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  • IN PICTURES: South Africa cricket team arrives in Pakistan

    The South African cricket team has arrived in Pakistan to play two tests and three T20 international matches. It is the first tour by the cricket team since 2007. The South African team is led by Quinton de Kock.

    As per reports, the visiting side has cleared two COVID-19 tests before coming to Pakistan and will be tested again for COVID-19. Till then, the squad will remain in quarantine. However, they will be allowed to practice after testing negative for coronavirus.

    According to an official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB): “The South African team will be training at the Karachi Gymkhana cricket ground from January 17-22 in a biosecure bubble before moving to National Stadium for a full-fledged training session.”

    Both sides will undergo another round of COVID-19 testing before the first test match.

    Meanwhile, the Pakistan cricket team will reach Karachi on January 19 and commence their practice session from January 21.

    Earlier on Friday, the board announced a 20-player squad for the Test series against South Africa (SA). As per details, the squad includes nine uncapped players.

    The five-day matches will be staged in Karachi from January 26-30 and in Rawalpindi from February 4-8, T20 fixtures will be played in Lahore from 11th February to 14th of February.

  • VIDEO: OLMT officials torture labourers for taking shelter in metro station

    VIDEO: OLMT officials torture labourers for taking shelter in metro station

    Police have arrested five alleged employees of the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) for torturing labourers who, after taking shelter, were trying to light a fire near the elevators of the Awan Town train station.

    The video of the assault that went viral on social media garnered criticism, as people demanded action against the suspects over violence against the homeless workers.

    The officials– wearing orange jackets, included a woman as well, arrived at the scene after the fire alarms went off. They beat up the labourers with sticks who were forced to remain in a squatting position as punishment, the video showed.

    The staff also abused the workers while beating them continuously despite their apologies. According to police, the labourers were trying to keep them warm by starting a fire in the Awan Town station when they were held by the OLMT security officials.

    https://twitter.com/SardarAbdulRe16/status/1350061815745679360

    After backlash on social media, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar took notice of the incident and sought a report from the Lahore police chief.

  • Naeem Bukhari removed as PTV chairman

    Naeem Bukhari removed as PTV chairman

    The government has removed Pakistan Television Chairman Naeem Bukhari after an order of the Islamabad High Court that asked the cabinet to review the decision taken in violation of a court order.

    According to Geo News, Bukhari, who was also PM Imran Khan’s lawyer in the Panama Papers case, was removed through a circulation summary. The cabinet also restored Aamer Manzoor as the managing director of the state-run television who was removed by the corporation’s board of directors on January 1.

    Earlier this week, the IHC said the appointment was made in violation of the Supreme Court ruling in a similar case pertaining to Ataul Haq Qasmi.

    During the hearing, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah had said the government ignored the guidelines set by the SC in a decision pertaining to the posting in the said position. It had said there must be a clear reason for relaxing the upper age limit for 65-year-old Naeem.

    It had advised the counsel for the PTV chairman to peruse the decision of the top court that had set aside the appointment of Qasmi.

    It may be noted that the apex court had declared the appointment of Qasmi illegal in Nov 2018 over loopholes. It had said the government had failed to appoint a full-time managing director in accordance with the law.

    During today’s hearing, the IHC CJ said the cabinet did not take a clear decision to relax the age limit for the incumbent chairman. He said the matter will be referred to the federal cabinet so a decision could be taken in light of the SC decision.

    At this, the counsel said the cabinet had approved the summary for the appointment of Bukhari. “You should have informed the cabinet about the top court’s decision so that it could have avoided the embarrassment,” the IHC CJ said.

    The hearing was adjourned for two weeks.

    BUKHARI BECOMES PTV CHAIRMAN:

    In November, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had notified Bukhari, who has a vast experience of doing TV programmes, as chairman of PTV. The appointment was made after a court ruling in Sept 2020 declared the appointments of PTV chairman Arshad Khan and independent members of the board of directors illegal while directing the government to fill the vacant slots in accordance with the law. 

    Bukhari, who has worked as an anchorperson and commentators on PTV for decades, had joined PTI in June 2016. At the time, he called Imran Khan the “only political leader who had the courage to speak the truth”. Bukhari also represented Imran when he went to the Supreme Court against then prime minister Nawaz Sharif following the Panama Papers leak.

    The pleas that were later admitted by the apex court which disqualified Nawaz Sharif for being “dishonest” under Article 62 (1)(f).

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also hired the services of Bukhari as a special prosecutor to take up cases against close confidants of Sharif brothers — former Lahore Development Authority chief Ahad Cheema and former principal secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad.

  • Newsletter- 15th January 2021, Friday

    Newsletter- 15th January 2021, Friday









    *|MC:SUBJECT|*

    Good morning *|MERGE1|*. Today is the 15th of January. The weather is supposed to be hazy but also sunny in major cities. Now let’s start the day with something weird. Can you believe that a foreign couple has been residing outside the Customs House in Lahore for the past six months in a car?! Wow

    Morning Meme

    Foreign couple ‘mysteriously’ living in a car in Lahore for 6 months

    A foreign couple, who is apparently from Australia or Germany, has been residing outside the Customs House in Lahore, for the past six months without permission, and kisi ko pata hi nahi chala, waah!

    Read on

    Amir rubbishes Misbah & Waqar’s explanations over his retirement

    Mohammad Amir has hit back at Head coach Misbah-ul-Haq, and bowling coach Waqar Younis, saying that they are portraying a different picture to take the blame off their backs.

    Read on

    Farhan Saeed lauds polio workers

    Farhan Saeed has lauded polio workers for their dedication and hard work. He shared a video of female polio workers walking in blankets of snow to deliver the vaccine to the children of Azad Kashmir, aur unki Twitter post pe aur log bhi couldn’t stop praising the efforts of these women.

    Read on

    The Current Tech

    Kya #WhatsApp Headquarters mein log aapkay messages parh rahay hain? What are these #privacy concerns all about and how is #Telegram better than WhatsApp?
     

    Watch

    Agent in US responsible for any illegal funding, PTI tells ECP

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has blamed its agents managing its two limited liability companies (LLCs), saying the responsibility lies with the agents in case of any illegal funding from the United States.

    Read On

    Current Baba’s prediction

    They say a good friend will bail you out of jail but a best friend will share your cell. With that in mind, your best friend will stab you with a sharpened toothbrush this week.

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  • Zayn Malik features ‘Chaudhvi Ka Chand’ in new album

    Zayn Malik features ‘Chaudhvi Ka Chand’ in new album

    Zayn Malik has surprised fans with a song in his new album Nobody Is Listening which features Muhammad Rafi’s Chaudhvi Ka Chand.

    The track titled Tightrope has been creating quite a buzz on social media and has struck a chord with Bollywood music lovers. Zayn can be heard crooning the chorus, adding a new flavour to the song. The British-Pakistani singer has often discussed his fondness for Bollywood music and films in several interviews.

    Meanwhile, the 11-track album has elements of pop in it, while being laidback at the same time.

    Earlier, before releasing his new album, the singer-songwriter casually dropped his phone number on social media to hype fans up for the launch date and give a preview of his new music.

    This is not the first time that Zayn has sung a Bollywood track. A few years ago, Zayn had released covers of Allah Ke Bande and Allah Duhai Hai.

    Listen to the track:

  • Main leads of ‘Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida’ have ‘deadly’ suggestions for season two

    Main leads of ‘Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida’ have ‘deadly’ suggestions for season two

    As Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida comes to an end with the tragic death of Ulfat, the main leads of the drama have some deadly ideas for a second season.

    Mansha Pasha, who played Shafaq in the drama, said: “[In] Season 2, Ulfat comes back as a ghost and she and Shafaq are still fighting on Shahaan.”

    On the other hand, Sonya Hussyn, who played Ulfat said; “Season: 2 Ulfat, Shafaq k kehnay pe Shahan ko chamatay kara rahi hai or Shahan soch soch k pagal hogya k akhir par kahan sy rahi hain. Wahh oneliner soch k hi maza aagya.”

    Meanwhile, Zahid Ahmed, who played Shahaan, said: “Please kill me in the first episode of season 2.”

    Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida’s plotline revolved around a love triangle. Audiences had compared the drama to Anil Kapoor and Sri Devi’s Judai, but Mansha clarified that the story is inspired by the Sindhi folk tale Lilan Chanesar.

    Meanwhile, promising to meet again, Sonya bid goodbye to her character in a social media post.

  • Petrol price up by Rs3.20/litre after govt approves another hike in January

    Petrol price up by Rs3.20/litre after govt approves another hike in January

    The government on Friday decided to increase the price of petrol and diesel by Rs3.20 per litre and Rs2.95 per litre, respectively, for the months of January and February.

    The price of kerosene oil has been hiked by Rs3, while light diesel prices have been increased by Rs4.42, reported Geo News.

    This is the second time that the government hiked the prices of petroleum products in a month. Earlier this month, there was an increase of Rs2.31 and Rs1.80 in the prices of petrol and diesel, respectively.

    “While considering relief for the people, Prime Minister Imran Khan approved the minimum possible increase in prices of petroleum products against OGRA’s [Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority] recommendations,” a Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) press release had said at the time.

    OGRA had sought an increase of Rs10.68 in petrol price and Rs8.37 in diesel price, whereas it asked the government to increase the price of kerosene oil by Rs10.92 and light diesel oil (LDO) by Rs14.87.

    The price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) had also increased earlier this month. According to OGRA, the LPG prices were raised by Rs16 per kg amid an increase in demand.

    With the increase, the LPG cylinder for domestic users will be up by Rs188 and commercial users by Rs722.

    It may be noted here that the consumers are already facing a shortage of gas nationwide and have to rely on LPG cylinders instead.

  • Nine uncapped players included in 20-player Pakistan Test squad against SA

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 20-player squad for the Test series against South Africa (SA). As per details, the squad includes nine uncapped players. Haris Sohail, Mohammad Abbas, and Shan Masood have been dropped by the selection committee, while Hasan Ali has been included in the Test squad after two years.

    The 20-player squad includes:

    Openers – Abid Ali (Central Punjab), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab) and Imran Butt (Balochistan)

    Middle-order batsmen – Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Babar Azam (captain, Central Punjab), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Kamran Ghulam (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab) and Saud Shakeel (Sindh)

    All-rounders – Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab) and Mohammad Nawaz (Northern)

    Wicketkeepers – Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh)

    Spinners – Nauman Ali (Northern), Sajid Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Yasir Shah (Balochistan)

    Fast bowlers – Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Tabish Khan (Sindh)

    Talking about the selection of uncapped players, Chief selector Muhammad Wasim said, “I want to congratulate all the uncapped players who have made it to the 20-player Pakistan Test squad. These nine players are now just a step away from representing Pakistan in the pinnacle format of the game. As such, they have an outstanding opportunity to step-up show their class and potential and perform strongly so that they can cement their places for future international assignments.

    He further added: “Sohail, Abbas, and Masood have been dropped due to inconsistent performances. However, the PCB will not let its investment in these talented players go to waste and will invite them to the High-Performance Centre so that they can work out their technical flaws and get back into contention,”

    South Africa will tour Pakistan this month for the first time in 14 years to play two tests and three Twenty20 Internationals. The five-day matches will be staged in Karachi from January 26-30 and in Rawalpindi from February 4-8.

  • Mehwish Hayat reveals what ‘Courage the Cowardly Dog’ taught her

    Mehwish Hayat reveals what ‘Courage the Cowardly Dog’ taught her

    Mehwish Hayat has revealed that Courage the Cowrdly Dog is her all-time favourite cartoon.

    “One of my all time faves,” said Mehwish in an Instagram story. “If anything…Courage The Cowardly Dog taught me that no matter how scary things may get, never be afraid to face them and everything will turn out fine in the end.”

    Courage the Cowardly Dog is an American animated horror comedy television series created by John R Dilworth for Cartoon Network. The show ran from 1999 – 2002.

    Mehwish, who recently turned 33, believes that society should not dictate the way we want to lead our life.

    “Let’s not let society dictate the way we want to lead our life. I have come to realise that it is possible for a girl in her early 30’s to be totally happy without being married and with children. It’ll happen when it will and not to some timetable,” the actor had said.

  • PIA plane confiscated by Malaysian authorities minutes before departure, with passengers on board

    PIA plane confiscated by Malaysian authorities minutes before departure, with passengers on board

    A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) jet was on Friday impounded by Malaysian authorities, minutes before it took off from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

    According to media reports, the Boeing-777 was confiscated over the national carrier of Pakistan’s failure to pay leasing dues to a Vietnamese company, and on the orders of a Malaysian court.

    PIA had leased two aircraft, including the Boeing-777,  from the company in 2015. 

    “Flight was ready for departure with passengers on board and when authorities came on board & informed the crew that they are not allowed to depart,” journalist Mubashir Zaidi claimed.

    The aircraft’s 18-member staff also become stranded in Kuala Lumpur due to the seizure, and will now quarantine for 14 days as per protocols, Geo reported.

    Meanwhile, PIA confirmed that the aircraft has been held back on the orders of a local court in Malaysia that “took a one-sided decision pertaining to a legal dispute between PIA and another party pending in a United Kingdom (UK) court”.

    “The passengers are being looked after and alternate arrangements for their travel have been finalised,” read a tweet by PIA.

    In a subsequent tweet, the national carrier termed the situation as “unacceptable” and said that the government of Pakistan had been approached to take up the matter using diplomatic channels.