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  • India reacts to Pakistan’s assertion, says ’embassy officials were caught red-handed while spying’

    India reacts to Pakistan’s assertion, says ’embassy officials were caught red-handed while spying’

    India has rejected Pakistan’s contention that two high commission staffers were detained on unsubstantiated charges and tortured, people familiar with developments told Hindustan Times, adding that the officials “were caught red-handed while indulging in spying”.

    New Delhi on Sunday expelled two junior officials of the Pakistan High Commission after they were detained during an operation by the Delhi Police and Military Intelligence while allegedly trying to obtain classified documents on security installations.

    The officials were identified as Abid Hussain Abid, 42, an assistant in the Pakistani mission, and Mohammad Tahir Khan, 44, a clerk.

    Pakistan condemned India’s decision to declare the two officials persona non grata and to expel them, saying they were detained on false and unsubstantiated charges. A statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) also contended that the two men were tortured and threatened to “accept false charges” despite identifying themselves as diplomatic staff.

    The FO said the Indian action was in clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as well as the norms of diplomatic conduct.

    “The High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi has always worked within the parameters of international law and diplomatic norms. The Indian action is clearly aimed at shrinking diplomatic space for the working of Pakistan High Commission,” it said.

    The FO said that the Indian ploy to heighten tensions would fail in diverting attention from the ongoing internal and external issues faced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government or from the worsening situation and gross human rights violations being perpetrated by the Indian forces in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

    It again called on the world to take note of the Indian designs and play its role in ensuring peace and security in South Asia.

    “The assertions of the Pakistan FO are false. The two officials were caught red-handed while indulging in espionage activities,” said one of the people cited above, speaking on condition of anonymity.

    “They did not disclose their identity that they were high commission officials. When they were taken into custody and questioned, they confessed to indulging in espionage and also informed that they were high commission officials,” the person added.

    The Pakistani mission was immediately informed and the two men were handed over, the person said.

    “They were never subjected to any torture. They have also undergone medical examinations. Pakistan appears to be making false accusations and possibly creating ground for some tit for tat reaction and torture of Indian officials in Islamabad,” they said.

  • Feroze Khan shares his weirdest fan encounter

    Feroze Khan shares his weirdest fan encounter

    Feroze Khan, who usually keeps his private life under wraps, in a rare social media interaction, answered some fun questions from his fans. The actor was asked a plethora of questions ranging from his thoughts on Sadaf Kanwal and Shahroz Sabzwari’s wedding to whether he has actually quit acting or not.

    Read more – ‘Ishqiya’ makes no sense

    Responding to a question about his weirdest fan encounter, the actor shared that a bunch of girls kept coming to his house and told his father that he had invited them for breakfast, before casually dropping that he is a late riser.

    Feroze also clarified that he has not left acting entirely, but that it will no longer be his “first job”. He said that if he comes across a project which he feels has a positive message, he would think about it.

    In March, Feroze had announced that he is quitting the showbiz industry and “will only act and provide my services for the teaching of Islam.”

    Feroze was also asked his opinion on Sadaf and Shahroz, to which the actor said that people should just let them be.

    “I am sure even Syra has a billion options for her,” said Feroze, adding, “We should keep to ourselves.”

  • Gen Bajwa for sorting out long-pending disputes

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday said that the future of enduring peace and stability in South Asia hinges on the ability to resolve long-pending disputes within the region.

    “This can be complemented through meaningful international support and will to take on challenging regional issues,” he said while addressing officers and faculty during a visit to Command and Staff College in Quetta, a press statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

    The statement comes two days after Islamabad approached the United Nations (UN) over New Delhi’s blatant attempt to turn the Muslim-majority in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoJ&K) into a minority.

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has written letters to the UN Security Council president and the UN Secretary General, apprising them of the latest situation in the occupied valley particularly the recent changes brought by the Modi government in domicile laws that would pave the way for non-Kashmiris to acquire permanent residence there.

    Addressing the military officials, Gen Bajwa said that a well-trained and professionally competent Army is guarantor for peace. “Pakistan Army with the backing of the nation is one such formidable force,” he maintained.

    The COAS stressed the need for officers to remain focused on pursuit of professional excellence and keeping abreast with latest developments to overcome new challenges.

    Dilating upon COVID-19 pandemic, Gen Bajwa said that Pakistan Army along with other state institutions will do all to mitigate the challenges faced by people of Pakistan.

    Only a cohesive national effort shall take Pakistan to progress and prosperity COAS, he stressed.

  • Shahroz Sabzwari lashes out, challenges those pointing fingers to prove his infidelity

    Shahroz Sabzwari lashes out, challenges those pointing fingers to prove his infidelity

    Ever since Shahroz Sabzwari and Sadaf Kanwal announced their marriage on social media, the entire country seems to be divided over the matter. While on one end people are calling them out for ruining a family given that Shahroz’s seven-year marriage with Syra Yousuf ended just a few months back, on the other end others are urging people to live and let live.

    Amidst the brouhaha, Shahroz stepped in and aggressively defended his family and new wife.

    In a video message, Shahroz said: “The purpose of this video is to defend myself and my family. And that is my right.” He added that he will defend himself till his last breath because he is an honest man.

    “Syra and I got separated in August 2019,” revealed Sabzwari. “The reason behind our split was not another woman nor infidelity nor Sadaf, for that matter. If anyone thinks that the reason behind our separation is cheating or infidelity, I challenge them to come forward and prove it. Phir maza aye ga.”

    Talking about his relationship with Sadaf, Shahroz said: “I met Sadaf for work about three to four months after my separation with Syra.”

    Referring to an earlier video he had shared in which he had clarified that Sadaf and he were just colleagues, Shahroz said: “The way my first video has been edited and released, I know. But let me be clear. At that point, Sadaf was only my colleague and Syra was my wife, even though we were separated.”

    “After that video, Syra and I tried to stop our marriage from breaking but because of irreconcilable differences – which are personal between me and Syra – we had to part ways.”

    “I did not want to divorce Syra,” he added. “We separated with dignity.”

    Read more – Syra, Shahroz end their seven-year marriage

    Shahroz further shared that he is making this video for his daughter, who “he loves a lot”.

    “Maybe a few years down the line, she might come across all that the public has written about me and she will question me. This my answer to her. That I did not give in and fought back,” he said.

    Shahroz asserted that he will continue to defend his family and will always tell the truth. He said people advised him to stay silent and let tongues wag but he said he couldn’t let it pass like that.

    Watch video:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CA5g-MajF1h/

    Shahroz and Sadaf tied the knot in an intimate ceremony. Except for a few pictures, the actors have not shared any further details from their nikkah ceremony. Sadaf also changed her name from Sadaf Kanwal to Sadaf Sabzwari on social media.

  • Queen Elizabeth enjoys horse ride as Britain eases coronavirus lockdown

    Queen Elizabeth enjoys horse ride as Britain eases coronavirus lockdown

    Britain’s Queen Elizabeth was photographed riding a 14-year-old Fell pony in Windsor Home Park as the country eases lockdown to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.

    The Queen has been living at Windsor Castle, west of London, during the lockdown with her 98-year-old husband Prince Philip.

    As per reports, Windsor is said to be the Queen’s favourite royal residence and the 94-year-old regularly rides in the grounds of Windsor.

    She has issued several rallying messages to the nation from there, including televised addresses that have been a rarity during her 68-year reign.

    The last public picture of the Queen was taken as she was driven away from Buckingham Palace to her Windsor Castle home.

    The Queen leaving Buckingham Palace for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic 

    274,762 cases have been reported in the UK so far and a lockdown has been imposed to curb the virus spread.

  • Waqar Younis advises Afridi, Gambhir to ‘calm down’

    Waqar Younis advises Afridi, Gambhir to ‘calm down’

    Waqar Younis has urged all-rounder Shahid Afridi and cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir to end their social media war and has called for India and Pakistan to resume playing cricket.

    After being fierce on-field rivals, Pakistan’s Afridi and former Indian opener Gambhir have often been involved in heated social media exchanges over the troubled Kashmir region. Gambhir is now a lawmaker in the Indian parliament, while Afridi has his own foundation and is a vocal activist.

    According to AFP, Waqar advised the pair to “calm down” in an online chat show.

    “The banter between Gautam Gambhir and Shahid Afridi has been going on for a while now. I think they both got to be smart, sensible, and calm down,” said Waqar.

    “It has been going on for way too long. My advice to them is to maybe catch up somewhere around the world and talk it out if you cannot really calm it down.”

    Read more – Waqar Younis to quit social media after ‘hacker likes porn video from his Twitter account’

    India and Pakistan have not played a series since 2012-2013 and have hit a new peak in tensions over Kashmir, which they have fought over since their independence in 1947.

    Waqar, 48, said a cricket series would boost relations between the arch-rival neighbours.

    “I think that it would be the biggest hit of the world,” said Waqar. “I think Pakistan [and] India should play and should play on a regular basis to avoid depriving cricket lovers.”

    Earlier, Shoaib Akhtar had also proposed a three-match Indo-Pak series to raise funds to help the governments of India and Pakistan fight the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

  • Zara Noor Abbas defends her decision to promote fairness products

    Zara Noor Abbas defends her decision to promote fairness products

    The murder of a black man George Floyd, allegedly by a police officer, in Minneapolis has sparked protests and outrage all over the world. While in the United States, people are taking to the streets to protest, in other parts of the world people are expressing their anger on social media. Celebrities and prominent personalities across the world are also raising their voice on the matter.

    Among those celebrities in Pakistan who raised their voice was Zara Noor Abbas who said that “racism is a war. Not a threat to humanity”.

    “It’s a war that we have to fight against so much so that we have to re-invent, re-grow, re-think every thought and idea about classism. Differences. Sexism. Everything,” she wrote.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CA4ovechb6H/

    Under Zara’s post, a social media user called her out for promoting a fairness product. In response, Zara commented that the products she endorses do not “promote killing or racism”.

    “Stop making this out of context when it is not the agenda,” she remarked.

    Read more – Zara Noor Abbas defends Sadaf Kanwal for her comment on Shahroz Sabzwari’s photo

    Celebrities across the border are facing similar flak for promoting fairness products. Social media users have called Priyanka Chopra and Disha Patani “hypocrites” for condemning the murder of Floyd on one hand and promoting fairness creams on the other.

  • Cops in KP to be called ‘Sheru’, which is also the name of PM Imran’s dog

    Cops in KP to be called ‘Sheru’, which is also the name of PM Imran’s dog

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Bahramand Tangi has objected to the provincial authorities’ decision to not call personnel of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police by informal names, highlighting that one of the names approved for the cops is that of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s pet dog.

    According to media reports and a written order issued by KP Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Headquarters, a copy of which is available with The Current, no informal names such as “mama ji”, “khan ji” and “pehlwana” will be used for the police, which “undermine the sacrifices rendered by the force”.

    Instead, the personnel will only be addressed by their own names or by approved nicknames that are “jawaan“, “sheru” and “sahib“.

    With the order making headlines, it drew a strong reaction from the PPP leader who said that “Sheru [tiger]” was the name of one of PM Imran’s dogs.

    “This is unethical,” he said in a statement, adding that the personnel of KP police weren’t employees of Bani Gala.

    IMRAN & HIS SHERU:

    The premier has had a total of five pet dogs, all of which have been a focus of interest in several media reports.

    In 2011, former military ruler General (r) Pervez Musharraf gifted a puppy to Imran before the former’s self-imposed exile. The puppy was born at Musharraf’s farmhouse, and according to the premier’s former wife Reham Khan, his name was Sheru, who was an Alsatian.

    In September 2014, Imran in a television talk show revealed that Sheru had died three months earlier. However, in April 2018, reports and social media rumours emerged that he had removed Sheru from his Bani Gala residence on the advice of his third and current wife Bushra Bibi.

    According to local media, a new quarter was then built for the dog outside the main residence building, as his wife was not comfortable with pet animals inside the house.

    However, the premier, during a press conference had later denied the media reports, saying that Sheru died three to four years ago.

  • ‘My Plans vs 2020’ memes accurately sum up the year 2020

    ‘My Plans vs 2020’ memes accurately sum up the year 2020

    There is no doubt 2020 isn’t exactly all that great. The coronavirus pandemic has led to the loss of life, jobs, social events, and much more. Amid all the crisis, a meme trend ‘My plans vs 2020’ has taken over the social media that might lighten our mood for at least a few minutes.

    Read more – ‘Follow me for more recipes’ memes are hilarious

    https://twitter.com/_3llz_bellz_/status/1262744850501263361?s=20

    https://twitter.com/ThanosErika/status/1262762094069350403?s=20

  • 670,000 coronavirus infections in Lahore alone?

    670,000 coronavirus infections in Lahore alone?

    A summary forwarded to Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar by Primary & Secondary Health Secretary Captain (r) Usman last month estimated that there could be 670,000 cases of the new coronavirus — COVID-19 — in Lahore alone.

    The summary was forwarded to Buzdar on May 15, Geo quoted the secretary as saying, and reported that it contained results of samples collected from hotspots, residences and offices in Lahore.

    As per the summary, 6 per cent of the total samples collected, tested positive for COVID-19. In some towns, the percentage of positive cases went up to 14.7 per cent. The report said that there wasn’t a single area in Lahore where the infection had not reached. 

    Members of the Technical Working Group — formed to ascertain the number of coronavirus affected persons in the city — have recommended imposing a complete lockdown for four weeks and quarantining persons aged above 50 years. The group has also advised the government to declare it essential for people to stay inside their homes. 

    Lockdown restrictions have, however, only been eased since before Eidul Fitr last month.

    Amid soaring cases, the Punjab government has decided to further ease lockdown restrictions that were imposed to contain the outbreak. Buzdar last week chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Anti-Coronavirus Measures, wherein it was agreed that recommendations for the opening of the different departments and institutions, according to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) defined by the government, would be forwarded to the federal government.

    In the meeting, Buzdar said that a request would be made to the federal government to provide 1,500 ventilators. He added the instructions of the federal government regarding opening of restaurants, cafes etc, would be followed by the provincial government.

    The Cabinet Committee allowed the Punjab Public Service Commission to conduct interviews of one thousand lady doctors. It was also decided in the meeting that the Drug Regulatory Authority Of Pakistan (DRAP) would be approached for permission to prepare ventilators and respirators at the local level.

    It was decided the National Command and Operation Centre ( NCOC ) would take final decision to reopen the parks’ proposal, new working hours for the commercial enterprises and two-day holidays.