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  • Shahid Aslam appointed Pakistan men’s cricket team batting coach

    Shahid Aslam appointed Pakistan men’s cricket team batting coach

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed Shahid Aslam as the new batting coach for the national cricket team.

    Pakistani cricket team’s batting lineup faced difficulties in Australia, where they were unable to play 20 overs.

    The board has confirmed Aslam’s appointment and he will be going to Zimbabwe and South Africa as a batting coach.

    The spokesperson for the board has stated that a spin bowling coach is also being sought for the Pakistan team, who will be appointed soon.

    Shahid has been appointed as the coach on the recommendation of Aqib Javed. He was part of the team’s support staff for many years, and he is famous for getting the batters to practice and throwing throw-downs for hours.

  • Autistic child falls to death inside manhole at Children’s Hospital

    Autistic child falls to death inside manhole at Children’s Hospital

    A special child with autism drowned in an open manhole in Lahore’s Children’s Hospital. The deep and deadly manhole was located near the office of the medical director (MD) of the hospital. 


    The three-year-old child was identified as Muhammad Basim Ikhlaq, and he had been brought to the hospital for a therapy session for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).


    The body was recovered after two hours because of his mother’s hyperactive efforts, knocking at the door of every admin official of the hospital.


    The death of the minor took place on Saturday due to the alleged negligence of the hospital management, which also tried to silence the victim’s family, reports said.


    Reportedly, the child was recovered by a janitor because the hospital insisted on not seeking Rescue 1122’s help to search for the body as they did not “want the matter to go public”.


    A private media outlet quoted hospital sources as saying that the child fell into the manhole as his father went to buy a toy for him, leaving him with his mother. The manhole was not visible as the hospital had hidden it with grass, they said.


    “Had the hospital administration called Rescue 1122, my son could have been recovered alive,” said Basim’s father, Ikhlaq Ahmad. 


    He also lambasted the hospital for a two-hour delay in taking action, asserting that his wife ran from pillar to post but no one came to help and recover the then missing child.

     They could have at least checked the security cameras installed in the vicinity where the child had been left to play, he said.


    Ikhlaq said that his wife even rushed to the hospital’s mosque to make an announcement for the missing child after coming back from a nearby police station where the clerk and SHO “wasted time” by referring the case to each other.


    Upon Ikhlaq’s arrival, some attendants of other patients came to help, alerted the hospital’s administration and “engaged” a sweeper to look for the child in the five-foot deep manhole.


    “It was a very painful and terrible time for me and my wife when the sweeper recovered the body of my son from the manhole,” Ikhlaq lamented. He said that hospital higher-ups also refused to help them shift the body to their native city of Kasur.


    “I had to call my maternal uncle, who is a property dealer in Gulberg, and we took the body to Kasur.”


    Ikhlaq said that his wife used to bring their child to the hospital for every appointment and exclaimed that “she was still in trauma”.


    He appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to hold an impartial inquiry into the criminal negligence that led to his son’s death.


    The hospital, on the other hand, revealed that the manhole was situated inside a greenbelt right behind the office of the MD, Professor Tipu Sultan. An official defended the presence of the manhole by stating that the area was under constant surveillance but also admitted that it was a threat to the lives of children and patients as attendees often waited in greenbelts and parks.


    Institute of Child Health/Children’s Hospital Vice Chancellor Prof Masood Sadiq also defended the institute by saying that the incident took place inside a greenbelt that had been cordoned off. He also shifted the blame to the mother of the victim.

  • US forces arrest gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother

    US forces arrest gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother

    Jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother, Anmol Bishnoi, has reportedly been arrested in the United States (US).

    According to Indian media reports, authorities in the US state of California have taken Anmol into custody. “We have received information from sources that Anmol Bishnoi, who runs gang activities from the US along with Goldy Brar, was arrested in California four to five days ago. We are trying to get more details on the matter.”

    Reports quoted a law enforcement officer as saying that official channels were being used to obtain more information regarding the incident.

    Anmol was last seen in Fresno, California, but it is not clear where he was arrested.

    This is the second major incident of the arrest of a wanted gangster. Earlier, Arshdeep Singh Gul (Arsh Dala) was arrested in Canada late last month.

    Authorities in the US were already in touch with Mumbai Police regarding Anmol Bishnoi’s presence, reports said and added that Mumbai Police was also investigating Anmol Bishnoi’s involvement in cases such as the shooting incident near Salman Khan’s residence and the murder of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Baba Siddique.

    Reports said that authorities were also preparing to apply to the US for Bishnoi’s extradition to India.

    India’s National Investigation Agency had earlier included Bishnoi to its list of most wanted criminals and had also announced a reward of Rs1 million for catching him.

  • ‘Country’s honour comes first’: Mohsin Naqvi on holding Champions Trophy in Pakistan

    ‘Country’s honour comes first’: Mohsin Naqvi on holding Champions Trophy in Pakistan

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has said that the country’s honour comes first, and come what may, Champions Trophy 2025 will be held in Pakistan.

    “Pakistan’s honour comes first, the rest will come later. The Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan… our contact is only with the International Cricket Council (ICC), and we are waiting for their response. If India has reservations, they should talk to us. We will address them,” the PCB chairman said in conversation with media personnel in Lahore.

    He hoped for the best, saying that sports and politics were two separate things. “We stand by our decision and will remain so. The ICC will soon announce the schedule for the Champions Trophy,” Naqvi added.

    When talking about renovation work at Gaddafi Stadium, he said it was progresssing rapidly. “The development work at Gaddafi Stadium will be completed on time. All enclosures will remain in place, no enclosure is being demolished.”

    To a question about reports of changes within the management of the cricketing board, the PCB chief said, “Wahab Riaz is working continuously, no one was removed… and Mohammad Yousuf is also not being allowed to go anywhere. I am bringing cricketers together. How can I let them go? Abdul Razzaq is also very important to me.”

    To another question, Naqvi clarified that the Champions Trophy tour had not been cancelled. “It has only been rescheduled.”

  • Kohli follows THIS Pakistani cricketer on Instagram

    Kohli follows THIS Pakistani cricketer on Instagram

    Indian star cricketer Virat Kohli has not only made his mark on the cricketing field, but is also quite popular on social media as one of the most expensive athletes to advertise with.

    While he is the most followed cricketer as well as Indian personality on Instagram with a whopping 271 million followers, Kohli himself only follows 282 people, one of whom is a Pakistani cricketer.

    Any guesses? Hint: it’s not Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi or Shahid Afridi. Well, Kohli does not follow any cricketers currently playing for Pakistan. Rather, he only follows former Pakistani fast bowler, skipper and ‘Sultan of Swing’ Wasim Akram.

    Wasim is considered one of the world’s greatest bowlers. After retirement, he has also held coaching responsibilities in the Indian Premier League.

    Why did Wasim Akram deny PCB’s job offer?

    Former Pakistan cricket team captain Wasim Akram has opened up about why he declined a job offer from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    During an online press conference in Melbourne, he said, ” I received a job offer, but I’m not someone who can work a 9 to 5 job.”

    Talking about the Champions Trophy 2025, he said, “Positive signals are coming from India regarding the Champions Trophy. The PCB has made several offers to the Indian Board, and India should come to Pakistan.”

    Akram highlighted the massive fan following that Indian players have in Pakistan, saying, “Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav have many fans here. Fans are eagerly waiting for them. People from both countries should interact more, and India should consider this.”

    On his personal experiences, he mentioned, “I haven’t been to India for six or seven years, and I miss the food and people there. Indian players would enjoy coming to Pakistan.”

    Discussing the upcoming series in Australia, Akram noted, “Conditions in Australia are tough, and it won’t be easy for Pakistan. Winning even one ODI would be a significant achievement, and the T20 series should be good.”

    Akram praised Fakhar Zaman, stating, “Fakhar Zaman is an impact player. I’m sure Fakhar didn’t write the social media statement himself. Whoever wrote it should have informed him about the potential issues related to the central contract. This is a lesson for Fakhar to be more mindful of his social media posts, and the PCB was right to be upset about the matter.”


    The former national team captain also praised Mohsin Naqvi, saying, “Mohsin Naqvi is doing excellent work for cricket and can run the cricket board professionally.”

    In response to a question about Rizwan’s captaincy, Akram said, “Mohammad Rizwan has captaincy experience and is a good choice. He should focus on his game.”

    Regarding criticism of creating pitches for home advantage, Akram remarked, “We don’t need enemies when we have enough critics within. Criticism of home advantage is incomprehensible. I’ve been advocating for turning pitches for the past 5-6 years, even if it means losing. I’m glad that someone finally considered this, and after losing three consecutive Test matches, we won two consecutive Tests.”

    Expressing his happiness about the future of Pakistani cricket, Akram added, “I’m pleased that young players are being given opportunities to prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Players like Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah should focus on their game, leave social media, go home after playing cricket, and enjoy. Babar Azam should also forget about captaincy, play cricket, and score runs.”

    Pakistan will be hosting the Champions Trophy next year in February and March.

  • Tauseeq Haider of ‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum’ hints at season two of hit drama serial

    Tauseeq Haider of ‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum’ hints at season two of hit drama serial

    Television host and actor Tauseeq Haider, who recently received praise for doing justice to his role of Murtaza in ‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum’, might have just hinted at a possible second season of the hit drama serial.

    Appearing as a guest on the Tabish Hashmi’s Hasna Mana Hai, Haider was interacting with the audience when someone asked him about his character’s attitude towards Fahad Mustafa’s character in the drama.

    “You recently did a new drama, ‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum’. Throughout the drama, you humiliated Fahad Mustafa’s character a lot. But when he succeeded in the end, why didn’t you praise him? You criticised him till he wasn’t doing anything. When he succeeded in the end, you didn’t praise him at all. Why is that?” a member of the audience asked.

    The Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum actor replied, “Look, son, we should leave something for season two, right?” 

    Earlier, Haider also addressed some questions about his personal life that have been doing the rounds on social media.

    “My question is regarding social media rumors that you never got married. Is there any truth to it?” another member of the audience asked.

    “No, these are not rumors… this is the truth,” Haider confirmed.

     The drama Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, which wrapped up with a grand finale in cinemas nationwide, has become a huge hit, with fans showing love for Mustafa and Sharjeena.  

    This success adds another milestone to Fahad Mustafa’s already impressive career.

    Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum is written by Farhat Ishtiaq and directed by Badar Mehmood.

    Last week, in a recent with Something Haute hosted by Hassan Choudhry, Fahad Mustafa revealed the story behind the iconic shirt scene from Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum.

    The host asked, “The idea of creating highly realistic characters and showing Hania and you switching outfits, whose idea was that?”

    Fahad replied, “You know, intimacy has its own height, we’re quite restricted when it comes to television, and many scenes that we showcased in the cinema were innocent and very cute. There wasn’t a cringe worthy moment or anything that would make you feel uncomfortable.”

    “We thought, what could be the height of romance? If you’re truly in love with someone, what would you do, but then again, how could we show that? We can’t dance or do much else here. I think the maximum we could do was hold hands, and that’s about it”, he said.  

    Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum actor shared how the beloved shirt scene came to life.

      “There’s a scene where she comes out of the bathroom, and I ask her, ‘what are you doing?’ We decided to just play with it. What I liked most was how the audience connected. If you show them things that happen to them or things that are normal, that’s where the romance lies. Romance isn’t about descending from a helicopter with flowing hair”, Fahad Mustafa added. 

  • Areeba Habib defends Diwali celebration after social media backlash

    Areeba Habib defends Diwali celebration after social media backlash


    Actress and model Areeba Habib has defended celebrating Diwali as netizens train guns at her for participating in the Hindu festival earlier this month. 


    As per the details, Areeba celebrated Diwali with friends, including famous designer and actor Deepak Perwani, and shared pictures from the event on her social media accounts, drawing strong reactions from fans. 


    Appearing as a guest on After Hours with Ushna Shah, Areeba addressed the backlash she faced.


    “Recently, I posted something and received a lot of backlash. It was about Diwali. I feel like we live in a country where people from many different backgrounds live… Christians, obviously Hindus, and all of us together. There are so many things we share culturally,” she said.
    Defending her decision, Areeba said that celebrating someone else’s joy shouldn’t be controversial.  


    “If you go and participate in someone’s happiness and enjoy with them a little, what’s wrong with that? They don’t have anyone here. They are far away from their families and loved ones. For them, this is home. We are the ones who can make them feel included. And yet, people have a problem with this,” the Jalan actress said.


    She also revealed how she celebrated Christmas with her Christian staff and decorated a Christmas tree at home. “I do it because a lot of my staffers are Christian. I celebrate with them too… I put up a Christmas tree at home. Even for that, people have things to say. I believe we are Muslims, Alhamdulillah, but as human beings, we should at least respect and celebrate others’ happiness. Nobody is telling you to convert or do anything drastic… just participate in their joy.”


    Areeba also addressed the negative comments she often receives online, sharing how she has learned to deal with trolls.


    “As parents, it’s our responsibility to teach our kids that if you can’t say something nice to someone, then don’t say anything at all. My brother once told me, ‘Think of them as people who are venting their frustrations because they have nothing else to do.’ These people have cheap internet packages in Pakistan. They get a package for 200 or 100 rupees and just spend their time trolling online. That becomes their achievement… to get a reply from public figures like us. When we reply, they feel like they’ve accomplished something major. They feel victorious, thinking they’ve taught us a lesson,” she said.


    To a question about how important it was to have a mentor or someone who guides you in the industry, Areeba said it was crucial because if someone brought you into the industry and taught you a little, it gave you a good direction to proceed.


    “As a new person, when you enter, you have no idea whom to talk to or what to say. Half the time, people assume you’re begging for work. But I don’t see anything wrong with asking for work. Asking for work is a good thing. It’s saying, ‘I have talent, I can do this, please check if I’m suitable.’  This used to happen a lot more in the past. Back then, we had people like Frieha Altaf and many others who would provide such guidance,” she said.

  • Sweden, Finland urge residents to be ready for war

    Sweden, Finland urge residents to be ready for war

    Sweden on Monday began sending some five million pamphlets to residents urging them to prepare for the possibility of war, as neighbouring Finland launched a new preparedness website.

    Both Sweden and Finland dropped decades of military non-alignment to join the US-led military alliance NATO in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

    Since the start of the war, Stockholm has repeatedly urged Swedes to prepare both mentally and logistically for the possibility of war, citing the serious security situation in its vicinity.

    The booklet “If Crisis or War Comes”, sent by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), contains information about how to prepare for emergencies such as war, natural disasters, or cyber-attacks.

    It is an updated version of a pamphlet that Sweden has issued five times since World War II.

    The previous version sent out in 2018 made headlines, as it was the first time it had been sent to Swedes since 1961 at the height of the Cold War.

    “The security situation is serious and we all need to strengthen our resilience to face various crises and ultimately war,” MSB director Mikael Frisell said in a statement.

    The 32-page document outlines with simple illustrations the threats facing the Nordic nation, including military conflict, natural disasters, and cyber and terror attacks.

    It includes tips for preparedness, such as keeping non-perishable food in stock and storing water.

    MSB said the updated 2024 version had a stronger focus on preparation for war.

    Over the next two weeks 5.2 million copies will be sent to Swedish households.

    The brochure is available in print in both Swedish and English and digital versions are available in several other languages — including Arabic, Farsi, Ukrainian, Polish, Somali and Finnish.

    Sweden’s former army chief Micael Byden alarmed many of his compatriots in January when he urged them to consider their own preparedness.

    “Swedes have to mentally prepare for war,” he said.

    Also on Monday, the government in Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia, launched a website gathering information on preparedness for different crises.

  • PCB to rehire Wahab Riaz for new role: report

    PCB to rehire Wahab Riaz for new role: report

    Former cricketer Wahab Riaz, who was removed as a member of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) senior management due to poor performance after the T20 World Cup earlier this year, will soon be rehired, reports said Monday.


    According to reports, Riaz is likely to be entrusted with affairs of domestic events and appointed as supervisor of the Champions Cup.
    He will also take charge as the head of Champions Cup’s mentors, reports said.


    Meanwhile, Mohammad Yousuf has sent his resignation to the PCB after stepping down from coaching responsibilities at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Yousuf’s resignation, however, is yet to be accepted by the board.


    Wahab Riaz was removed from the position of senior manager of the national team after the T20 World Cup 2024.


    His sacking came as netizens trained guns at the PCB for appointing “deadwood” in critical roles at the cost of team’s performance in major tournaments.

    In July, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) removed Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq from the national cricket team selection committee.

    According to Geo, after their retirement, Muhammad Yusuf and Asad Shafiq are members of the selection committee, and Bilal Afzal is also a member.

    Reports said that PCB had lost faith in both for some time, but the PCB still has faith in Mohammad Yousuf and Asad Shafiq. Their involvement in the T20 World Cup squad selection was high, and these selectors favoured the same players who did not perform.

    Four former cricketers, Wahab Riaz, Abdul Razzaq, Asad Shafiq, and Muhammad Yusuf, were included in the national cricket team’s selection committee. Wahab Riaz was also the team’s senior manager.

    The PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had an important meeting with the coaches of the Pakistan Cricket Team, Gary Kirsten, Jason Gillespie and Assistant Coach Azhar Mehmood.

  • ‘It’s not just my story, it’s Sharjeena’s too’: Fahad Mustafa on ‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum’

    ‘It’s not just my story, it’s Sharjeena’s too’: Fahad Mustafa on ‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum’

     
    Fahad Mustafa, the lead actor for ‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum’, has yet again made headlines, but this time, for praising the team that made the drama a massive hit.   

     
    “The story in this drama isn’t just mine, it’s Sharjeena’s too… and in my opinion, this is the only drama in many years where every character has done a great job,” he said in conversation with Bollywood Hungama when asked if he thought the audience was biased towards Mustafa as compared to Sharjeena.


    Reflecting on his ability to connect with viewers, Fahad replied, “Look, I’ve always had an issue with connecting with the audience. It’s a rare thing, but I always say that I’m gifted. Maybe the audience feels like I’m one of them. I look like a common man, I’m a common guy, the boy next door. So, there’s this idea that if a hero can be someone like me, then anyone can be a hero. This is how I quickly connect with the audience, so bias automatically comes into play.”


    “It’s not just about Mustafa and Sharjeena… even the parents, Adil, Rubab and even the brother-in-law who played the role so well. Our sister [Maya Khan], she was very famous in our time… during PTV days, anyone who came on TV became a star overnight,” he added. 


    Fahad also opened up about his connection with fans, the success of the drama serial and the importance of collaboration between Pakistan and India while commenting on the drama’s success across the border.
    “It’s a good thing that we work internationally… I worked with Om Puri, and when he came to Pakistan, he worked with me. I also worked with Kamaljeet and had interviews with Naseer Saab, Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik, and many others,” he said.


    Fahad maintained that artists on either side of the border should interact on an equal basis so that projects on both sides can be at the same level. “Right now, people from India love our dramas. I don’t understand why we don’t work together, what’s the problem? At least both sides should have positivity, because people love each other.”


    The ‘Actor In Law’ actor also highlighted the cultural connect between Pakistan and India, recalling moments where fans from both countries bonded over mutual love for cricket and dramas. 


    “Our people get visas to go to India, and many people come here. I play a lot of cricket so when I go to any ground, I usually meet Pakistani and Indian fans… some of whom are visiting their relatives here,” Fahad concluded.