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  • Social media flooded with memes after WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram outage

    WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook were not working all around the world on Monday night. A lot of users were unable to send or receive messages.

    WhatsApp outage was reported around 8:39pm (Pakistan Standard Time).

    People across the globe took to Twitter to not only share the problems they were facing but also made memes about the situation.

    Read More: #PetrolPrice: Memes break the internet

    https://twitter.com/imhammad12/status/1445226204026507265?s=20
    https://twitter.com/InamBhai14/status/1445168357838360586?s=20

  • Cross-border love: Ayushman Khurana likes Yasra Rizvi’s latest photoshoot

    Cross-border love: Ayushman Khurana likes Yasra Rizvi’s latest photoshoot

    Pakistani actor Yasra Rizvi shared pictures and messages from a recent campaign on toxic marriages.

    The actor posted a picture with the caption, “Shaadi aik social contract hai jisme huqooq aur faraaiz dono fariqain ke hote hain, isse umer qaid ya sazaa-e-moat samajh laina khud apne saath zyaadti hai!” (Marriage is a social contract involving the rights and duties of both sides. Considering it as death sentence or life imprisonment is not fair with your self).

    Read More: ‘Umer qaid yaan sazaa-e-moat’: Yasra Rizvi on abusive marriages, Celebrities cheer

    Indian actor, Ayushmann Khurana, liked the picture while Pakistani actor, Ghana Ali, highlighted this under Yasra’s post.

    Earlier in August, Actor Yasra Rizvi took to her Instagram stories to hit out at the Lux Style awards after they announced their nominations for their award ceremony.

  • PANDORA Papers: What We Know So Far?

    PANDORA Papers: What We Know So Far?









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    Good morning,*|MERGE1|*, it’s October 4.

    As I write the newsletter today, I’m unable to keep my eyes open because I’m very sleepy and dizzy right now. We got back very late last night from our trip but it was worth it! 

    Now I have to rush to office. How do you cope with tiredness? Do let me know. And here is our group photo straight from the mountains.

    You will get our regular newsletter from tomorrow:)

    It will be sunny in most cities of Pakistan.

     
         Sajjal -Th
    e Current 

    THE CURRENT TEAM

    STORIES YOU CAN’T MISS… 

    PANDORA papers: What we know so far:

    Prominent names from Pakistan in the list:Faisal Vawda, Shaukat Tarin, Sharjeel Memon, Ali Dar, Aleem Khan, Moonis Elahi and Shoaib Sheikh.

    According to Geo News, the Pandora Papers is a development to what has earlier been revealed in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers. 

    “In one of several offshore holdings involving military leaders and their families, a luxury London apartment was transferred from the son of a famous Indian movie director to the wife of a three-star general. The general told ICIJ the property purchase was disclosed and proper; his wife didn’t reply.”

    What does it mean for Pakistani politics?Names of members of Imran Khan’s inner circle have been also exposed in the leaked papers. PM Khan has said in a series of tweets that he will take action against those named.

    PM Imran’s reaction to the leaks:Prime Minister Imran Khan has welcomed the Pandora Papers.  “We welcome the Pandora Papers exposing the ill-gotten wealth of elites, accumulated through tax evasion & corruption & laundered out to financial ‘havens’,” he wrote in a tweet. People linked by the secret documents to offshore assets include India’s cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar, pop music diva Shakira, supermodel Claudia Schiffer and an Italian mobster known as “Lell the Fat One”.

    Read On

    The Current Editorial: Forgiving TTP: Never forget!

    Imran Khan has said that the government is in talks with some groups of the banned militant outfit, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

    We cannot forget what the TTP did to our nation. We lost more than 70,000 lives at their hands. There must be a consensus about the talks and also the government should be transparent about the negotiations. Don’t keep us in the dark, dear government, for we were told that we will never forget their heinous crimes.

    Read the complete editorial here

    Read On

     Google Pe Hai Trending 

     This week you Googled Sarah Khan, Muhammad Zubair and Neha Rajpoot. What did you want to find out about them? Find out now in this week’s Google pe hai tending.

    Watch

     
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    View this email in your browser

    Good morning,*|MERGE1|*, it’s October 4.

    As I write the newsletter today, I’m unable to keep my eyes open because I’m very sleepy and dizzy right now. We got back very late last night from our trip but it was worth it! 

    Now I have to rush to office. How do you cope with tiredness? Do let me know. And here is our group photo straight from the mountains.

    You will get our regular newsletter from tomorrow:)

    It will be sunny in most cities of Pakistan.

     
         Sajjal -Th
    e Current 

    THE CURRENT TEAM

    STORIES YOU CAN’T MISS… 

    PANDORA papers: What we know so far:

    Prominent names from Pakistan in the list:Faisal Vawda, Shaukat Tarin, Sharjeel Memon, Ali Dar, Aleem Khan, Moonis Elahi and Shoaib Sheikh.

    According to Geo News, the Pandora Papers is a development to what has earlier been revealed in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers. 

    “In one of several offshore holdings involving military leaders and their families, a luxury London apartment was transferred from the son of a famous Indian movie director to the wife of a three-star general. The general told ICIJ the property purchase was disclosed and proper; his wife didn’t reply.”

    What does it mean for Pakistani politics?Names of members of Imran Khan’s inner circle have been also exposed in the leaked papers. PM Khan has said in a series of tweets that he will take action against those named.

    PM Imran’s reaction to the leaks:Prime Minister Imran Khan has welcomed the Pandora Papers.  “We welcome the Pandora Papers exposing the ill-gotten wealth of elites, accumulated through tax evasion & corruption & laundered out to financial ‘havens’,” he wrote in a tweet. People linked by the secret documents to offshore assets include India’s cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar, pop music diva Shakira, supermodel Claudia Schiffer and an Italian mobster known as “Lell the Fat One”.

    Read On

    The Current Editorial: Forgiving TTP: Never forget!

    Imran Khan has said that the government is in talks with some groups of the banned militant outfit, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

    We cannot forget what the TTP did to our nation. We lost more than 70,000 lives at their hands. There must be a consensus about the talks and also the government should be transparent about the negotiations. Don’t keep us in the dark, dear government, for we were told that we will never forget their heinous crimes.

    Read the complete editorial here

    Read On

     Google Pe Hai Trending 

     This week you Googled Sarah Khan, Muhammad Zubair and Neha Rajpoot. What did you want to find out about them? Find out now in this week’s Google pe hai tending.

    Watch

     
    HEY, Wait for A SECOND PLEASE. 
    If you like the newsletter, make sure that this email doesn’t get lost in promotions or spam.

    Here’s how: 

    • Through your phone, add us by hitting the “Kabob,” (the three dots in upper right-hand corner). Then click “move to,” and select “primary inbox.”
    • If you’re using a desktop just drag and drop the email into primary as shown in the video below. (You can also do this on your phone if you open your email in your browser). Easy.

    And don’t forget to send us your feedback. We would love to hear from you 

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    Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Forward to a friendCopyright © 2020 Instant Morning Current, All rights reserved.



    This email was sent to *|EMAIL|*

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    View this email in your browser

    Good morning,*|MERGE1|*, it’s October 4.

    As I write the newsletter today, I’m unable to keep my eyes open because I’m very sleepy and dizzy right now. We got back very late last night from our trip but it was worth it! 

    Now I have to rush to office. How do you cope with tiredness? Do let me know. And here is our group photo straight from the mountains.

    You will get our regular newsletter from tomorrow:)

    It will be sunny in most cities of Pakistan.

     
         Sajjal -Th
    e Current 

    THE CURRENT TEAM

    STORIES YOU CAN’T MISS… 

    PANDORA papers: What we know so far:

    Prominent names from Pakistan in the list:Faisal Vawda, Shaukat Tarin, Sharjeel Memon, Ali Dar, Aleem Khan, Moonis Elahi and Shoaib Sheikh.

    According to Geo News, the Pandora Papers is a development to what has earlier been revealed in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers. 

    “In one of several offshore holdings involving military leaders and their families, a luxury London apartment was transferred from the son of a famous Indian movie director to the wife of a three-star general. The general told ICIJ the property purchase was disclosed and proper; his wife didn’t reply.”

    What does it mean for Pakistani politics?Names of members of Imran Khan’s inner circle have been also exposed in the leaked papers. PM Khan has said in a series of tweets that he will take action against those named.

    PM Imran’s reaction to the leaks:Prime Minister Imran Khan has welcomed the Pandora Papers.  “We welcome the Pandora Papers exposing the ill-gotten wealth of elites, accumulated through tax evasion & corruption & laundered out to financial ‘havens’,” he wrote in a tweet. People linked by the secret documents to offshore assets include India’s cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar, pop music diva Shakira, supermodel Claudia Schiffer and an Italian mobster known as “Lell the Fat One”.

    Read On

    The Current Editorial: Forgiving TTP: Never forget!

    Imran Khan has said that the government is in talks with some groups of the banned militant outfit, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

    We cannot forget what the TTP did to our nation. We lost more than 70,000 lives at their hands. There must be a consensus about the talks and also the government should be transparent about the negotiations. Don’t keep us in the dark, dear government, for we were told that we will never forget their heinous crimes.

    Read the complete editorial here

    Read On

     Google Pe Hai Trending 

     This week you Googled Sarah Khan, Muhammad Zubair and Neha Rajpoot. What did you want to find out about them? Find out now in this week’s Google pe hai tending.

    Watch

     
    HEY, Wait for A SECOND PLEASE. 
    If you like the newsletter, make sure that this email doesn’t get lost in promotions or spam.

    Here’s how: 

    • Through your phone, add us by hitting the “Kabob,” (the three dots in upper right-hand corner). Then click “move to,” and select “primary inbox.”
    • If you’re using a desktop just drag and drop the email into primary as shown in the video below. (You can also do this on your phone if you open your email in your browser). Easy.

    And don’t forget to send us your feedback. We would love to hear from you 

    Twitter

    Facebook

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    Website

    Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Forward to a friendCopyright © 2020 Instant Morning Current, All rights reserved.



    This email was sent to *|EMAIL|*

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  • Mohsin Ikram blasts troll for accusing Minal Khan and her family of being interested in his money

    Mohsin Ikram blasts troll for accusing Minal Khan and her family of being interested in his money

    Entrepreneur and Minal Khan’s father-in-law Mohsin Ikram has responded to a troll on his Instagram handle. The netizen commented that the Jalan actor and her family is more inclined towards his money.

    He also slammed a netizen for a mean remark in context to his social media posts.

    Mohsin Ikram

    Earlier in September 2021, he hit back at a troll for accusing him of being an alcoholic.

    READ MORE: Netizens share their private chats about Minal Khan with Ahsan’s father Mohsin Ikram

  • Mufti Aziz-ur-Rehman indicted in the madrassa sexual abuse case

    Mufti Aziz-ur-Rehman indicted in the madrassa sexual abuse case

    Mufti Aziz-ur-Rehman, his sons, and accomplices have been indicted in the madrassa sexual abuse case by a Lahore court, Samaa has reported.

    The court had adjourned the hearing till October 5. The court ordered the prosecution department to produce its witnesses at the next hearing to record their testimonies.

    As per the challan, the cleric sexually abused his student by promising him help in passing his exam.

    Read more- Police find Mufti Aziz-ur-Rehman guilty in madrassa sexual abuse case

    Previously, Mufti Aziz confessed that the video was not fake and confirmed that he was secretly filmed by his student.

    Related Stories- Usman Mirza threatened to gang-rape victim if she did not have sex with her friend

    The victim in his statement said that Mufti Aziz accused him of cheating in his exams after which he was banned from taking the exams for three years. Mufti Aziz then asked the student to “make him happy” in order to get the ban lifted.

  • ‘Nude videos are morphed’: Mathira breaks silence on viral video, announces legal action

    ‘Nude videos are morphed’: Mathira breaks silence on viral video, announces legal action

    Actor and host Mathira is displeased with some videos circulating on social media as she terms them fake and edited.

    Taking to Instagram stories, the Blind Love actor shared a chat with a social media user in which she can added external captions, saying that some nude videos are circulating on social media and her face is being pasted on it after face swapping or editing.

    In one of the chats, she wrote that the nude videos are doctored and her face is being used and she will take action legally against it.

    She said: “A video has been moving the internet [and] have been edited. The other two videos are mine because I posted them publicly on Snapchat but a stupid and nude one is edited and not me.”

    The Raasta star said that her body and even her fingers are tattooed and she knows her body. She also said that whoever has edited the video will be punished.

    Mathira said that she do wear bold dresses but she never shares any explicit pictures.

  • Explainer: Who are the 700 Pakistanis in Pandora Papers?

    Explainer: Who are the 700 Pakistanis in Pandora Papers?

    More than 700 Pakistanis are in the data revealed in Pandora Papers and a majority of them are tax residents in Pakistan, reports Umar Cheema for The News.

    Key members of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet, retired civilian and military officials and their families as well as owners of some of the country’s top media outlets, secretly own or have owned an array of companies and trusts holding millions of dollars in offshore jurisdictions, Fakhar Durrani reports for The News.

    Politicians in Pandora Papers

    The revelations made in the Pandora Papers, which contain the names of some prominent and key figures in Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet, will be a test case for PM Khan to make his close associates answerable for holding offshore companies.

    Below is the list of a few of the many prominent politicians of the government and Opposition whose names are in the Pandora Papers.

    1. Shaukat Tarin:

    Shaukat Tarin was recently inducted into Khan’s cabinet and appointed Finance and Revenue Minister. Tarin and three of his family members have four offshore companies registered in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) jurisdiction. The Tarin family incorporated four offshore companies —Triperna Inc, Hamraa Inc, Seafex Inc, and Moonen Inc — all of them in 2014. 

    Tarin confirmed being part of the above companies directly or through his family members for the sole purpose of raising capital for his bank. 

     “We were in negotiations with a Middle East conglomerate for raising capital for my bank, through a structured transaction. The proposed investor had also taken the Central Bank’s in-principle approval for the investment.” He added that the companies remained dysfunctional and no business was carried out through them.

    2. Faisal Vawda:

    Former minister for water resources, Faisal Vawda, his wife, and his sister have an offshore company. The Vawda family incorporated Dazzling Worldwide Ltd in the BVI jurisdiction in 2012 to invest in UK properties, the Pandora Papers show.

    Vawda told the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) that he has declared all the worldwide assets held in his name to the Pakistani tax authorities.

    3. Abdul Aleem Khan:

    Another close aide of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Abdul Aleem Khan also owns an offshore company. The Pandora Papers show that the registered directors of Hexam Investment Overseas Limited (BVI) — Aleem Khan and his wife — approved a written resolution of the offshore company on March 1, 2017, and confirmed being directors of Hexam Investment.

    National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also initiated an investigation against Aleem Khan. It is, however, not confirmed whether he has declared the company in his tax returns or not.

    Aleem Khan is now the owner of Samaa News.

    4: Chaudhry Moonis Elahi:

     Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi was the Settlor and Investment Director of the Green Hills Trust and Winthrop Fund.

    Moonis wanted to invest money from the 2007 sale of land owned by Phalia Sugar Mills, an Elahi family business. Thomson Reuters Risk Management Solutions carried out due diligence of Moonis Elahi and produced a 19-page report with the details of his alleged involvement in corrupt land projects. The report mentioned fraudulent loans from the bank and selling the land to a government department. However, despite this due diligence report, Moonis was accepted as Asiaciti’s client.

    The family spokesperson of Chaudhrys said that the assets of the family, including Chaudry Pervaiz Elahi and Chaudry Moonis Elahi, are declared as per applicable law.

    5. Ali Dar:

    The Pandora Papers reveal that former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s son, Ali Dar, owns two companies — Baraq Holdings Ltd and Dar Al Nahyan Ltd — registered in the British Virgin Islands.

    Dar in his reply to The News said Dar Al Nahyan Limited remained dormant and no business has been done in the company, which has now been struck off the register. He said he has never been a tax resident in Pakistan and nor has he ever been involved in any professional employment or business activities whatsoever in Pakistan.

    6. Sharjeel Inam Memon:

    Former information minister in the Sindh government Sharjeel Inam Memon also owned three offshore companies in the BVI jurisdiction. The three companies that are owned by the Memon family include Ocean Wave Technologies Corp, Arctic Development Corp., and New Coast Executive Inc.

    The companies are involved in the real estate business. The former provincial minister while talking to The News neither denied nor confirmed the companies’ ownership.

    Media owners included in Pandora Papers

    The Pandora Papers have brought forth some media owners’ names who have offshore companies in offshore jurisdictions.

    1. Hameed Haroon:

    Hameed Haroon — CEO of Dawn media group — owns an offshore company Bardney Limited, registered in Seychelles.

    In his official response to The News, Haroon said the company is duly declared and is being reported to the relevant authorities in Pakistan in accordance with the applicable laws of the land.

    2. Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman:

    Jang Group’s Publisher Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman (MSR) owns an offshore company Brookwood Ventures Limited in the BVI jurisdiction. Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman was transferred the shares of the company on April 17, 2008. 

    Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, responding to the investigation cell, said, “No, it’s not true, I don’t own any company. However, I had this till 2018.” The News also asked him that the British Virgin Islands is a tax and secrecy haven. Why he opted to set up a company there. MSR replied that people invest in BVI as it offers attractive conditions for investment. MSR was also asked if he declared the company with the relevant tax authorities to which he said, “Yes, it was part of my wealth for the tax year 2018 and subject to taxes where applicable.”

    3. Sultan Ali Lakhani:

     Express Media Group Sultan Ali Lakhani also owns an offshore company Century Media Network Inc. The company was incorporated in February 2005.

    The spokesperson of the Lakhani family said all companies are legal and as per law of the land wherever applicable.

    4. Gourmet Group:

    Pandora Papers reveal that an employee of Gourmet group named Amna Butt was appointed director of an offshore company, Gourmet Holdings Limited in the BVI jurisdiction. The Gourmet group owns a large chain of bakeries across Punjab. In addition, the group owns a news channel called Gourmet News Network (GNN) as well.

    It is, however, not confirmed whether the company is declared with the Pakistani tax authorities or not. Amna Butt was sent a questionnaire by The News, but no response has been received from her.

    Military officials and family included in Pandora Papers

    Apart from the politicians, media owners, and civilian bureaucrats, some top retired military officials have also been named in the new leaks.

    1. Major General (retd) Nusrat Naeem:

    Major General (retd) Nusrat Naeem owned a BVI company, Afghan Oil & Gas Ltd that was registered in 2009, shortly after his retirement. In his response to the ICIJ, he said that the company had been set up by a friend and that he did not use it for any financial transactions.

    2. Ahsan Latif:

    Ahsan Latif — son-in-law of former Governor Punjab Lt General (retd) Khalid Maqbool — owned an offshore company, Dylan Capital Limited, registered in the British Virgin Islands.

    It is not clear whether Ahsan Latif has declared the above-mentioned assets before the tax authorities in Pakistan. The News sent a query to him but received no response from him

    3. Muhammad Hasan Muzaffar:

    Pandora Papers reveal that Muhammad Hasan Muzaffar, son of Lt General (retd) Muhammad Afzal Muzaffar, owned shares in a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, Creek Growth Capital Holding Ltd. The offshore company owned Southeast Healthcare Holding, which in turn controlled a Dubai-based medical centre that now appears to be closed.

    Hasan told ICIJ that the simple fact is there is no relation of this investment to his father. He further commented that the investment was made solely from his own income earned in the UAE and came from his UAE bank account. No other family member, including his father, was involved.

    4. Shafatullah Shah:

    The former military secretary of Gen Pervez Musharraf, Lt Gen (retd) Shafatullah Shah owns an expensive apartment in London through an offshore company, which is in the names of his wife and son. 

    5. Raja Nadir Pervez:

     Pandora Papers also reveal that Raja Nadir Pervez, a retired army lieutenant colonel and former minister in the Nawaz Sharif-led government, owned International Finance & Equipment Ltd, a BVI-registered company. In the leaked files, the firm is involved in machinery and related businesses in India, Thailand, Russia, and China. 

     He is currently a member of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Raja Nadir Pervez did not respond to ICIJ reporters’ questions.

    Businessmen and civil bureaucrats included in Pandora Papers

    1. Yawar Salman:

    Son of bureaucrat Salman Siddique, Yawar Salman along with another partner Noeen Ahmed Anwar registered an offshore company, just a little before the former’s father’s retirement. The company is called Cres Tech Holdings Limited in the BVI.

    Yawar Salman told The News that the entity Cres Tech Holdings was incorporated as part of a then-envisaged plan to undertake a foreign business. However, owing to certain circumstances, neither any equity was contributed nor any bank account opened. Since no equity was ever contributed and the entity’s worth remains ‘nil’, the question of disclosing it to the tax authorities does not arise.

    2. Javed Afridi:

    The Pandora Papers have also revealed that the owner of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise, Peshawar Zalmi, and renowned industrialist Javed Afridi owns three offshore companies in the BVI jurisdiction. Afridi is the beneficial owner of Old Trafford Properties Ltd, Sutton Gas Works Properties Ltd, and Gas Works Property Ltd.

    Javed Afridi in his response confirmed to The News ownership of three offshore companies. He said the reason to incorporate them was for the good intention to save tax rather than avoiding any tax. According to him, the companies were almost dormant, and no business or investment was done by any of the companies.

    Pandora Papers

    The papers are named after the Greek myth of Pandora’s box. In the tale, Pandora opens a sealed box containing the forces of evil and suffering which, once released, were uncontainable.

    BBC quoted Gerard Ryle, the director of ICIJ, as saying this leak was given the name because “we’re opening a box on a lot of things”.

    This information revealed above has been named Pandora Papers and it adds significantly to what was discovered in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers.

    The Pandora Papers have unmasked the fortunes of more than 330 public officials in 90 countries. Included among them are 35 current and former leaders of different countries. The King of Jordan, the rulers of Qatar and Dubai, presidents of the Ukraine, Kenya, and Ecuador, the prime ministers of the Czech Republic and Lebanon, and former British prime minister Tony Blair, all appear in the secret files.

    For Pakistan, the files pose a big test to the accountability credentials of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who had found the Panama Papers a “God-sent” opportunity to burnish his credentials as an anti-corruption warrior.

    The documents were leaked to the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) which for nearly two years led an investigation collaborating with more than 600 journalists in 117 countries. This is the biggest journalism partnership in history, which involved 150 media organisations. For the Panama Papers, almost 400 journalists from 80 countries participated in the investigation. The News was the only ICIJ partner from Pakistan on both occasions. The Pandora Papers comprise 11.9 million documents whereas the Panama Papers had 11.5 million, reports The News.

  • ‘Alvida Legend’: Transnational stars mourn the death of Umer Sharif

    ‘Alvida Legend’: Transnational stars mourn the death of Umer Sharif

    Legendary comedian Umer Sharif passed away on Saturday in Germany at the age of 66. The Zameen Aasman star, was battling cardiac ailments, his surgery was scheduled in United States.

    He was taken to Germany in an air ambulance. His death has left his fans and followers shattered.

    Transnational celebrities have paid their tributes to the veteran performer on social media.

    Read moreLegendary Comedian Umer Sharif sets off to the US for medical treatment

  • PM Khan launches Kamyab Pakistan Programme for low sectors

    PM Khan launches Kamyab Pakistan Programme for low sectors

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has inaugurated a Rs1400 billion worth Kamyab Pakistan Programme in order to facilitate the underprivileged sector in Pakistan, reports Radio Pakistan.

    According to PM Khan, this initiative will bring improvement in the living standards of the public and his government is trying to change priorities to uplift unprivileged families.

    While talking about the previous governments, he said that they had flawed policies which left behind the marginalized segments of the society and said that this project should have been launched 74 years ago.

    “We made a huge mistake 74 years ago. We believed that we would make Pakistan a welfare state after there was prosperity and wealth in the country. The thought — that there needs to be surplus first and then we (government) will invest in the poor — I believe these were fundamentally wrong decisions,” said the premier.

    Referring to China’s ideology, the PM said that Beijing took measures to facilitate the low sectors of people and became a developed country within 35 years.

    The programme will be rolled out in phases. During the first phase, the loans will be provided to the deserving families in Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK), Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the underprivileged areas of Punjab and Sindh.

    Under this, the government will provide Rs1.4 trillion micro-loans to 3.7 million households across the country.

    This scheme has five components Kamyab Kissan, Kamyab Karobar, Naya Pakistan low-cost housing, Kamyab Hunarmand and Sehatmand Pakistan.

    It also includes a user-friendly portal called Kamyab Pakistan Information System (KPIS). The portal will be integrated with Ehsaas and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) databases for verification of beneficiaries’ eligibility.

  • Seven booked for gang-raping minor girl for five months

    Seven booked for gang-raping minor girl for five months

    Police on Saturday booked seven people for gang-raping a minor orphan girl for five months. She was repeatedly assaulted by the suspects who blackmailed her and threatened to kill her younger brother, Dawn reported.

    According to the FIR, an orphan girl of Basti Odki Abdullah Shah was allegedly gang-raped by two locals at gunpoint about four to five months ago after the suspects found her alone at her house when her mother was away working as a housemaid.

    The FIR stated the two suspects threatened to murder the victim’s only younger brother Ahmed if she told anyone about the rape.

    Police sources said the girl, however, had informed her mother about the incident who kept visiting the local police station to register the complaint but because of some locally influential people, she was turned away by police officials of the area.

    Meanwhile, another local joined the two suspects in the heinous crime and they would gang-rape the girl whenever they found her alone.

    Some three months ago, four other men of the same area caught the suspects red-handed while they were assaulting the girl in the fields and they too blackmailed and raped her. The FIR said that as a result of repeatedly being rape, the girl got pregnant.

    The sources said some of the police officials forced the victim’s mother into taking the matter to the panchayat (village jury).

    The panchayat decided that the suspects would pay a certain amount to the girl’s mother as compensation and she, along with her two children, leave the village. The girl’s family came to Lahore following the decision.

    However, the family returned to the village and again contacted the police for registration of a case against the suspects.

    Finally, the district police officer took notice of the incident and on his orders, the local police station in Bahawalnagar registered an FIR against all the seven suspects under Section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

    District police spokesperson Saleem Ayaz admitted that the girl’s family had approached the police for help but meanwhile, a local panchayat interfered and settled the issue on its own.

    He said a case against the seven suspects was registered on the order of DPO Zafar Buzdar and three of them had been detained, while raids were being conducted to arrest the others.