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  • PM Imran, aides accused of helping sugar barons make Rs400bn in profits

    Prime Minister Imran Khan, his principal secretary Azam Khan and special aide on accountability Shahzad Akbar have been accused of facilitating the sugar barons under the guise of the sugar inquiry commission, helping them made over Rs400 billion in profits.

    The claim was made by former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) deputy director Sajjad Bajwa, who was appointed by the premier to probe the malpractices in the industry, following a hike in the prices. Bajwa was later suspended for sharing classified information with the sugar millers before being dismissed from the service last week.

    According to a report in BBC Urdu, Bajwa said he was removed from the post because of some “influential personalities” in the federal cabinet who turned against him after he questioned the role of the government departments in the smuggling of the commodity.

    “During the investigation, I suspected the smuggling of sugar to Afghanistan and raised questions about the role of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in the sugar business,” he alleged.

    “Due to these questions, the decision to remove me from the duty was taken a long time,” the ex-deputy director, who was dismissed from the agency last week, claimed.

    Responding to the claims of Bajwa, SAPM Akbar said there was no truth to these claims. “PM has nothing to do with the matter,” he said, adding that he did not even know Sajjad Bajwa.

  • Lebanese artist turns blast debris into symbol of hope

    Lebanese artist turns blast debris into symbol of hope

    Lebanese artist Hayat Nazer created a symbol of hope from the Beirut blast debris which shocked the world in August 2020.

    The woman statue stands nearly three meters tall with her arm raised, the wind whipping the hair away from her scarred face, and a broken clock at her feet with the hands showing 6.08, the time that a blast ripped through Beirut port on the evening of August 4.

    The statue is made of broken glass and twisted materials that belonged to people’s homes before the explosion that killed 200 and injured 6,000 and symbolizes the city’s hopes of rising from the rubble.

    “If you look at the statue, one half has a leg standing, the hand looks surrendered, there is a scar on the face with the flying hair and the clock on this side, as if the explosion is still happening,” Nazer told Reuters.

    “But the other hand and the other leg is leaning as if it is starting to walk and the hand is raised, it wants to continue, it wants to keep going and rise from the rubble. And this is the truth, this is our truth,” the 33-year-old said.

    She says those affected by the blast who saw the 2.6-metre statue, temporarily exhibited in front of the damaged port, drew strength and hope to carry on.

    Nazer had already started on a female sculpture before the blast, but volunteered to help clean up destroyed houses and streets. At night, she would return to the sculpture, using the glass and metal pieces she had collected.

    “I felt like Beirut was a woman who despite what she suffered is very strong,” she said.

  • Humayun Saeed, Fahad Mustafa, Asim Azhar celebrate Karachi Kings’ first PSL win

    Humayun Saeed, Fahad Mustafa, Asim Azhar celebrate Karachi Kings’ first PSL win

    Karachi Kings’ on Tuesday night were crowned the winners of the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after beating Lahore Qalandars by five wickets. Babar Azam knocked a commanding half-century to help his side win their first championship in five years at Karachi National Stadium.

    Though Azam smashed seven boundaries in his 49-ball 63, it was skipper and KK captain Imad Wasim who hit the winning boundary to help the Kings overhaul a modest 135-run target in 18.4 overs.

    The final — one of the most anticipated in PSL’s history, given the rivalry between the country’s two biggest cities — was played after a gap of nearly eight months after the PSL’s fifth edition came to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    The Kings will take home a glittering trophy plus a half a million dollars while Lahore will receive $200,000.

    Following the win, celebrities including Humayun Saeed, Adnan Siddiqui, Asim Azhar and Mehwish Hayat celebrated Kings’ win and expressed their excitement on social media. Many also remembered the franchise’s head coach Dean Jones, who passed away in September in India.

    “Mubarak ho Karachi walo!,” said Humayun Saeed. “It has indeed been a long wait but totally worth it. Wish Jones was also with us tonight.”

    Mehwish Hayat said that the win was a “fitting tribute to their late coach, Dean Jones. He would really have been proud today.”

    Asim Azhar celebrated by singing the Kings’ anthem ‘Ye Hai Karachi‘ and jumping in joy.

    “Maza aagaya,” exclaimed Faysal Quraishi and Fahad Mustafa.

    Adnan Siddiqui and Fahad were all praises for the Man of the Match Babar Azam, lavishing praises on him.

    Shaniera Akram, whose husband Wasim Akram also coached the team, expressed that she felt “bittersweet,” adding that this win was for Jones.

    Vasay Chaudhry couldn’t help but crack a joke over how Karachi needed a “Lahoria to get them through”.

    Maya Ali said that the match was a “thriller”.

    Meanwhile, Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara, who captained Karachi Kings in 2017, also congratulated the team for “a wonderful win”.

  • Buzdar rebukes ‘insubordinate’ ministers, decides to ‘act like chief minister now’

    Buzdar rebukes ‘insubordinate’ ministers, decides to ‘act like chief minister now’

    Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, irked by “insubordination” of his cabinet members, said he was being “being forced to act like a chief minister” and now he would “act like one”.

    The chief minister made these comments during a meeting of the Punjab Cabinet after Education Minister Murad Raas interrupted the CM in the middle of the meeting over the removal of a civil servant.

    Dawn reported that Murad earned the chief ministerial ire when he objected to the removal of Punjab School Education Department Secretary Sara Aslam, saying she was transferred a day earlier without taking him into confidence. CM Buzdar, however, took an exception to the remarks and responded in a “harsh tone”.

    “Is the issue big enough to raise in the cabinet meeting, especially when it was not on the agenda?” Buzdar was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

    Buzdar did not stop at this, he went on to warn his ministers about their behaviour. “I am aware of who was doing what and who is conspiring against whom. I am being forced to act like a [strict] chief minister and now that is what you people are going to get,” the CM reportedly said.

    According to reports, Ansar Majeed Niazi — minister for labour and human resource — also got his share of scolding for crossing lines with CM Usman Buzdar.

  • Man fined for riding motorcycle with nine children

    Man fined for riding motorcycle with nine children

    A citizen of Lahore was fined Rs300 for riding a motorcycle with nine children.

    As per reports, a motorcyclist named Ibrar was stopped by the traffic police for riding a motorcycle with nine children towards Lower Mall Road. The citizen was charged with a fine of Rs300 over violating the traffic rules and for putting the lives of his children and other people at risk.  

    The traffic police advised the motorcyclist to follow the traffic laws in the future.  

  • Indian aircraft makes emergency landing in Karachi

    An Indian aeroplane made an emergency landing at the Karachi airport after the health of a passenger suffered a cardiac arrest on the flight.

    The passenger, 30-year-old Muhammad Noushad, was declared dead by doctors as soon as the plane landed. They said that the passenger had suffered a cardiac arrest and breathed his last before the plane landed.

    According to Indian media reports, the deceased passenger was a resident of Bareilly, a city in Uttar Pradesh. Some reports stated that the flight G8- 6658A- took off from Riyadh on Tuesday afternoon but had to make an emergency landing after the passenger fainted and died on board.

    The aircraft of the private airline, GoAir (6658) carrying 179 passengers, was en route to New Delhi from Riyadh. After refuelling, the flight took off to land at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.

  • UK parliament report suggested expulsion of Lord Nazir over sexual misconduct

    UK parliament report suggested expulsion of Lord Nazir over sexual misconduct

    Nazir Ahmed, the member of House of Lords in England, has resigned from the House a day before a report by Lords Conduct Committee recommended his expulsion for using his position to take advantage of “vulnerable” women.

    According to the report published on Nov 17, Lord Nazir breached the code of conduct for “failing to act on his personal honour” over sexual assault and exploitation. 

    Lord Nazir was earlier accused of exploiting his position to pursue intimate relationships with vulnerable women who asked him for help.

    His retirement was also confirmed by Geo News. Lord Nazir has “decided to retire from the House of Lords after 23 years of service”, it reported

    According to Geo, the UK Parliament confirmed to Lord Nazir that his retirement allocation had been approved under the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 “as of 14 November 2020”.

    SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS:

    In March 2019,  BBC said that Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham “took advantage” and began a sexual relationship with her after she approached him for assistance. However, Lord Ahmed, 61, denied acting “inappropriately”.

    According to the report, Tahira Zaman, 43, approached Lord Ahmed in February 2017 through a mutual friend, hoping he would help get the police to investigate a Muslim faith healer who she felt was a danger to women.

    Zaman told BBC Newsnight that Lord Ahmed said he wrote a letter to the Metropolitan Police Commander Cressida Dick about her concerns. “She then alleges that he repeatedly asked her for dinner.”

    BBC said that the woman “finally agreed and weeks after the dinner, she contacted him about her case and he invited her to his east London home”.

    “He was saying I’m beautiful,” she told Newsnight.

    “The pair went on to have sex on numerous occasions. She accepts the relationship was consensual but said: I was looking for help and he took advantage of me. He abused his power,” as per the report.

    Lord Nazir denied any wrongdoing.

  • Shoaib Malik throws a surprise birthday for Sania Mirza in Karachi

    Shoaib Malik throws a surprise birthday for Sania Mirza in Karachi

    Shoaib Malik threw a small and intimate surprise birthday party for his wife Sania Mirza who turned 34 on November 15. Sania and their son Izhaan are currently in Karachi, where they had come to cheer on Malik during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) playoffs.

    Sharing pictures from her birthday, Sania thanked everyone for their wishes and said that she had “the most amazing time with family and friends”.

    Sania glowed in a white, floral dress while Malik looked dapper in a bright, red sweater.

    Shaista Lodhi and Urwa Hocane were among the close friends present at the surprise party. According to details, the party took place at Lodhi’s house.

    Aww, baby Mirza-Malik seems to be having a great time with the balloons.

    Earlier, Sania also celebrated her birthday with Malik’s Peshawar Zalmi teammates after the match.

  • Pakistan’s first Urdu OTT platform to launch in January

    Pakistan’s first Urdu OTT platform to launch in January

    Weeks after Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry announced that his ministry is all set to launch Pakistan’s first OTT (over-the-top) platform, Emax Media has announced that it will be launching the country’s first Urdu OTT platform. Called UrduFlix, the platform will offer original and exclusive content in Urdu worldwide.

    According to a press release, “UrduFlix will provide viewers with access to original Urdu films, series, documentaries, cartoons, and Urdu-dubbed Turkish dramas.” It will also offer already popular dramas and films to its subscribers.

    Talking about the launch of the platform, Farhan Ghauhar, founder of UrduFlix said: “We are excited to announce the launch of Pakistan’s first Urdu OTT platform that will have a recognisable connection to our unique entertainment offerings.”

    “With the on-demand streaming culture on the rise around the world, we want to play our part in putting Pakistan and Pakistani content on the global market as well, and compete with international players,” he added.

    An OTT media service is a streaming media service offered directly to viewers via the Internet. OTT bypasses cable, broadcast, and satellite television platforms, the companies that traditionally act as a controller or distributor of such content.

    UrduFlix is expected to launch in mid-January 2021.

  • A new meme trend is breaking the internet

    A new meme trend is breaking the internet

    Who does not like memes? Memes not only lighten up our mood but make social media exciting and interesting and we wish this meme culture never dies at least as long as the internet exists. Recently, ‘Xavier memes’ have started doing the rounds on social media and we must say that they are hilarious.

    Read more – ‘Rasode Me Kaun Tha’ memes break the internet