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  • Reports saying ‘Pakistan exported COVID-19’ upset Imran’s aide

    Reports saying ‘Pakistan exported COVID-19’ upset Imran’s aide

    Dr Moeed Yusuf, special assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) on national security, has denied the impression that Pakistan has been a source of the coronavirus in other countries, saying that the country has “been the most responsible” in the world.

    Last week, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) temporarily stopped receiving passengers on flights coming from Pakistan. The suspension, the UAE civil aviation authority said, will last until a special laboratory to conduct coronavirus tests is established. The decision was taken after as many as 30 passengers aboard an Emirates flight tested positive for coronavirus.

    “Over the past three months, Pakistan conducted tests and quarantined several people so that they won’t be the source of spread. No one appreciated us for that […] We will not allow Pakistan to be singled out,” Yusuf said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday.

    He said that Pakistan’s government had also contacted the British High Commission and the latter’s officials had assured that this was not the position of the United Kingdom’s government.

    Yusuf told reporters that only 30 people who had travelled from Pakistan had tested positive. “This [impression to ‘export’ coronavirus] is absolutely false,” he said.

    Yusuf also urged people to avoid unnecessary travel as the government “cannot guarantee that the airspace will remain open three weeks from now”.

    He said that Pakistan has been “the most responsible among all developing countries in repatriating people as well as sending them away”.

    According to him, any passenger who is showing symptoms will not be allowed to leave the country. The SAPM told people to follow the guidelines set by the airlines they are travelling from and their destination countries as it would be a source of embarrassment for the country if the rules were violated.

  • Indian family lands in hospital after confusing methi leaves with marijuana

    A family from Uttar Pradesh, India ended up in a hospital after confusing marijuana leaves with methi and mistakenly making a ‘ganja sabzi’ out of it. 

    A local vegetable seller, Naval Kishore sold a packet full of weed claiming that it was methi to a villager’s son, Nitesh as a prank. 

    Nitesh gave the packet of weed to his sister-in-law to cook it. According to reports, the family of six unknowingly ate the cooked marijuana leaves.

    Minutes after they ate their food, the family started feeling uncomfortable and asked their neighbours to call a doctor. While their neighbours were calling a doctor, the entire family fainted. 

    The neighbours immediately called the police after which the family was hospitalized. The police cracked the mystery after they found a cooking pot with the leftover food next to an uncooked pack of weed. 

    The cooked marijuana and raw leaves were detained and the police went on to investigate the vegetable vendor for his irresponsible act.

    The police has caught the vegetable vendor for putting so many lives at risk. Authorities further confirmed that a case will be registered after a formal complaint is filed. 

  • ‘At least 229 killed in occupied Kashmir within first half of 2020’

    Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) has seen at least 229 killings during more than 100 military operations since January, a rights group has reported.

    The Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), which operates in the region, said in its bi-annual report that from January 1 to June 30, the region witnessed the extrajudicial executions of at least 32 civilians and the killing of 54 armed forces personnel.

    It also saw 55 internet shutdowns and the destruction of 48 structures, it said.

    The report said three children and two women were also killed, while at least “107 cordon-and-search operations and cordon-and-destroy operations were conducted in the region”.

    In addition, during search operations and encounters, “vandalism and destruction of civilian properties were reported”.

    The report said that in the first six months of 2020, the media continued to be at the receiving end of pressure, intimidation and harassment by authorities, with several incidents involving the beating of journalists.

    “Besides physical assaults, a few Kashmir-based journalists were also booked under stringent charges and cases were filed against them,” it said.

    The report noted that the police filed cases against two Kashmiri journalists under the Unlawful Activities Act, which clearly infringes on the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press as “such tactics signal a forewarning for media personnel to adhere to the state narrative”.

    It also said that high-speed mobile internet services have remained banned since August 5, 2019, noting that in the last six months, there were 55 instances of internet blockades.

    The report said India is paving the way for demographic change in occupied Kashmir on a large scale, thus institutionalising a system of domination over indigenous populations.

    “The order is a clear violation of the 4th Geneva Convention,” it noted.

    The report cited observers as warning that the new domicile law could permanently alter the demography of the disputed region.

    It also touched on the recently introduced new media policy wherein the government will examine the content of the media.

    According to the policy, the government will decide what is “fake,” “unethical” or “anti-national” news and take legal action against the journalist or media organisation concerned, including sharing information with security agencies.

  • Shahid Afridi’s picture with his daughter will make your day

    Shahid Afridi’s picture with his daughter will make your day

    Shahid Afridi, who had tested positive for COVID-19 on June 13, has announced that he, his wife and two daughters have recovered from the virus.

    The former captain of the Pakistan cricket team announced the news with an adorable picture of himself kissing his youngest daughter Arwa, writing: “I’ve missed holding this one.”

    https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1278658493352865793?s=20

    Afridi had welcomed his fifth daughter on February 14.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-_vjFCF7Tg/?utm_source=ig_embed

    Meanwhile, Afridi has been on the forefront in the battle against COVID-19. His foundation Shahid Afridi Foundation has been actively working to help those affected by the virus all across the country.

    https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1278233489742139393?s=20

  • Punjab Govt vows to make an example of perpetrators in school harassment case

    The Punjab government has said that they will hand exemplary punishments to the perpetrators of the Lahore private school harassment incident and make an example of them.

    According to Geo News, Punjab Government Spokesperson Musarrat Cheema said that the government, including Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar and Education Minister Dr Murad Raas, has taken action against the harassment case reported in the private school. She said that an inquiry committee has also been formed to investigate the incident. On Wednesday, CM Buzdar had taken notice of the matter and had directed CCPO Lahore to carry out an impartial inquiry into the incident and had said that harassment of students will not be tolerated at any cost.

    Cheema asserted that the government will use this incident to send a stern message across the board.

    “These culprits will not only have to let go of their jobs but they will also be punished according to the circumstances,” assured Cheema.

    The spokesperson also encouraged victims and their parents to come forward and share their experiences, adding that action can only be taken if the government is aware of any such incident. She also advised parents to educate their children on the matter and encourage them to speak up.

    “If their kids go through such an incident, they should inform the administration and also tell the government so that we can remove those evil humans, who are in the form of teachers,” said the spokesperson.

    Punjab Education Minister Dr Murad Raas says that he will personally be dealing with the case.

    Later, in a press conference, the minister announced that the provincial government would bring a new act for private institutions.

    Lauding the students for their courage, Dr Raas said that the students who reported sexual harassment had gone through considerable mental anguish. He shared that more than 20 students spoke to him and broke down while narrating their ordeals.

    “A written complaint of the incidents is required, without which action cannot be taken,” he said. “We are going to bring a new act for private schools [and] we are adding legislation on harassment to our laws.”

    The Punjab minister said the government could only help people when written requests were submitted.

    Meanwhile, Chairperson Child Protection & Welfare Bureau Punjab Sarah Ahmad shared that the school did not respond when officers from the bureau went to the school.

    Earlier, Federal Minister for Human Right Dr Shireen Mazari also took notice of the allegations and said that the regional offices have been alerted on the matter.

    Principal, administrator and coordinator suspended

    Director of the institute Nighat Ali said that all five employees who were accused of harassing female students were fired from their jobs, while the principal, administrator and coordinator, who were accused of covering up the incidents, have also been suspended.

    She added that an inquiry committee has been constituted to probe further into the matter.

    “The school has full authority to take legal action against the culprits and if the charges against the dismissed employees are proven, an action will be taken against them,” Ali said.

    The allegations

    On June 28, dozens of girls came forward with accounts of harassment and inappropriate behaviour by teachers at Lahore Grammar School (LGS) 1A1 Ghalib Market Branch. The management of the school, including female teachers, also came under fire for brushing the matter under the carpet for years. It is pertinent to mention here that most of the girls studying at the school were minors at the time.

    Such incidents had reportedly been going on for the past four or five years and the victims had been reporting the matter to the admin and their teachers. However, they took no action and resorted to victim-blaming. Strict and immediate action was only taken after the girls shared their ordeal on social media and the matter became public.

    According to details, students have come forward and shared their experiences of being harassed by three teachers namely Aitezaz Rehman Sheikh, Umer Shareef and Zahid Iqbal Warraich. All three teachers were fired hours after the allegations surfaced.

  • Marvel to feature Muslim-Pakistani superhero Kamala Khan in blockbuster Avengers game

    Marvel to feature Muslim-Pakistani superhero Kamala Khan in blockbuster Avengers game

    Kamala Khan is all set to be a part of Marvel’s blockbuster gaming roster joining superheroes like Iron Man, Hulk and Captain America. Khan is a Muslim-American teenager of Pakistani heritage, who has shape-shifting abilities.

    According to BBC, Marvel’s Avengers are assembling again, not for a movie, but for a blockbuster video game. The game’s publisher, Square Enix announced that Marvel Avengers would include Kamala Khan as one of its main playable characters and make her central to the plot.

    Kamala Khan was co-created by Marvel editor and director Sana Amanat in 2014. Sana Amanat is a Muslim-American herself, she wanted to create a character young girls of similar background could identify with and look up to.

    Sana Amanat

    Maria Afsar, a 25 years old gamer said, “When I saw the announcement she is going to be in the game and of the main characters, I just thought I’ve literally been waiting for something like this for my whole life. I saw nothing like this when I was young.”

    Kamala Khan will be featured as Ms Marvel Moniker. Ms Marvel Moniker has been used by several white characters in Marvel comic books since 1976, including Sharon Ventura and Dr Karlo Sofen.

    In 2014, readers were introduced to Kamala Khan, a 16-years-old Pakistani-American growing up in Jersey City. She has shapeshifting abilities and she happens to be a fan-girl of the Avengers.

    Making history along the way, she became the Marvel’s first Muslims character to lead her own comic books series.

  • Airlift’s investment reaches 24.1 million USD, marks biggest investment in region

    Airlift, app-based urban mass transit startup that allows consumers to books rides on fixed-rate, announced a new venture in partnership with existing investors that lead their total investment to USD 24.1m. At the time when the risk for global recession is high, Airlift marks one of the largest capital investments in the region.

    Airlift paused its transit operations due to the threat of Covid-19. But they have introduced Airlift Grocer, an offshoot of the same company, that enables the delivery of all household essentials within 45 minutes.

    Consumers in Lahore can now order groceries and other household essentials through their mobile apps via the Google PlayStore, the Apple App Store or using their website via www.airliftgrocer.com.

    Airlift wants to create a positive impact in the region by establishing a decentralized logistics platform. Local and foreign companies invested in Airlift to support their vision and improve the ecosystem of the startups in Pakistan.

    Quiet Capital and First Round Capital based in San Francisco, TrueSight Ventures (London, RT Ventures (London), Shorooq Partners (Abu Dhabi), and ACE Capital (Taiwan) are the foreign venture capital (VC) companies that participated in recent series A-1 financing round.

    Fatima Gobi Ventures (Pakistan) and Indus Valley Capital (Pakistan) are the local investors who continued their support for Airlift in financing.

    Airlift is serving the community in new and innovative ways, and they are also committed to supporting the government income substitution program by creating new employment opportunities for riders on their platform.

  • Expert’s daughter invades BBC interview, asks ‘Mummy, what’s his name?’

    Expert’s daughter invades BBC interview, asks ‘Mummy, what’s his name?’

    With work from home becoming the new normal, parents across the globe now have a double job: they have to balance their work and look after their kids, all at the same time.

    A working parent, Dr Clare Wenham was recently live on BBC from home discussing the lockdown situation in England and how staying indoors is a learning process for locals amid the outbreak of the virus.

    That’s when her daughter Scarlett interrupted the interview and started pestering her mother to help her choose the best shelf to display her art.

    BBC presenter Christian Fraser stepped in and asked Dr Clare: “What’s your daughter called?”

    Wenham replied, “Her name is Scarlett.”

    Fraser told Scarlett that her art looked better on the lower shelf. In response, Scarlett asked her mother: “Mummy, what’s his name?” to which Fraser politely said, “My name is Christian.”

    The entire episode was recorded and shared on BBC UK’s official Twitter handle. People on the internet found the entire episode very cute.

  • Army to finally launch Askari Airline?

    Army to finally launch Askari Airline?

    Amid controversies surrounding the licences of several Pakistani pilots, which have also led to the suspension of Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) authorisation to operate in European Union (EU) member states and the United Kingdom (UK), a newspaper clipping pertaining to the launch of army’s Askari Airline has left Twitterati in doubts.

    “Preparations for the launch of Askari Airline completed; licence issued,” read the undated Urdu newspaper clipping making the rounds on the internet.

    The undated Urdu newspaper clipping making the rounds on the internet

    It added that “the chief of army staff (COAS) would inaugurate the project that was in its final stages owing to the efforts of the Army Welfare Trust (AWT)” — Pakistani conglomerate also known as Askari Group of Companies — and mentioned details of the airline’s fleet.

    The clipping drew the ire of a majority of netizens who attempted to draw a link between the downfall of the national carrier and the alleged impending launch of Askari Airline, compelling The Current to look into the claims.

    According to prominent aviation journalist Tahir Imran, Askari Airline was given approval a few years ago, which suggests that the clipping is not a recent one.

    When contacted, Imran said that Askari Airline was among six new airlines that had applied to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for regular public transport (RPT) licences in 2018.

    “These airlines are Liberty Air owned by Chaudhry Munir and Mian Amir, Go Green Airways owned by Elahi Group, Askari Air owned by AWT, United Airways Pakistan Limited owned by Adnan Tabani, AirSial owned by the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Afeef Zara Airways owned by Rashid Siddiqui,” he said, adding that even though they had been granted licences, no other airline except AirSial was for now in a position to launch flight operations.

    “But even AirSial faces an uncertain future as its launch scheduled for May 2020 has indefinitely been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic among other reasons. It might see the light of day by 2020’s end… but everything depends on how the current situation pans out.”

    To a question regarding the fate of Askari Airline, Imran said that no appointments in this regard had so far been reported, let alone any progress towards its launch. “Askari, as well as other upcoming airlines except AirSial, lack the required infrastructure for now and their launch within the ongoing year doesn’t seem possible.”

    ASKARI AVIATION SERVICES:

    Speaking of Askari Aviation Services (AAS), he said it was run by AWT and its activities included domestic and international travel as well as transportation by Askari Charter Services (ACS), ground handling services at Islamabad airport by Askari Airport Services (AAPS), domestic and international air travel ticketing by Askari Travel & Tour (AT&T), ground, cabin and flying training of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft by Askari Flying Academy (AFA) beside aircraft and helicopter maintenance and operation services through Askari Aviation (Pvt) Ltd (AAL).

    “In addition to its integral fleet of helicopter and aircraft, AAS also enjoys the backing of Pakistan Army Aviation and is providing international charter services to the army for its United Nations (UN) peacekeeping troops deployed around the world,” he said.

  • Élan’s Khadijah Shah denies accusations of torturing employee

    Élan’s Khadijah Shah denies accusations of torturing employee

    Élan’s Khadijah Shah seems to have found herself in controversy yet again. A video of a man claiming to be imprisoned by the designer in her warehouse since the past six months is doing the rounds on social media.

    According to the man in the video, Shah, the founder and Creative Director of Pakistan’s leading luxury clothing brand, has not paid the worker for two months and has refused to let him leave the warehouse where business operations take place. The man added that Shah along with her associate Rehan Bashir has exploited 144 other labourers along with him and has refused to let them leave the warehouse.

    “I worked for their Élan Lawn 2020 project. They asked to bring in extra labour to which I obliged. However, when I asked for payment, my staff and I were imprisoned here. We are being humiliated every day,” he said.

    Soon after the allegations surfaced, Khadijah responded to them on Instagram saying that the man had stolen from her and was now seeking revenge for being terminated.

    Khadija said that the man in the video was in the packing department from where he had stolen over 7000 pieces of Élan lawn.

    The designer added that the matter came to light when a huge amount of inventory was missing and customers began to file complaints for missing pieces. She said they had to halt dispatches due to incomplete orders. Shah added that an FIR has also been registered against the former employee and that he has asked her for forgiveness.

    Shah further said that she is not one of those who put people in dungeons and torture them.

    Later, the designer also cracked a joke on the situation, saying “After I torture people in dungeons with Rehan Bashir, we eat lots of dessert.”

    Shah is one of Pakistan’s most renowned designers. Her brand Élan had also designed an outfit for Kate Middleton when she came to Pakistan.