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  • Peshawar Zalmi’s owner Javed Afridi catching up with Esra Bilgiç

    Peshawar Zalmi’s owner Javed Afridi catching up with Esra Bilgiç

    PSL 6 is just around the corner and fans are excited to see all their favorite cricketers from different countries be together in one stadium. What makes PSL 2021 more exciting is that international celebrities will also be joining the franchises as brand ambassadors.

    Esra Bilgiç, who played the role of Halima Sultan in the famous Turkish drama series Dirilis: Ertugrul, had hinted that she would be working be PSL 6 franchise Peshawar Zalmi. Recently, in a tweet, she wrote “new beginnings” and tagged the franchise’s owner Javed Afridi.

    https://twitter.com/esbilgic/status/1359574689643921409?s=20

    In response, the owner of Peshawar Zalmi’s franchise Afridi also tweeted “New Beginning” and tagged the Turkish actress.

    To increase people’s excitement, Afridi has shared a new photo with the Turkish star on his Insta story. Both, Javed and Esra, can be seen talking via video chat and pose for a screenshot image. Afridi wrote, “Pleasure catching up with you Esra.”

    The actress had created suspense last year in July after she tweeted that she had some “good news” and tagged the Zalmi account as well as Javed Afridi.

    https://twitter.com/esbilgic/status/1279772401853702150?s=20

    Earlier in January, in an Instagram post, she posted a picture of Islamia University Peshawar with the caption “The City of Flowers”. This led to fans and followers speculating if the star was in Pakistan.

    It was being speculated that Esra will be visiting Pakistan soon as she has reportedly signed a contract with Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Peshawar Zalmi. While it is too early to say if Bilgiç will be coming to Pakistan.

    Meanwhile, Javed recently revealed that Mahira Khan will represent Pakistan Super League franchise Peshawar Zalmi in the sixth edition.

  • Here’s why PM Imran was ‘sorry’ for winning a $72,000 car in 1989

    Here’s why PM Imran was ‘sorry’ for winning a $72,000 car in 1989

    Prime Minister Imran Khan won a Range Rover car worth $72,000 in 1989 for being the International Cricketer of the Year and Australian press wasn’t happy with it.

    The PM shared a newspaper clipping of the incident on his Instagram account. At the time, Imran was the first Asian and eighth foreigner to win the prize that was started in 1979.

    Imran and Australian cricketer Dean Jones were in the run for the ICC prize and Australian skipper Allan Border was irked by the fact that the award went to Imran Khan from Pakistan. Border said that the award should have been given to his teammate Dean Jones.

    As per the article shared by Imran Khan on his social media account, when he went out for toss with Aussie cricketer Allan Border at the MCG for the first of the best of three finals, he wore a specially printed T-shirt saying “I’m sorry I won the car.”

    When Imran Khan told interviewer Ian Chappell that the proceeds from the $72,000 Rover 827 Vitesse were to be donated to the cancer hospital he was setting up in Lahore at the time, Allan Borders was embarrassed.

  • Naya Pakistan: PM House expenditure falls from Rs59 crores in 2018 to Rs28 crores in 2020

    Naya Pakistan: PM House expenditure falls from Rs59 crores in 2018 to Rs28 crores in 2020

    With Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s government still seeming determined to relieve the treasury of some of its burden as part of the ruling party’s austerity drive, the expenditures of PM House and Office have reportedly reduced by 49% and 29%, respectively.

    According to reports, the total expenditure of the PM House narrowed down to Rs280 million (Rs28 crores) in 2020 from Rs339 million (Rs33 crores) in 2019 and Rs590 million (Rs59 crores) in 2018 — the year when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was handed reins of the country.

    The PM Office witnessed a considerable decrease in its expenditure from 2018 to 2020, but last year was slightly more than in 2019. It stood at Rs334 million (Rs33 crores) in 2020, Rs305 million (Rs30 crores) in 2019 and Rs514 million (Rs51 crores) in 2018.

    In a first, the premier has not used any discretionary funds in the form of cash awards, gifts etc. He has made around 26 official visits till now, but their combined cost stood at a mere Rs176 million (Rs17 crores) as compared to his predecessors.

    The premier, since assuming office in 2018, has been pushing for austerity measures to save taxpayers’ money and reduce the burden on the national exchequer.

    Despite the steps taken by PM Imran in this regard, the austerity drive has faced multiple setbacks owing to the apparent reluctance of the lawmakers in cutting down expenses.

  • Dubai Princess Sheikha Latifa releases video from ‘villa jail’

    Dubai Princess Sheikha Latifa releases video from ‘villa jail’

    The BBC’s investigative news programme Panorama on Tuesday published a video it said was of Sheikha Latifa, one of the ruler of Dubai’s daughters, saying that she was being held against her will in a barricaded villa.

    According to a report of Reuters, Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum drew international attention in 2018 when a human rights group released a video made by her in which she described an attempt to escape Dubai.

    Last March, a London High Court judge said he accepted as proved a series of allegations made by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum’s former wife, Princess Haya, in a legal battle, including that the sheikh ordered the abduction of Latifa. The sheikh’s lawyers rejected the allegations.

    “I am a hostage and this villa has been converted into a jail,” Latifa, 35, said in the video published by the BBC as part of a Panorama programme airing on Tuesday.

    “All the windows are barred shut, I can’t open any window.” She said she was making the video in the bathroom of the villa, the only room she could lock herself into.

    Reuters could not independently verify when or where the video was recorded.The Free Latifa campaign, which has lobbied for her release, said it had managed to smuggle a phone to Latifa.

    David Haigh, one of the campaign’s co-founders and her lawyer, called for Latifa’s immediate release and an end to “a horrendous period of parental and human rights abuse that has significantly damaged the reputation of the UAE.”

    The Dubai government’s media office referred questions about the video to Sheikh Mohammed’s law firm, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    David Pannick, a lawyer in London representing Sheikh Mohammed in the legal battle with Princess Haya, said: “As one of the lawyers in current legal proceedings, I cannot comment.”

    Appearing alert and speaking calmly, Latifa said in the video that there were police officers stationed outside and inside the villa. “I just want to be free,” she added.

    In December 2018, the UAE foreign ministry said Latifa was at home and living with her family, after rights groups called on authorities in the Gulf Arab state to disclose her whereabouts and condition.

    Later, BBC News shared a detailed report on the matter, check out the video below:

  • Boy from Thar sets world record for fastest Periodic Table arrangement

    Boy from Thar sets world record for fastest Periodic Table arrangement

    A Pakistani boy has set the world record for arranging the fastest periodic table. The existing record was two minutes and 42 seconds while the youngster from Thar arranged the table in one minute and 58 seconds.

    The school student, namely Rohan Khatwani, set the record at the Islamabad Science Festival. The event was arranged at the Pakistan National Council of Arts on February 13.

    In an official tweet, the government also congratulated Khatwani, saying that he had made the nation proud by setting the new world record.

    According to the details of the event, around 80 schools participated in the festival and displayed their projects.

    A range of innovative ideas, including walk-in sanitising stations, precautions against coronavirus, and myth-busting related to COVID-19 remedies, were also featured.

  • Nawaz signed NRO to go to London, claims ex-minister

    Nawaz signed NRO to go to London, claims ex-minister

    The establishment allowed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to go to London for medical treatment as a part of an NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance] deal struck between the two parties, claimed Ijazul Haq, former minister and son of military dictator Gen Ziaul Haq.

    In an interview with Samaa, the ex-minister claimed the change in platelets count was an NRO deal. “Certainly, there was establishment involved,” Haq claimed.

    Haq claimed that he knew the “platelets and blood report of Sharif was changed to facilitate his escape from Pakistan”.

    “I know that the platelet or blood report was something else and the report on paper was something else,” he said. Haq said the information is “authentic” and he has “proof” to substantiate his claim, reported Samaa.

    It may be noted that the former premier was rushed to hospital from jail after a drastic decrease in his platelets. Subsequently, he was allowed to go abroad for treatment in Nov 2019 after submitting an assurance in the court.

    Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is in London for more than one year due to medical reasons and his passport is also expired.

    The government has refused to renew his passport, saying it could issue an emergency travel document on his request for returning back to the country.

    However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has tried all means to bring Nawaz back but without any success. PM Imran had announced that he would go to the UK himself to bring Nawaz back.

    His statement was followed by Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed saying that only Allah can bring Nawaz Sharif back. But eventually, the government decided that it won’t renew the passport of the ex-PM in an attempt to force his hand.

  • PML-N Senator Mushahidullah passes away at 68

    PML-N Senator Mushahidullah passes away at 68

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Senator Mushahidullah Khan, 68, passed away in Islamabad in the wee hours of Thursday.

    The PML-N senator was not well for quite some time; however, the cause of his death was not immediately clear. Senator Mushahidullah’s funeral prayers will be held after Zuhr in Islamabad’s Sector H-11 on Thursday, according to his family.

    The death of the senator was shared by PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz in a tweet. She prayed tribute to the senator’s services, calling him the “loyal and exceptional companion” of former premier Nawaz Sharif.

    “I am shattered to hear the sad news. Will never be able to forget his fatherly affection and love. Huge, huge loss,” she said.

    As per a report in Dawn, Mushahidullah had remained a trusted comrade of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif ever since the latter was forced into exile after the military coup in 1999. First appointed party information secretary and later made a senator in 2009, he also served as the party spokesperson for many years.

    The PML-N leader was also awarded a ticket to contest the upcoming Senate elections on a general seat.

    The senior PML-N leader also was the chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Aviation and a member of the Council of Chairpersons and various others standing committees. He was also part of the parliamentary committees on Appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Members of the Election Commission of Pakistan, Kashmir, and National Security.

  • Bushra Bibi’s Bestie Gets Senate Ticket?

    Bushra Bibi’s Bestie Gets Senate Ticket?









    *|MC:SUBJECT|*

    Hey, Good Morning *|MERGE1|*. it’s February 17th.Spreading some early morning cheerfulness to get your day started.

    Today we can expect a lot of sunshine in all the major cities across the country.

    Enjoy the Sun!

     

    Laila-The Current 

    Morning Meme

    First lady’s friend among PTI’s Punjab candidates for Senate

    At least 29 candidates, including a close friend of the first lady, have filed their nomination papers for 11 Senate seats in Punjab with the elections scheduled to be held on March 3.

    Read on

    Nawaz’s passport has expired. Now what?

    Nawaz Sharif jo ke London mein hain for more than one year due to medical reasons, will be without a passport since it expired last night. To learn ke ab Nawaz Sharif ke paas kya options hain, check the story below.

    Read On

    Know Your Politician | Faisal Vawda

    Faisal Vawda, who might become a senator soon, joined PTI in 2010. He is currently the Federal Minister for Water Resources. Here’s all you need to know about the man who has mastered the art of staying in the news. 

    Watch

    Ertuğrul star cancels deals with Kashif Zameer

    Engin Altan Düzyatan has announced that he is renouncing his agreement with Kashif Zameer, who had invited him to Pakistan after Zameer withheld the payment due to Engin. Even after what has happened, Engin has said he would love to visit Pakistan again. 

    Read On

    Naumaan Ijaz says ‘false allegations of harassment’ should be a punishable offence

    In a country where people do not take the allegations of harassment seriously, Actor Naumaan Ijaz says they should be, even in cases of false accusations. 

    Read On

    Missing out on the news?

    PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh detained for violating ECP code of conduct and Nawaz Sharif’s passport expiry, here is the recap of yesterday’s top stories.

    Watch DRF

    Who’s Chair is this?

    Our next Sunday guest has his photo on a chair in his lounge. Can you guess who it is?

    On this Day: 17 February 

    Aftermath of Pulwama attack

    Fear engulfed Muslims living in Occupied Kashmir as they bore the brunt of the Pulwama attack.

    Current Baba’s prediction

    Aaj there are chances for you to get injured so don’t twirl your chair too much.

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  • South Africa’s Faf du Plessis announces retirement from Test cricket

    South Africa’s Faf du Plessis announces retirement from Test cricket

    South Africa batsman Faf du Plessis on Wednesday announced that he is retiring from Test cricket. 

    The former South Africa captain wrote in a post on Instagram, where he also shared a statement on his decision. “My heart is clear and the time is right to walk into a new chapter.”

    With two T20 World Cups in the next two years, Du Plessis said he is shifting his focus to the shortest format of the game. “It has been an honour to play for my country in all the formats of the game, but the time has come for me to retire from Test cricket,” he wrote.

    “The next two years are ICC T20 World Cup years. Because of this, my focus is shifting to this format and I want to play as much of it as possible around the world so that I can be the best player I can possibly be.”

    He represented South Africa in 69 Tests and scored 4,163 runs at an average of 40.02. He scored 10 centuries and registered his highest score of 199 in 2020. He had a memorable Test debut against Australia in Adelaide in 2012, when he scored 78 in the first inning and followed it up with a maiden Test century in the second.

    His final Test came in Rawalpindi against Pakistan earlier this month.

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) also thanked the veteran cricketer on Twitter for “the memories”.

    Meanwhile, The Pakistan Super League (PSL) announced the replacement picks for the teams that will lose some players due to international commitments.

    The teams made replacement picks for the players who have either become fully or partially unavailable due to international cricket commitments. Du Plessis, who was earlier part of the Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 2020 play-offs, returns to the league as a partial replacement player in the Quetta Gladiators outfit in place of the West Indian Chris Gayle.

  • British-Pakistani-American Designer Tan France collaborates with shoe brand ‘Atoms’

    British-Pakistani-American fashion designer Tan France has collaborated with shoe brand Atoms to launch their signature collection, “Atoms x Tan France”.

    The story of the couple behind the brand, went viral few weeks ago after it was shared by Humans of New York. The couple hails from Okara.

    Sidra and Waqas started Atoms armed with ambition, curiosity, and a passion for making shoes. Despite coming from a modest, traditionally conservative upbringing, that drive took them from Okara, Pakistan, to Lahore, and then to Silicon Valley in the United States, and now in Brooklyn, New York where Atoms is currently based.

    As per details shared on the official website of the shoe brand, Atoms has joined forces with fashion designer and Queer Eye style expert Tan France for their latest limited-edition sneaker. “The collaboration is inspired by two of Tan’s favorite things — white sneakers and stripes.”

    “I am thrilled to introduce my very own Atoms — they fuse together stripes and white sneakers, two of my favorite things,” stated Tan France.

    The collection will be available for pre-order for one week only from February 23 to March 2, 2021 for $129 (21 thousand rupees).

    In a recent interview with a local media publication  Tan opened up about being a queer Pakistani-Muslim and shed light on his love for his home country.

    Talking about taking the burden of representation, Tan said, “I think the pressure on me is a little different – I am the only member of the LGBTQ community, who is also South Asian and very open about the fact that I am Muslim also. And so, I’m a few things in America – I’m an immigrant, I’m Muslim, I’m South Asian and I’m gay – and there hasn’t been anybody like that on TV in the US before, or entertainment in general, so the pressure is really, really great. It’s the hardest part of this job without a doubt.”