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  • Pakistan’s Syed Imaad Ali wins World Youth Scrabble Championship

    Pakistan’s Syed Imaad Ali wins World Youth Scrabble Championship

    Pakistan’s Syed Imaad Ali won the World Youth Scrabble Championship in Karachi on Sunday, reported Dawn.

    The 15-year-old player defeated his opponent in nine out of 13 games in Sunday’s finals as Pakistan finished first in the tournament, with Hasham Hadi Khan — another Pakistani — to qualify for the final with 26 wins, coming in fourth after winning in seven games.

    Two more Pakistani players, Ali Salman and Usman Shaukat, remained in the top 10 till the last round of the championship’s group stage but were unlucky to miss out narrowly after losing their last games.

    Syed Imaad Ali opened up an early lead in the tournament and had soared to the top position with 11 wins and one tie by the completion of the first 12 rounds.

    After this success, he is now the first and only scrabble player to win the World Youth title twice. He previously won the 2018 championship in Dubai, clinched the Junior World Scrabble Championship in Torquay, England, in November 2019, and was also the youngest player to do so.

    Pakistan was awarded the rights to hold the World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) Youth Cup for the second year running.

    The championship has been played annually since 2006 in different parts of the world but could not be played after 2019 due to the pandemic outbreak.

  • Suspect in Minar-e-Pakistan incident gets pre-arrest bail

    Suspect in Minar-e-Pakistan incident gets pre-arrest bail

    A Lahore session court, on Saturday granted pre-arrest bail to a suspect, identified as Shehroz Saeed, who was allegedly involved in the horrendous mass sexual assault case at Minar-e-Pakistan on August 14.

    The bail is until September 3. According to Saeed’s lawyer, he is ready to cooperate with the authorities, and therefore, the court should direct police authorities to refrain from arresting him.

    Further developments

    Lahore police have arrested 66 people through geo-fencing, face matching, and conducted raids at 26 different places so far, confirms Government Spokesperson Shahbaz Gill.

    The police officer said that the woman who was attacked, Ayesha Akram, and her colleagues will identify the suspects during the parade and the remaining suspects.

    Ayesha Akram was attacked by 400 men when she was trying to record a video with four of her friends to celebrate Independence Day.

  • چیختے چلاتے مرد اور ان کی انا کا برج خلیفہ

    چیختے چلاتے مرد اور ان کی انا کا برج خلیفہ

    میرے خیال سے دو مہینے  ہو گئے ہیں ۔ میں روز جاگتی ہوں ،روز ایک عورت سے متعلق دل دہلا دینے والی خبر ہوتی ہے  ۔ میں اس خبر کے خوف میں رہتی ہوں ، واویلا مچتا ہے  ، بحث ہوتی ہے ، گرفتاری ہوتی ہے ، اور  اس کے ساتھ ہی سارا الزام عورت پر ہی  لگ جاتا ہے  ۔ اس پوری روٹین میں ایک دن بھی فرق نہیں  آیا ۔ میں اس پورے سلسلے میں ایک ہی چیز پر حیران ہوتی ہوں اور وہ ہے مرد کا چیخنا چلانا ۔  مطلب تشدد بھی عورت پر ہوا ، قتل بھی عورت ہوئی ، عزت بھی  عورت  کی لٹی ، لیکن واویلا صرف مرد مچا رہے ہوتے ہیں ۔ عورتوں کو ایک عورت کے بارے میں ہی بات کرنے کی اجازت نہیں کیونکہ وہ اجازت بھی شاید مرد ہی دینا چاہتے ہیں ۔ مرد کی چونکہ عزت کے خلاف ہے اپنی غلطی ماننا تو یہ قدرتی بات ہے کہ وہ روئے گا ، چلائے  گا ، اور عجیب وغریب دلیلیں بھی دے گا ۔ جہاں تک میں نے دیکھا ہے ، مرد کی برداشت کے 5 مرحلے ہیں۔ آپ چاہیں تو اس میں اضافہ بھی کر سکتے ہیں ۔

    پہلا مرحلہ ہوتا ہے جہاں مرد کہتے ہیں “دنیا میں پاکستان سے زیادہ عورت کی عزت کہیں نہیں ہوتی “۔ یہ ہمارے وزیرِ اعظم بھی کہتے ہیں ۔ جب ہم عورتیں یہ کہتی ہیں کہ کہاں کی عزت جب روز کسی عورت کی عزت لٹتی ہے یا عورت کا قتل ہوتا ہے تو  اس پر مرد کہتے ہیں ” ہم  اتنی عزت کرتے ہیں آپ کی  ۔ تندور پر جو قطار بنی ہوتی ہے ، ادھر ہم عورتوں کو پہلے روٹی دیتے ہیں “۔ یا پھر” جب عورت  اے ٹی ایم پر جاتی ہے  تو ہم اسے پہلے پیسے لینے دیتے ہیں ” اتنی تو  عزت دیتے ہیں ، تو  کیا ہوا اگر تھوڑا مار لیا یا قتل کر دیا؟ اور کیا چاہتی ہیں آپ، اور کیا حقوق  چاہئیں ہیں آپ کو ؟

    پھر مرد آتا ہے دوسرے مرحلے کی جانب ۔ اس میں وہ کہتا ہے پوری دنیا کے مقابلے میں پاکستانی عورت پاکستان میں محفوظ ہے ۔ جب عورتیں کہتی ہیں کہ کہاں محفوظ ہیں ؟ کبھی عورت کو کوئی ہاتھ مار جاتا ہے ، کبھی عورت پر 400 مرد حملہ کر دیتے ہیں ، کبھی عورت کے پیچھے گاڑی  لگ جاتی ہے ، کہاں محفوظ ہے؟ اس پر مرد حضرات کا جواب ہوتا ہے ” تو نہ جائیں باہر ” یا پھر وہ کہتے ہیں “ہاں  تو کچھ کیا  ہوگا ، کپڑے ٹھیک نہیں ہوں گے ، یہ نہیں ہوگا ، وہ نہیں ہوگا ” ۔ مرد اِس بات کو سمجھ ہی نہیں پاتے کہ عورت میں کچھ نہیں ہوتا ،ساری غلاظت ان کے ذہن میں ہوتی ہے ۔ سارا کا سارا  گند ان کے دماغ میں ہروقت رچا بسا رہتا ہے  جس کی وجہ سے نہ وہ سیدھا  سوچ پاتے ہیں اور نہ ہی کچھ سیدھا کر پاتے ہیں ۔

    پھر آتا ہے تیسرا مر حلہ  جس میں وہ کہتے ہیں کہ عورت نے خود کروایا ہے تاکہ وہ ملک سے باہر جا سکے ۔ یا پھر انڈیا نے فلاں فلاں کو پیسے دے کر یہ کروایا ہے تاکہ پاکستان کو بدنام کیا جا سکے ۔اور اس مرحلے پر مرد کی آواز کافی اونچی ہو جاتی ہے ، صبر کا پیمانہ لبریز ہورہا ہوتا ہے ، وہ سارا غصہ جو ان کو عورت کے “ہونے ” پر ہے، وہ اندر کھولنے لگتا ہے ۔ یہ کہنا غلط نہ ہوگا کہ “مرد ایک نازک موڑ سے گزر رہا ہوتا ہے” جدھر اسے ہارٹ اٹیک ہو سکتا ہے یا پھر گردے بھی فیل ہو  سکتے ہیں کیونکہ خدا نخواستہ وہ کیسے مان لے کہ غلطی مردوں کی ہے ؟

    چوتھا مرحلہ وہ ہوتا ہے جس میں وہ آپ کو یاد کرواتے ہیں کہ آپ کے ابو آپ کا بھائی یا آپ کا خاوند بھی مرد ہے ۔ صبر کا زہر پی کر  وہ آپ کو  کہتے ہیں کہ “اگر مرد اتنا برا لگتا ہے تو ابو کو بھی مار دو ” خدا کی قسم ، اس نکتے پر میری  اپنی ہنسی نکل جاتی ہے کہ آخر یہ مرد کیوں اتنا مجبور ہے  اپنی انا کےہاتھوں، آخر مسئلہ کیا ہے؟

    پھر آتا ہے پانچواں اور آخری مرحلہ جس میں مرد کہتا ہے  ” میری ہو گئی ہے بس کاٹ دے میری کوئی نس “۔ اس مرحلے میں اسے پہلے دو مرحلے جس میں وہ عورت کے محفوظ ہونے اور عورت کو عزت دینے کے نعرے کو بھول جاتا ہے ۔ اس کے اندر کا وہی درندہ جاگ جاتا ہے جو نور کے قاتل ظاہر میں ہے ، ان 400 مردوں میں ہے جو عورت پر جھپٹ پڑتے ہیں ، اوران  مولویوں میں ہے جو مدرسوں میں بچوں کو بھی  نہیں چھوڑتے ۔ مرد آپ کو ایسی گالیاں دے گا کہ آپ کو یا تو سمجھ نہیں آئے گی کہ یہ کہا کیا  ہے  یا پھر آپ صدمے میں چلی جائیں گی یہ زبان ہے عورت کو “عزت ” دینے والے کی ۔ ان 5 مرحلوں میں آپ عورت ہوتے ہوئے محسوس  کریں گی کہ  مرد خاموش نہیں ہوگا ، ایک سیکینڈ کے لیے بھی منہ بند نہیں کرے گا ۔ وہ آپ کو بات کرنے ہی نہیں دے گا ۔ کیونکہ وہ جانتا ہے کہ اگر اس نے خدا نخواستہ سن لیا ، تو وہ سوچنے لگ جائے گا ۔ اگر اس نے سوچ لیا ، تو شاید اس کو عورت کی بات ٹھیک لگنے لگے گی ۔   اس ٹھیک لگنے پراسے شاید  شرم بھی آ جائے ، اور شاید اسے معافی بھی مانگنی پڑے ۔ جیسے ہی معافی کا لفظ ذہن میں آئے گا مرد پھر سے  وہی درندہ بن جائے گا !

    اس لیے میری بہنوں ! آپ کی جنگ جائز ہے ۔ آ پ کا بار بار آواز اٹھانا جائز ہے ۔  لیکن  یہ مت بھولیں کہ اگلے کے لیے غلطی ماننا ناجائز ہے !

  • Samar Khan accused of faking cycling to K2 base camp, clarifies her stance

    Samar Khan accused of faking cycling to K2 base camp, clarifies her stance

    Samar Khan has clarified her stance after a handful of people tried to dismiss her achievement.

    The Current reached out to Samar after her audio clip was leaked on social media by a journalist Jamil Nagri in which she was allegedly being angry at the journalist and locals of Gilgit-Baltistan for dismissing her feat.

    When we asked her about the area she covered on her bicycle and on foot, she said: “Around 15-20 per cent of the trek is paddled by me, in remaining parts I mostly dragged and lifted my bike, as there was hardly a trek for proper walk.”

    When we questioned her about the leaked audio, she clarified: “It’s a leaked WhatsApp audio, where my response has been uploaded on Twitter by a local Balti Journalist Jamil Nagri, whose abuse on social media I was answering at that time. He, with his few friends, started mocking and abusing me on different platforms and the audio is more than this, but a specific chunk has been leaked to use it against me and to get sympathies by using GB (Gilgit-Baltistan) card and arousing emotions of the locals.”

    “Being an athlete, I just rode my bicycle, which made these weak men insecure enough to play these games against me,” she added.

    “I already released my statement on Twitter with an apology but still receiving life threats and abuse.”

    Taking to Twitter, she wrote: “I take complete responsibility of my words but keep in mind it was a personal voice note intended for a single individual, so all of my F’s goes to him only, because nobody can bring here a single public post of mine which spreads hate between #GB.”

    “I offer my apologies to Balti friends whose sentiments got hurt by my words. I am grateful for all the love I always received from GB. I wish the complete abuse would have been shared here instead of uploading a chunk from my response to manipulate people for personal sympathies,” she said in another tweet.

    https://twitter.com/SKhanAthlete/status/1428982990114213888?s=20

    Khan has become the only female cyclist to reach the base camp of the world’s second tallest peak K2. She holds the title of the first Pakistani to summit Mount Kilimanjaro and the Biafo Glaciers in the Karakoram Range on a bike, has set a unique record by reaching the base camp of the savage mountain via cycle.

    Earlier, Samar gave it back with the same dismissiveness.

  • Twitter slams Geo News’ anchor for sexist remarks

    A Geo News news anchor, Zohaib Hassan responded to Analyst Mehmal Sarfraz’s analysis on the ongoing situation of the women not being safe in the public spaces.

    Mehmal Sarfraz said that all women are feeling unsafe in the country and more needs to be done for their protection. To which the presenter said that, “You are making a sweeping statement.”

    Many journalists and other social media users took to Twitter to call out the presenter for his remarks.

  • Mob beats up woman reportedly in Lahore Park

    A video is doing rounds on social media that shows several people beating a woman reportedly in a park in Lahore.

    A mob can be seen physically assaulting a woman while a few people helped her and dragged her out of that crowd.

    https://youtu.be/iQqU-E8QJfs

    Earlier, two more women were harassed in separate incidents on August 14 that sparked outrage on social media.

  • Video: Superstar Ayeza Khan reveals her fitness and diet secrets, ‘No compromise’

    Video: Superstar Ayeza Khan reveals her fitness and diet secrets, ‘No compromise’

    Superstar Ayeza Khan took to her official Instagram handle to share her diet and fitness secrets with an elaborative caption.

    Earlier in an interview the Chupke Chupke star revealed how she lost her weight after becoming a mother.

    The Meray Paas Tum Ho star recently celebrated her 7th wedding anniversary.

    Earlier this week, the Meherposh diva took to her Instagram stories to express her disappointment and anger on the ‘Minar-e-Pakistan’ incident. The Pyaray Afzal star penned an extensive note to share her thoughts on the situation.

    On the work front, Ayeza can be seen in Laapata opposite Ali Rehman Khan and Sarah Khan.

  • Ramiz Raja  could become Chairman PCB: Reports

    Ramiz Raja could become Chairman PCB: Reports

    Former Test cricketer-turned commentator Ramiz Raja has reportedly joined the race for the slot of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairmanship.

    PCB’s Chairman Ehsan Mani’s three-year term as the head of the sports body is ending on September 18.

    According to a report on Geo News, Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is also the patron in chief of the PCB, will recommend two names to the governing board for the coveted post in the next few days.

    Ehsan Mani and Asad Ali Khan are the representatives of the prime minister in the PCB governing board. Reports circulating claimed that Raja will replace Mani.

    On May 31, PCB chairman Mani had debunked rumours of forwarding his resignation to the Prime Minister, The News reported.

    Earlier, Former PCB Chairperson Najam Sethi had suggested that the current board chairperson Mani and CEO Wasim Khan should be removed from their posts.

    PM Khan should take some time and see what was happening with Pakistan cricket, Sethi had reported as saying in an interview by The News on June 4.

    Raja is a Pakistani cricket commentator, YouTuber, a Ravian, and a former cricketer, who represented Pakistan during the 1980s and the 1990s. He was also the part of 1992 cricket World Cup winning team. Since retiring from cricket, he has been a commentator in international cricket matches.

  • Pakistan has failed its women

    Pakistan has failed its women

    Just this week, we wrote about the heart-wrenching incident of sexual assault and harassment of a woman at Minar-e-Pakistan on August 14. As if this was not enough, two new videos surfaced yesterday — one in which a woman was forcefully kissed by a man when she was travelling on a Chingchi rickshaw on August 14.

    The man jumped on the Chingchi while it was stuck on the road due to traffic and tried to kiss the woman and we heard another woman’s scream, who was sitting with her. Another video shows a mob trying to harass a woman at Minar-e-Pakistan and she is only saved because she keeps waving a stick to disperse them and keep them at bay. 

    When we say that the women of Pakistan feel unsafe, we hear that these are just odd incidents and should not be used to distort the image of Pakistan. What exactly is the image of Pakistan if women of the country are being harassed, assaulted, and attacked every single day, in multiple incidents? These are not odd incidents. These incidents and their aftermath depict the reality of Pakistan: women are blamed after each incident.

    A TikToker gets sexually assaulted by hundreds of men for more than two and a half hours at Minar-e-Pakistan and no one helped her but she is blamed for going there for a meet and greet session with her fans. So, is a meet and greet session now forbidden for women in Pakistan, and does it warrant hundreds of men sexually assaulting a woman? When Noor Mukadam was beheaded, the women of Pakistan demanded justice. But there were those who started blaming a dead woman for being killed: ‘Why did she go there, why was she with a man alone, she had no family values.’ These were the disgusting comments being made to justify — JUSTIFY — a gruesome murder of an innocent woman. 

    When we hear such comments even after the most heinous crimes, it shows that Pakistan is no place for women. We do not respect our women. We do not like independent women. We dislike opinionated women. We justify crimes against women. We blame women for society’s ills. 

    Our leaders pass extremely violent and misogynistic comments against their women opponents and are still lauded instead of being reprimanded. When our top leader issues a rape apology, he is defended by women parliamentarians. When such is the attitude of the people on top, imagine what message it gives to the common people. They think they can do anything with women and get away with it. And they do get away in almost all cases. 
    This is our sad reality. Dear women of Pakistan, we are sorry. We have failed you.

  • Bakhtawar Bhutto demands men be banned from public spaces

    Bakhtawar Bhutto took to Twitter to express her outrage, demanding that all men should be banned from public spaces.

    In a series of tweets, Multimedia Journalist Sabin Agha shared the horrors of her experience of being harassed at Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi on August 14, a few years ago.

    “Some 100 odd frustrated boys & men attacked me & my cameraman at Mazar-e-Quaid. My cameraman and his camera were shoved back & forth/ but I was manhandled. I was groped on every part of my body. My hair was pulled from the back & both sides. My clothes & dupatta were pulled by men,” wrote Sabin.

    “At one point someone tried to wrap my dupatta around my neck to choke me, all the while groping me with hysterical laughs and every existing cussword hurled at me,” further added Sabin.

    “I went to police van standing at the doorstep of Mazar Quaid, who watched the entire episode. I asked them why did they not come to help. Police response: “bibi hum 4 hay aur wo 150. Hum kese rok sktay thy. Ap ayee kiyun [Madam, we were four in number and they 150 in total. How could we possibly have stopped them? Why did you come here?],” wrote Sabin.

    Reacting to the journalist’s experience angry Baktawar Bhutto demanded that “all men should be banned from public places”.

    “Another harrowing experience – witnessed by police who refused to help despite their ability to call for backup as well as use weapons to disperse the crowd. We need more women to safeguard women,” wrote Bakhtawar.

    Recently, three women were harassed in three separate incidents on Aug 14, which sparked outrage on social media.