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  • US appoints first-ever Pakistani-American New York inspector

    US appoints first-ever Pakistani-American New York inspector

    The New York Police Department (NYPD) made history by appointing its first-ever Pakistani-American deputy inspector Adeel Rana.

    In a tweet, the Pakistan Embassy in the United States (US) congratulated Rana for the achievement.

    Rana also took to Twitter and shared a video from the ceremony. It can be seen that as his name was called out, many of his colleagues are shouting with joy.

    “What a great moment to hear cheers of coworkers, friends, family & community members when my name was called for promotion to Deputy Inspector. A historical moment indeed!”, he said.

    Last year, Rana made history when he became the first Muslim-American to be appointed as Commanding Officer of a precinct in the force’s history.

  • Kashmiris rage at India’s proposal to redraw voting map

    A proposal to redraw the Indian-administered Kashmir’s electoral map has given rise to a controversy in the region, reports BBC.

    Many view that the recommendation is an assault on the political centrality and supremacy of the Indian people. The proposal has raised eyebrows as the Muslim population thinks that it will lessen their choice for electing their leaders.

    People in the Kashmir Valley believe that the proposal of redrawing the voting map is part of India’s ‘dream project’ of installing a Hindu minister in the Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir.

    It will further dissociate the Muslim majority from the rest of India.

    The people of Kashmir have another fear of constant security clampdowns and communication jamming of Kashmir, keeping it away from the world.

  • Gang-rape survivor Mukhtar Mai once again faces security issues after police withdraw security

    Gang-rape survivor Mukhtar Mai once again faces security issues after police withdraw security

    Gang-rape survivor Mukhtar Mai is facing serious life threats again as the police withdrew security in Meerwala, Alipur Jatoi in Muzaffargarh district, reports Nadeem Shah for The News.

    Mukhtar Mai said that she was provided police security but all of a sudden it was withdrawn without any notice. She said she herself and her students and children underwent a shock due to the withdrawal of police security.

    After the withdrawal of security, she held a meeting with Muzaffargarh District Police Officer (DPO) Hassan Iqbal and repeatedly requested him to redeploy police security for her. She said the DPO promised to do so, but nothing had happened.

    Two cops were deputed to provide her lifetime security in 2001 when she was gang-raped on the directives of the village council. Mukhtar Mai also reported to the DIG Dera Division on several occasions but he also did nothing.

    Mukhtar Mai said now she and her family members were feeling insecure and a man identified as Wasim entered her house waving a pistol and threatened to kill her.

    When contacted, Dera Ghazi Khan Regional Police Officer (RPO) Waqas Nazir said Muzaffargarh district police actually deputed a constable for her security. The district police transferred him somewhere but Mukhtar Mai did not accept it because the transferred constable was her husband. The matter came to his notice and he directed Muzaffargarh DPO to post the constable of her choice.

  • Minor girl killed during crossfire in Karachi store robbery

    A four-year-old girl was killed in a cross-fire between a store guard and dacoits at a mini-mart near Landhi Manzil Pump in Karachi last night.

    According to the closed-circuit television (CCTV), three robbers entered the store to rob it. The security guard retaliated with his firearm when three dacoits opened firing during an escape from the mart.

    According to the police, the guard shot and injured one of the suspects, Pyar Ali, while two others fled from the crime scene. During the shoot-out, a minor girl was shot, who was passing by with her older brother on a motorbike.

    The wounded girl was rushed to a nearby hospital but she was declared dead on arrival. Her brother is demanding justice from the government.

    The body of the girl was transferred to Jinnah Hospital for her postmortem to investigate whether the victim was killed from a gunshot by the security guard or the robbers. The injured robber was also moved to a hospital.

    Police arrested the injured suspect and also recovered weapons and Rs 50,000 cash from him.

  • ‘VIP style’: Governor Sindh attends convocation with dozens armed guards

    The Governor of Sindh Imran Ismail attended a convocation ceremony at the Sindh Madressa-tul-Islam University on Wednesday along with heavily armed guards due to “security concerns”.

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) leader reached the venue late and the degree-awarding ceremony had to start without him.

    Upon his arrival, guards stood around the stage and directed the teachers and students present there to maintain a certain distance. They told a teacher and a gold-medal student to step down from the stage.

    The Provincial Minister for Universities and Boards Ismail Rahoo also attended the ceremony.

    The university awarded 528 degrees this year. A total of 32 students were awarded Master of Science (MS) degrees, while 37 students were awarded Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees.

  • PM grills KP CM, loss due to candidate selection based on favouritism

    PM grills KP CM, loss due to candidate selection based on favouritism

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Wednesday received a brief report on the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) defeat in the recent local government (LG) polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), indicating ‘wrong’ selection of candidates based on ‘favouritism’.

    A source in the Prime Minister Office (PMO) told Dawn that the performance report was presented by KP Chief Minister Mehmood Khan who was also grilled by PM Khan for not fielding ‘deserving’ and ‘poll-winning’ candidates.

    The premier during his visit to Lahore (Thursday) in Punjab will select the best possible candidates and prepare well for the local government polls, which are expected to be held in the province in March or April next year.

    On Wednesday, PM Khan said amidst all the noise over the election result, nobody appreciated the fact that the government had empowered the LG system for the first time in 74-year history of Pakistan.

    The premier took to Twitter and wrote, “Directly elected Tehsil nazims will improve governance & create [a] future leader. Ist time in our 74-yr history we have an empowered LG system.”

    “No one realises these elections are [the] start of modern, devolved LG system as exists in successful democracies,” tweeted PM Khan.

  • ‘Wo bhi Afridi hai’: Shaheen ignores Shahid Afridi’s advice on assuming Qalandars’ captaincy

    ‘Wo bhi Afridi hai’: Shaheen ignores Shahid Afridi’s advice on assuming Qalandars’ captaincy

    Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has said that he asked pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi to not assume the role of a captain for a few years, but the fast-bowler did not pay heed to the cricket great’s advice.

    Shahid Afridi, speaking during a programme on Samaa TV, said: “I had advised Shaheen to wait for a year or two before accepting captaincy so that he can focus more on his bowling. But since he is also an Afridi, he didn’t listen to me.”

    “Having said that, I’m happy that he has decided to accept this responsibility and I hope that he proves me wrong,” the former skipper said.

    The star fast bowler was named captain of the Lahore Qalandars earlier this week for the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    Shaheen, during the same show, said he would attempt to do well for his team and also noted that he had experienced players on his side, who would help him during his role as the captain.

    “I will try to do well for my side and maintain a good environment. I have players like [Mohammad Hafeez], Fakhar [Zaman], and Rashid [khan], who have the experience of captaincy, in the team which will help me in the leadership department,” the pacer said.

    The PSL’s latest edition will be played in Karachi from January 27 to February 7 and in Lahore from February 10-27.

    The first match will be staged under the lights of the National Stadium Karachi, where Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans will go head-to-head.

  • 2,290 Students graduate from PepsiCo supported youth education program

    2,290 Students graduate from PepsiCo supported youth education program

    More than 2,290 students has graduated from the PepsiCo-supported career-prep fellowship by the Amal Academy. The educational start-up held its graduation ceremony for students from 180 cities, towns, and villages at a series of celebratory events held in Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar. The graduation ceremony was attended by Amal Academy CEO Mr. Ali Siddiq, PepsiCo Senior Director Sales and Corporate Affairs Mr. Mohammad Khosa, and chief guest and notable academic Director and Senior Fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS), Dr. Faisal Bari.

    The fellowship is part of PepsiCo’s ‘Roshan Kal’ platform aimed at developing students’ professional skills through internships and skills development programs. The program creates opportunities for youth to develop skills such as communications, teamwork, leadership, positive thinking, and growth mindset. It focuses on specific career skills such as interview preparation, job placement, and project presentation. Enhancing professional skills enable university graduates to improve their chances of gaining meaningful employment.  To date, Roshan Kal has created over 6,300 opportunities for youth through its internship program and its professional skills development program that is run in collaboration with Amal Academy. Based on graduate surveys, seventy percent of the program’s graduates receive an offer of employment within three months of completing this program.

    Present at the occasion, Amal Academy CEO, Mr. Ali Siddiq, said, “I would like to express my gratitude to PepsiCo for enabling us to expand the reach of our fellowship program across Pakistan, and also for helping us launch a teacher training initiative this year to help bridge the industry-academia gap.”

    In his address to the fellows present at the ceremony, he added, “I’m humbled and proud to see how you have chosen a path of lifelong learning and civic responsibility. You are the leaders this country needs, and we are honored to be part of your journey to reaching your full potential.”

    Senior Director Sales and Corporate Affairs, PepsiCo Pakistan, Mr. Mohammad Khosa, commented, “I am truly proud of Amal Career-Prep Fellows 2021 for successfully completing the program and joining us on this life-changing journey to emerge as resilient, knowledgeable, and socially responsible youth, working toward a brighter future of our country. PepsiCo’s investment in this program is part of our broader social impact commitment toward fostering positive developments in accordance with PepsiCo’s In, With and For Pakistan mission.”

    In 2021, PepsiCo Amal Career-Prep fellows initiated and led some remarkable community impact projects. The fellows came together to collect PKR 5 million for Edhi Foundation during a fundraising drive and executed other mega projects to positively impact the lives of 9,000 people across Pakistan. In addition, there has been an eighty percent success rate in terms of job placements for the graduate fellows this year.

    “Our collective hard work and passion has brought us here today, and my heart is dancing with joy. I have never been this excited or happy to have completed a course or degree. This is a real life-changing experience, and I am truly thankful to PepsiCo and Amal Academy for giving me an opportunity to go beyond my comfort zone, inspiring me to do better,” said Saeeda Wasi, a 2021 graduate fellow.

    About PepsiCo

    PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, and 7UP. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. “Winning with Purpose” reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

  • Man kills newborn, injures wife trying to deliver baby at home with YouTube videos

    Man kills newborn, injures wife trying to deliver baby at home with YouTube videos

    The Health Department in Tamil Nadu’s Ranipet district has registered a complaint after a man allegedly tried to help his wife deliver a baby at home with the help of YouTube videos, as a result of which the woman gave birth to a stillborn.

    Lokanathan (32), who runs a small store at Panapakkam near Nemili in the district, allegedly relied on YouTube videos to help his wife Gomathi (28) deliver their baby.

    The Nemili police said they are conducting inquiries, but no one has been booked yet. “The family members said the delivery was done with Gomathi’s permission and that there was nothing wrong on the part of Lokanathan, so we have not booked anyone yet. We are conducting the inquiry, further action will be taken based on its outcome,” said a police official from Nemili station.

    Police said that the woman was due to give birth on December 13. On December 18, she experienced labour pain, but instead of visiting the hospital, Lokanathan decided to help her deliver the baby at home. He sought the help of his sister Geetha and they also watched YouTube videos. After a long struggle, Gomathi delivered a stillborn male. Since she was bleeding profusely, her husband took her to a Primary Health Centre nearby, from where they were sent to the Vellore Government Hospital.

  • Bakery staff refuses to write ‘Merry Christmas’ on cake, management ensures strict action

    A staff member of a famous Karachi based bakery chain, Delizia, refused the request of a customer to write ‘Merry Christmas’ on a cake.

    The incident took place in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) branch. The management has ensured to take action against the staff and will release an official statement soon regarding the incident on social media.

    The customer reported the incident on a Facebook group “Voice of Customer PK”

    An uproar was seen on the Facebook post in which netizens expressed their disappointment and anger.

    Senior management of the bakery said, “At the moment we are taking action against him. It was done in an individual capacity and is not company policy. It may have been done due to lack of education and awareness that ‘Merry Christmas’ means wishing someone a happy Christmas, nothing else.”

    In 2018, the same incident happened in the Badar Commercial branch of Delizia bakery when a customer was declined a cake with ‘Merry Christmas’ written on it. The staff made a similar excuse at that time as well that it was not company instructions. It was reported on another Facebook page, Karachi Food Diary.

    The representative of the company stated in the previous incident that the staff responsible was dismissed and the same might to happen in the recent matter.