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  • PML-N retains PP-206 Khanewal seat

    PML-N retains PP-206 Khanewal seat

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) retained Khanewal district’s PP-206 constituency.

    PML-N’s candidate Rana Muhammad Saleem emerged victorious, according to unofficial results. Saleem bagged 47,649 votes, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s (PTI) Noreen Nishat Daha got 34,030 votes, while Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Syed Wisaq was able to gain 15,059, according to unofficial results from all the 183 polling stations.

    The voting count ended at 5pm after polling began at 8am as the seat fell vacant due to the death of PML-N leader Nishat Ahmed Daha. However, his wife Noreen was contesting on PTI’s ticket.

    PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz, congratulating the winner, tweeted, “Congratulations to the lions of Khanewal. Nawaz Sharif’s name is enough.”

    Taking to Twitter, Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President of Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat), shared a few statistics in relevance to the election in Khanewal.

    Mehboob tweeted, “PP206, Khanewal4 is a second by-election in Punjab in a row where PPP vote share significantly went up, from 5.86 per cent in 2018 to 13.53 per cent yesterday.”

    “Winner PMLN vote slightly decreased from 45 to 42.8 per cent. PTI vote slipped significantly from 41.9 to 30.58 per cent. TLP vote went up from 5 to 8.64 per cent.”

    PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari too congratulated the party candidate contesting in the elections. Taking to Twitter Bilawal wrote, “Good work south Punjab team #PPP.”

  • Babar Azam celebrates Pakistan’s 20th T20I win in a year, clean sweep

    Babar Azam celebrates Pakistan’s 20th T20I win in a year, clean sweep

    Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam took to his social media to celebrate the 20th T20I win of the team in a calendar year. The 27-year-old batter was also happy for winning the three-match T20I series with a clean sweep against West Indies in Karachi on Thursday.

    Taking to Twitter, the skipper wrote: “One more in the collection, Alhumdulillah.”

    He also thanked Windies team for their tour despite difficult times of Covid-19. “Special mention to West Indies team for making this tour possible in difficult times. Our whole nation graciously thank you,” he wrote.

    Babar and Rizwan, after winning the 20th T20I in a year, shared their views about the national side. Babar credited Pakistan team for their successful run in T20Is in 2021. The captain also showered praise on his opening partner.

    Calling him a wonderful human being and speaking about the way Rizwan has improved his game, Babar said: “According to me, I’m privileged to have such a talented cricketer, a wonderful human being, someone who gels everyone together and someone who is looked up to by everyone.”

    “The way Rizwan improved his game, confidence levels and belief in himself is evident for everyone to see in the last one year. I’m happy that he is the leading T20I run-scorer in 2021,” he added.

    He credited the entire team for the success and noted: “The credit goes to the team and the players for their efforts, and believing in themselves. Communication and backing the players has been quite helpful for us. Every player in our dressing room is a match-winner.”

    Mohammad Rizwan finished 2021 as the leading run-scorer in T20Is with 1,326 runs in 29 matches at an average of nearly 74. He also became the first cricketer to score over 2,000 T20 runs (2,036 runs) in a calendar year.

    Rizwan and Babar powered Pakistan to their highest successful chase in T20I cricket as well as beating West Indies by seven wickets in the third T20I in Karachi. Babar contributed 79 off 53 balls, while Rizwan was the aggressor, hitting 87 off just 45 with the help of ten fours and three sixes.

    At the end, Asif Ali hit a flurry of boundaries to level the scores and sealing the deal for the national side, scoring 21* off just 7 balls.

    All-rounder Shadab Khan, pacer Haris Rauf and power hitter Asif also took to their social media to express their joy after winning the series with a clean sweep.

    Chairman PCB Ramiz Raja also lauded both the openers and team for the achievement.

  • Kim Jong-un bans North Koreans from laughing, doing groceries for 11 days

    North Korea has imposed a ban on laughing, drinking and grocery shopping as the country is entering a mourning period from Friday to mark the 10th death anniversary of former leader Kim Jong-il. The mourning period this year will be 11 days.

    Government authorities have ordered the public to not show any signs of happiness for 11 days. As per media reports, if anyone breaks the rule, he/she will be arrested, like every year.

    “Even if your family member dies during the mourning period, you are not allowed to cry out loud and the body must be taken out after it’s over. People cannot even celebrate their own birthdays if they fall within the mourning period,” Radio Free Asia quoted a resident of North Korea.

    A source of Mail Online, a resident of the southwestern province of South Hwanghae, said police officers were told to watch for people who fail to look appropriately upset during the mourning period. 

    Kim Jong-il ruled the country from 1994 to 2011. He died of a heart attack on December 17 in 2011 at the age of 69.

  • Higher consumption of BBQ the reason behind smog, PDMA tells court

    Higher consumption of BBQ the reason behind smog, PDMA tells court

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday heard petitions regarding environmental issues, including smog. During the hearing, an official of the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) told the court  that increase in the consumption of grilled fish and BBQ in the winter season was one of the factors contributing to pollution and smog.

    The official also asked the court to order early closure of these (BBQ) shops. However, the suggestion was not approved by the court.

    Lahore recorded the worst air quality in four years on Wednesday (December 15).

    Read more-Lahore’s air quality reaches 981, normal air quality should be below 50

    An Air Quality Index (AQI) of 981 was recorded near the Mall Road, Samaa has reported. As per United States Environmental protection agency, the hazardous category indicates an AQI of 301–500. The ‘good’ category is 0–50, which is followed by ‘moderate’ at 51–100 while anything in the 101–301 AQI range is considered unhealthy.

    Meanwhile, in November, Provincial Minister of Punjab for Environment Protection Muhammad Rizwan claimed that there has been no smog in Punjab, including Lahore, for the last two years.

  • Fawad tells Shahzeb to talk to the mirror, Shahzeb tells him to go to a comedy show

    Fawad tells Shahzeb to talk to the mirror, Shahzeb tells him to go to a comedy show

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had a fiery exchange of words while conversing with anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada on Geo News’ political talk show, ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’.

    The issue under discussion was the allegation of former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member, Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed, who claimed that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s monthly household expenses were once catered by PTI’s disgruntled leader Jahangir Tareen.

    Khanzada while asking questions in relevance to the comments of Justice Wajihuddin could not get a clear answer from the minister, leading to a fiery exchange of words.

    “If you have to talk continuously, you can sit in front of the mirror and talk,” Fawad told Khanzada.

    Fawad told Khanzada that he doesn’t let him speak while Khanzada interjected and said that Fawad goes off-topic and said “I am looking for an answer, you start making a speech.”

    Responding to Khanzada’s comments said, “There is a context and background to questions. If you say something out of context it will turn out ridiculous, just like our questions [regarding Justice Wajih’s allegations] are ridiculous.”

    “You are finding the questions ridiculous because they are based on reality, and you trying to interpret them as such. If you want to do comedy, I will tell you to go to Khabarnaak which [airs] at 11 o’clock. This is a serious show, give us answers seriously,” responded Khanzada.

    “You think your programme is serious, maybe others have a different point of view regarding this,” said Fawad.

    Khanzada responded, “We have called you may be that is the reason you are finding [my show] a comedy show but trust me it’s a serious [political talk] show. Now that you are the information minister we have called you, otherwise, it’s a serious show.”

    Twitterati reacted to this rather interesting exchange of words.

  • ‘Sirf Allah se hota hai’: Mohammad Rizwan after scoring 2,000 record T20 runs in a year

    ‘Sirf Allah se hota hai’: Mohammad Rizwan after scoring 2,000 record T20 runs in a year

    Pakistan’s opening batter Mohammad Rizwan entered the history books during the third T20I between West Indies and Pakistan in Karachi. The wicket keeper-batter became the first-ever player to score 2,000 T20 runs in a single calendar year.

    “Sirf Allah se hota hai. Allah k ghair se nahi hota,” he credited his milestone to the Almighty Allah.

    He further dedicated his victory to his fans in Pakistan: “These records are for my beloved Pakistan. Grateful to you all for your tremendous support and love.”

    Rizwan, in a post-match interview shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has given credit to Misbah-ul-Haq and other staff for allowing him to play at his suited batting position which empowered and helped him successfully throughout the year.

    He achieved the feat in Pakistan’s last T20I game this year. Having played an important hand in helping his side reach the semifinals in this year’s T20 World Cup, Rizwan carried over his form into the three-match T20I series against the visiting Windies contingent.

    He scored 78 in the first T20I, 38 in the second T20I, and finally 87 in the third T20I to breach the 2k-landmark. No other batter has been able to do it in the shortest format. This puts into perspective the incredible year Rizwan has had, consistently putting up scores at the top of the order.

    Meanwhile, he was officially signed by Sussex for a major part of the next year. He will join the English side after Australia’s tour of Pakistan concludes in April.

  • Influencer claims to make $50,000 a week by selling her ‘farts’

    Influencer claims to make $50,000 a week by selling her ‘farts’

    Stepanka Matto a Czech-American YouTuber, social media influencer, reality TV show star and model has claimed to make $50,000 in a week by selling her farts in a jar. She sold each jar in $1000.

    Stepanka’s November 19 post read, “Due to popular demand, I have finally decided to start selling my jarred farts over on my unfiltrd page! Alongside my spicy content, you can now also purchase my farts in a jar! I’m super excited to share this with you all, and after seeing how many people wanted this, I figured I’d finally give the people what they wanted. The sale starts today and lasts only ten days! First 100 orders get their farts 50% off – only $500.”

    On November 21, Stepanka Matto published a post claiming only three jars of her farts were left, and the rest 97 were sold in just two days.

  • ‘Foreigners will come to Skardu’:PM Khan inaugurates international airport

    ‘Foreigners will come to Skardu’:PM Khan inaugurates international airport

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said that the inauguration of Skardu International Airport would benefit tourism in Pakistan and foreigners would come to this area to find jobs.

    During a day-long visit to the region on Thursday, PM Khan inaugurated the Skardu International Airport and Jaglot-Skardu road.

    He predicted that tourists, including overseas Pakistanis and domestic tourists, would arrive in large numbers after the upgrade to the airport as well as the road.

    “We can make at least $30-$40 billion from tourism just in Gilgit Baltistan,” PM claimed.

    Explaining his vision, PM said that “no country can truly develop until it elevates its poor and improves its backward and neglected areas”.

    “It is my desire that by the time our five years are complete, the life in backward areas is better and the lives of people below the poverty line are improved,”he added.

    The airport in Skardu was previously only operational for domestic flights. However, its status was elevated on December 2 when it began welcoming international flights.

    A spokesperson for the National Highway Authority (NHA) said that the 167-kilometre Jaglot-Skardu road is the “main strategic road” that connects GB with the Karakoram Highway at Jaglot.

  • After 20 years of enmity, Nawaz calls Pervaiz Elahi from London

    After 20 years of enmity, Nawaz calls Pervaiz Elahi from London

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, after a gap of 22 years, seems to be heading towards mending the long-standing enmity with the Chaudhry brothers.

    Nawaz Sharif and former finance minister of PML-N Ishaq Dar called Punjab Assembly Speaker and senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to ask about the health of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

    During the telephonic conversation, Nawaz Sharif said, “You [Pervaiz Elahi] and Shujaat Sahib must meet me whenever you come to London.”

    Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, on behalf of himself and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, congratulated Nawaz Sharif on the marriage of Maryam Nawaz’s son Junaid Safdar.

    The PML-Q is presently an ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Punjab.

    There have been several attempts before for a reunion between PML-N and PML-Q but none have been successful so far.

  • Shahbaz Gill says Captain Safdar looks like a waiter at son’s wedding

    Shahbaz Gill says Captain Safdar looks like a waiter at son’s wedding

    Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Political Communication, Shahbaz Gill criticised the outfit Captain (R) Safdar was wearing at his son, Junaid Safdar’s wedding.

    The wedding ceremony of PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s son took place on December 14 in Islamabad. Pictures and videos of the events went viral on social media. Netizens praised the singing skills of Junaid Safdar and Maryam Nawaz and political figures from the ruling government shared their thoughts on the wedding festivities. Among them, Shahbaz Gill did not waste time to comment on the outfits worn by the Sharif’s family.

    During a press conference in Lahore, Shahbaz Gill said, “Our nephew Junaid Safdar looked good and our sister Maryam Nawaz’s outfit didn’t fail to impress either”.

    However, Gill made fun of the outfit Captain Safdar was wearing at his son’s wedding.

    He said, “He looked like a waiter. He should have worn something nice.”

    Gill also raised his eyebrows on the singing of Indian songs at the events.

    “Everyone sang Indian songs at Junaid’s wedding event; They could’ve sung Pakistani songs as well,” Gill objected.

    While further discussing the wedding celebrations, Gill said that he is not against singing but they should have sung Pakistani songs. He added that he does not care even if they sing Pakistani songs on a “beat of Tabla” or to the “tune of a harmonium.”

    The reception of Junaid Safdar is set to be scheduled for December 17 in Lahore.