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  • Government announces reopening of cinemas in eight cities of Pakistan

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has announced that cinema halls and multiplexes will reopen in eight cities of Pakistan from October 1st.

    The decision was taken in the meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special initiatives Asad Umar. It was decided in the meeting that that Covid related restrictions will be eased in the cities that have achieved the targeted vaccination rate. The cities who have targeted vaccination rate includeds, Gilgit, Skardu, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Quetta, and Peshawar.

    “We are relaxing restrictions in these eight cities from October 1,” Asad Umar said in a press conference. “The rest of the cities and districts will have to implement on the same restrictions that are currently in place, till October 15,” he added.

  • Students protest against ‘mismanaged’ MDCAT

    Students from across the country are protesting against the management of the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) for conducting ‘mismanaged’ Medical and Dental College Aptitude Test (MDCAT).

    Students claim that there were administrative problems during the test. The software and hardware used by PMC for the exams had malfunctioned. They claim that the servers used for the exams were frequently down.

    The protesters want the Pakistan Medical Commission to conduct the MDCAT again on a single day across the country.

    https://twitter.com/BeSyed_/status/1443121616314159107?s=20

    As per reports,  PMC called the students for negotiations after which a five-member delegation held a meeting with the PMC management. However, they could not reach any decision and students are still protesting.

    Students plan to march towards PM House today (Wednesday) at 6pm to stage further protests.

  • ‘Ongoing negotiations between US and Pak for airspace’: US General

    ‘Ongoing negotiations between US and Pak for airspace’: US General

    The United States Central Command (Centcom) Chief, General Frank McKenzie said that the United States (US) and Pakistan were involved in ongoing negotiations over the use of a vital air corridor to access Afghanistan, reports Dawn.

    “Over the last 20 years we’ve been able to use what we call the air boulevard to go in over western Pakistan and that’s become something that’s vital to us, as well as certain landlines of communication,” he said.

    “And we’ll be working with the Pakistanis in the days and weeks ahead to look at what that relationship is going to look like in the future.”

    “We estimated an accelerated withdrawal would increase risks of regional instability, the security of Pakistan, and its nuclear arsenals,” Chairman of the Joint Chief General Mark Milley told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

    “We need to fully examine the role of Pakistan sanctuary,” the general said.

    “I believe Pakistan’s relationship with the Taliban is going to become significantly more complicated as a result of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan,” said General McKenzie.

    However, in June, Prime Minister Imran Khan said, Pakistan will “absolutely not” allow the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to use bases on its soil for cross-border counter-terrorism missions after American forces withdraw from Afghanistan.

  • Environmental activist Greta Thunberg mocks world leaders for being ‘blah, blah, blah’ on climate action

    Environmental activist Greta Thunberg mocks world leaders for being ‘blah, blah, blah’ on climate action

    Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg mocked and criticised world leaders — including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson — over their promises to address the climate emergency, dismissing them as “blah, blah, blah”.

    While addressing the Youth4Climate summit in Milan, she said, “When I say climate change, what do you think of? I think jobs. Green jobs. Green jobs,” referring to Biden’s speeches on the climate crisis.

    Referring to a speech by French President Emmanuel Macron, she said, “We must find a smooth transition towards a low carbon economy. There is no Planet B. There is no Planet Blah. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.”

    She quoted statements by Boris Johnson: “This is not some expensive, politically correct, green act of bunny hugging”, and PM Narendra Modi’s: “Fighting climate change calls for innovation, cooperation and willpower” but said that science did not lie.

    “Build back better. Blah, blah, blah. Green economy. Blah blah blah. Net zero by 2050. Blah, blah, blah. This is all we hear from our so-called leaders. Words that sound great but so far have not led to action. Our hopes and ambitions drown in their empty promises,” she added.

    https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg/status/1442860615941468161?s=20

    Climate justice activist Vanessa Nakate from Uganda, Thunberg and hundreds of other young people from across the world attended the summit. The event was held two days before dozens of ministers gather in Milan for a meeting before the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow at the end of October, reports CNN.

    Greta is an 18-year-old young environmental activist who became famous in 2018 when she skipped school for a strike against climate change.

  • Wedding cards should mention only ‘Covid vaccinated guests’ allowed, Punjab issues notification

    The Punjab government has said that wedding invitation cards should mention that only “vaccinated guests” will be allowed to participate in a wedding. A notification by the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department on Tuesday says that unvaccinated people will not be permitted to enter wedding halls across the province.

    The notification also says that all the staff of the wedding halls would have to display “fully vaccinated” badges while discharging their duties.

    The provincial government has also made vaccination a requirement for those seeking various services in the private and governmental sectors. As per the notification, international travelers arriving in Pakistan would have to be fully vaccinated by October 31.

    In the last 24 hours, Pakistan has recorded 1,560 new cases of Covid-19.

  • Captain Safdar on ‘video leaks’, urges people with films ‘to own it’

    Captain Safdar on ‘video leaks’, urges people with films ‘to own it’

    Journalist Gharidah Farooqi shared a video of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, Captain Safdar, on Twitter, where Safdar is seen commenting on ‘video leaks’.

    The date of the video is unclear but talking to The Current, Farooqi said, “even if old, it’s most relevant today”.

    In the video, Captain Safdar said, “Don’t be scared people, films [compromising videos] will not do anything.”

    “A film has been made on everyone once in their life. Say it with courage, yes there is a film, own it and ask [them to] bring it on, and then everyone will sit calmly,” said Safdar.

    Earlier this week, PML-N leader Muhammad Zubair’s leaked video, where he is allegedly seen in compromising acts with women, went viral on social media.

    The former governor of Sindh categorically denied the video and termed it to be a “new low in politics” along with claiming that the video is “fake and doctored”.

  • Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq says he did not suffer a heart attack

    Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq says he did not suffer a heart attack

    Former captain of Pakistan cricket team Inzamam-ul-Huq has clarified that he did not suffer a heart attack, as widely reported by the media.

    Inzamam, in a video message, thanked all the people across the world who had prayed for him — fans, former and current cricketers, and commentators.

    “It felt very nice being remembered, so I wanted to thank everyone,” he said.

    The former batsman said that he did not suffer a heart attack; he had gone to the doctor for a “routine checkup”.

    “They recommended an angioplasty and during the procedure, they said my artery is blocked and a stent is needed,” he explained.

    Inzamam said he gave his go-ahead, and then a procedure was done, which was a success and he is alright now.

    He said he stayed at the hospital for 12 hours and is now home.

    The batsman urged everyone to immediately go to the doctor whenever they suspect anything wrong with their health.

    “The doctors told me that had I delayed going in, I could have suffered damage,” he said.

    Inzamam’s manager had earlier today said that he had been discharged from the hospital after undergoing successful angioplasty surgery at a Lahore hospital.

    Following the news of his illness, Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Shoaib Malik, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Hassan Ali and others had wished Inzi a speedy recovery.

  • Rape suspect flees from police custody during medical check-up

    Rape suspect flees from police custody during medical check-up

    A suspect detained in a sexual assault case escaped from Karachi’s Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) where he was undergoing treatment a few days ago, Dawn reported.

    As per details, the man was arrested by the Saeedabad police a couple of weeks ago. He was sent to jail by a local court on judicial remand. He was not feeling well so the doctors recommended his treatment at the JPMC.

    Read More: Mother of two raped in Rawalpindi at job interview

    “The Undertrial prisoner was brought here at the JPMC a few days ago and being treated at a respective ward,” said an official at the Saddar police station. “On Friday, he managed to unlock his handcuffs and fled. The two constables posted to keep an eye on him have been booked [for negligence] and arrested,” he added.

    Some reports claim that the suspect has been arrested again from the Saeedabad area.

  • US wants to investigate Pakistan’s role in Taliban takeover of Afghanistan

    US senators have introduced a bill in the US Senate calling for an investigation into the Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan and those groups, and people, who helped oust the Ashraf Ghani-led government, Geo News has reported.The bill was presented by 22 Republican senators.

    The ‘Afghanistan Counterterrorism, Oversight, and Accountability Act’ also seeks to establish a task force that will focus on continued evacuation of American citizens, legal permanent residents and Special Immigrant Visa holders from Afghanistan.

    The presented bill states that the “support by state and non-state actors, including the Government of Pakistan, for the Taliban between 2001 and 2020, provision of sanctuary space, financial support, intelligence support, logistics and medical support, training, equipping, and tactical, operational, or strategic direction” should be investigated.

    The bill also seeks to investigate the support provided to Taliban allegedly by non-state actors and the government of Pakistan into the Panjshir Valley operation by the Taliban. The bill further seeks to place restrictions on non-humanitarian foreign assistance to Afghanistan.

    Federal Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, while reacting to the bill, tweeted, “So again Pak will be made to pay heavy price 4 being an ally of US in its War on Terror.”

  • PCB CEO Wasim Khan resigns: Report

    PCB CEO Wasim Khan resigns: Report

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Cheif Executive Officer (CEO) Wasim Khan has reportedly resigned from his post on Wednesday.

    As per a report by Geo News, Khan gave his resignation in a meeting with PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja a day earlier. It was also reported that PCB Board of Governors will review the situation in a meeting today (Wednesday).

    Khan was taken on board by former PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani in 2019 to run the affairs of the board on modern lines, on a three-year contract, which was set to expire in 2022.

    Khan’s resignation comes as newly appointed PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja called for a complete overhaul of the system. At his inaugural press conference, he had called for resetting Pakistan cricket’s compass and direction.

    It also comes after head coach Misbahul Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis resigned from their posts with the 2021 T20 World Cup just around the corner