine. “We don’t need it, Dr Shawl is a world-renowned doctor. Whatever he says is enough,” responded Hussain.