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  • ‘They need to hold their tongue’, Saad Rafique demands action over Azam Swati’s ‘threats’ against ECP

    ‘They need to hold their tongue’, Saad Rafique demands action over Azam Swati’s ‘threats’ against ECP

    Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) leader Saad Rafique, said while referring to Federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati’s accusation on the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of taking bribes and being on the payroll of ‘someone’ said: “They need to hold their tongue.”

    “If the government is making such threats, it is the responsibility of Pakistan’s civil society and political parties to fulfill their responsibility and their voice [against such verbal attacks],” he reiterated.

    PML-N leader further added that the relevant institutions, whose responsibility was to serve justice, should take notice of action over threats made against the ECP.

    A day earlier, Swati said that the ECP was responsible for destroying Pakistan’s democracy and for rigging all elections. Swati added that such institutions should be “set on fire”. This happened when the Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs met today to vote on two key election bills.

  • Mahira, Ayesha impressed by Meesha Shafi’s latest chartbuster

    Mahira, Ayesha impressed by Meesha Shafi’s latest chartbuster

    Singer Meesha Shafi has launched her latest single Hot Mango Chutney Sauce with a experimental treatment. Several A-list celebrities from the entertainment and fashion industry have praised the song.

    As per the song’s description on YouTube, it features Meesha Shafi, Swineryy, Zara Peerzada, Eman Suleman, Baemissal, Rubab Ali, Abdullah Siddiqui and Hashim Ali. The video is directed by Awais Gohar and produced by Abdullah Siddiqui.

  • Daler Mehndi, Johnny Lever send wishes for Umer Sharif, appeals to PM Imran Khan for support

    Daler Mehndi, Johnny Lever send wishes for Umer Sharif, appeals to PM Imran Khan for support

    Veteran comedian Umer Sharif requested Prime Minister Imran Khan to help him reach abroad, urgently for the treatment of an undisclosed illness in a video message recorded by anchor Waseem Badami.

    The video clip, shared by Waseem on his social media, went viral and the fans started praying for Umer Sharif’s speedy recovery.

    The clip showed the renowned comedian in a severely ill condition requesting PM Imran Khan to help him out as he always supported his Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital in all the ways he could.

    A number of transnational showbiz stars sent their wishes and prayers for the legendary comedian on social media.

    Actor and producer Adnan Siddiqui also took to social media to request PM Khan to help Umer Sharif get US visa. He also offered to extend any help required for his treatment.

    The widely circulated video grabbed the attention of the Special Assistant to Prime Minister who took to his Twitter handle and announced that the PM office is in touch with Umer Sharif on the directives of PM Imran Khan.

    The King of Punjabi Pop and Bhangra, Daler Mehndi also appealed for prayer for the veteran comedian.

    In a video message, the singer/composer speaked his heart out for Umer Sharif. He requested Imran Khan to also pay immediate attention to the matter and try his level best to save the comedy legend.

    While Indian comedian and film actor Johnny Lever prayed for the speedy recovery of Pakistan’s comedy king Umer Sharif.

    In a video message, the Dulhe Raja actor paid a rich tribute to Umer.

    Johnny said, “Our beloved star Umar Sharif is unwell these days. I am so sad to hear this.”

    The Bollywood actor also urged his fans to pray for Umar’s speedy recovery. “Umer bhai May God bless you with good health,” he added.

    https://youtu.be/ggfMMQaAUAA

    Meanwhile, anchor Waseem Badami took to Twitter and shared that he received a call from the Prime Minister’s Office and it said that all possible work would be done to ensure Umer Sharif’s early trip abroad.

  • Video: Sarah Khan ranks contemporaries Mahira, Mehwish and Maya in terms of acting talent

    Video: Sarah Khan ranks contemporaries Mahira, Mehwish and Maya in terms of acting talent

    A clip from an interview of Sarah Khan has resurfaced on social media. The Sabaat star appeared on Yasir Hussain’s The Aftermoon Show in 2018 and was asked to rank her fellow arch rivals, Mahira Khan, Mehwish Hayat and Maya Ali on the basis of acting talent.

    The Alvida diva ranked Mehwish at number one, followed by Mahira at number two and Maya at third position.

    Pakistan actress Mehwish Hayat heavily trolled after links emerge with Dawood Ibrahim | News24
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    Sarah’s co-guest Aagha Ali seems to disagree with her ranking.

  • Banned by govt, TLP actively takes part in Cantonment Board polls

    Banned by govt, TLP actively takes part in Cantonment Board polls

    Months after being banned by the government, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) fields 84 candidates in 17 of the 41 cantonments, reports Dawn.

    Polling will be held on Sunday (tomorrow) to elect general members of the Cantonment Boards.

    A list of candidates of all the 219 wards shows that the ultra-rightwing TLP has fielded the largest number of 57 candidates in nine cantonments of Punjab, followed by 24 in six cantonments of Sindh and three candidates in two cantonments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

    The party, however, has not fielded any candidate in any of the nine wards of the three cantonments in Balochistan.

    Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry, while speaking to Dawn, said that only the Supreme Court had the authority to disqualify a political party from contesting the elections.

    He was of the opinion that the ban placed on the TLP was an administrative step. “There are two phases — one is administrative and the other is judicial. Until the judicial phase is not complete, the party cannot be stopped from participating in the elections,” explained Fawad.

    However, the minister criticised the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for not holding any investigations to find TLP’s source of funding when the commission was swift enough to check the accounts of ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the two major Opposition parties.

  • ‘Don’t worry’, Zakir Jaffer tells his son after Zahir beheads Noor

    The investigation report of Islamabad police submitted to the trial court in Noor Mukadam case has revealed that Noor Mukadam missed six life-saving possibilities due to Zahir Jaffer’s accomplices’ active connivance, Dawn has reported.

    “Her life could have been saved had the accomplices acted otherwise,” the challan stated.

    Noor’s attempt to escape twice was failed due to the connivance of the security guard and a gardener.

    The challan further stated that Zahir contacted his father 4 times on July 20, and Zakir Jaffer knew about the illegal detention and the situation at their home.

    “You need not worry, I can handle this, I am sending people to rescue you and to dispose of the dead body,” Zakir said to Zahir after he beheaded Noor. Zahir was scheduled to fly to the US on July 19. The police today also submitted the list of 18 witnesses in the case.

    The challan also stated that Zahir had confessed to killing Noor and a DNA report confirmed she was raped.

    Referring to prime accused Zahir’s statement, the challan states: Noor came to Zahir’s house on July 18, and on July 20 they both got into a fight after Noor refused to marry Zahir, and Zahir then detained her in a room, and Noor warned him of consequences.

    On the day of the murder, Zahir made calls to his parents at 2:21pm, 3pm, 6:35pm and 7:29pm.

    Noor’s family was informed about her murder on July 20 at 10:00pm by Kohsar police.

  • Shafqat Mahmood welcomes criticism on SNC, assures change

    Shafqat Mahmood welcomes criticism on SNC, assures change

    Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood tweeted that he is grateful for the views, both negative and positive, on Single National Curriculum (SNC). He added that curriculums and textbooks are not static and need constant updating.

    “I am grateful for the views, both negative and positive, on the single national curriculum (SNC) and on the textbooks developed to implement it,” wrote the minister.

    Punjab Education Minister Dr Murad Raas reacted to the criticism following the implementation of SNC. He tweeted that he would be conducting a live session on Sunday to answer questions related to SNC.

    Earlier, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy came forward and criticised the new curriculum. In addition, SNC is also receiving criticism on social media.

    According to the new curriculum, schools will be free to teach additional material or even additional subjects. In the beginning, three subjects — Islamic Studies, Social Studies and General Knowledge — will be taught in the Urdu language at the primary level (Grade 1-5). Quranic learning with translation will also be mandatory in Grade 6-12.

    Mahmood had earlier announced the SNC would be implemented from the new academic session on August 2 in all public and private schools as well as madrassah of Punjab.

  • Six-year-old child raped, murdered in Chiniot

    A six-year-old girl child was raped and then murdered in Punjab’s Chiniot, Samaa News reported

    According to the victim’s family, the child was abducted on her way to her grandmother’s house. “After looking for her for almost 12 hours, we found her body from the nearby fields,” her father told the police.

    The post-mortem report of the child has confirmed the rape.

    An FIR has been filed against unidentified men under sections of rape and murder.

    The police have arrested a number of suspects and have sent their DNA samples to the laboratory. “We have begun questioning people in the neighbourhood as well,” the investigation officer said.

    Earlier, a girl in Gujrat died after three men allegedly kidnapped and gang-raped her.

    Three men abducted a girl from Chak Ghazi in Gujrat district on September 1. The accused gave a tranquilliser to the girl and then raped her, leaving the victim in a critical condition.

  • UN investigation wanted for Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani’s death

    UN investigation wanted for Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani’s death

    Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Shehryar Khan Afridi wrote letters to United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and High Commissioner of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Michelle Jeria, calling for an impartial but immediate UN investigation into the custodial killing of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, reports Dawn.

    Talking to reporters, Afridi said, “Hurriyat leaders are being killed in custody by the illegal occupational regime of India in Jammu and Kashmir under the garb of the Covid-19 pandemic. Had the UN investigated the custodial murder of Ashraf Khan Sehrai, Geelani’s life could have been saved. Now we fear that other imprisoned Kashmiri leaders including the new All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) chief Massarat Alam Bhat, Syed Shabbir Shah, Yasin Malik, Asiya Andrabi, Dr Qasim Faktu, and others may also be killed the same way.”

    “This loss may turn out to obstruct Kashmiri people’s voice and compromise their long struggle for freedom. I would also like to bring to attention here the matter in which Geelani’s death was handled by the occupational Indian government where they shut down the internet across the Kashmir valley and beefed-up security forces when word of his death spread,” he said.

    Veteran Kashmiri leader and freedom fighter Syed Ali Shah Geelani was laid to rest on September 2 amid high security at Hyderpora in Srinagar.

    Syed Ali Geelani’s son told AP that the family had planned the burial at the main Martyrs’ Graveyard in Srinagar as per his will but were disallowed by the police.

    “They snatched his body and forcibly buried him. Nobody from the family was present for his burial. We tried to resist but they overpowered us and even scuffled with women,” said his son Naseem Geelani.

  • Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan’s health improving: Report

    Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan’s health improving: Report

    Pakistan’s nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan’s health is improving gradually, reported Geo News.

    Dr Qadeer fell ill, but is feeling better now.

    Dr Abdul Qadeer was shifted to a hospital’s coronavirus ward a few days ago due to his critical condition.

    He was admitted at KRL hospital on August 26 after he tested positive for Covid-19.

    Dr AQ Khan is considered the father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme and is revered at home as a hero for building the Muslim world’s first atomic bomb.