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  • British-Pakistani woman becomes Britain’s first hijab-wearing judge

    British-Pakistani woman becomes Britain’s first hijab-wearing judge

    British-Pakistani Raffia Arshad has become the first-ever, hijab-wearing deputy district judge in the United Kingdom.

    After completing her law degree from Oxford Brookes University, Arshad worked as a barrister at a firm specializing in family law. She has also written a book titled Islamic Family Law.

    As per reports, she is the first in her family to go to university. 

    Speaking to a private media outlet the newly-appointed judge said: “My appointment is a celebration for all Muslim women. I am delighted that I have broken the glass ceiling for many more capable Muslim women.

    “At a time when everyone is facing uncertainty and unprecedented challenges, I urge everyone to rekindle their dreams and pursue them.”

    Arshad credited her parents and mentioned how their prayers have helped her in her success. She said she felt proud of being counted as an outstanding Pakistani in the west.

    Read more – Tunisian woman bicycles to Makkah in 53 days

    Arshad’s husband is a doctor and a religious scholar, who completed a diploma in Islamic jurisprudence and coaching while working as a barrister.

    The further said: “I am a court-appointed expert on matters of Islamic family law and have authored many publications, including a textbook that is used by other judges worldwide. I have been invited to Germany and America to speak on Islamic family law.”

    Breaking stereotypes, she highlighted how women could follow their religion and also succeed in their careers at the same time. 

  • Currency worth Rs3 crores was being smuggled on PK8303; discovered in PIA plane’s debris

    Currency worth Rs3 crores was being smuggled on PK8303; discovered in PIA plane’s debris

    In a shocking development, local and foreign currency amounting to Rs30 million was allegedly being smuggled in the plane that crashed in a Karachi neighbourhood on May 22, a spokesperson of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has claimed.

    “Local and foreign currency worth millions of rupees was recovered from the crash site,” said the spokesperson, adding that a total of Rs30 million had been recovered from three separate bags.

    The PIA official said that such an amount cannot be transported without informing the airline and that an extra seat ticket needs to be purchased for transporting such huge amounts of cash. “A passenger cannot carry it in their luggage or cabin baggage.”

    He said for such large amounts of cash, a passenger has to be seated next to the cash but no passenger had brought an extra seat.

    So far, three people have come forward to claim the money, the spokesperson said.

  • Mahira, Mehwish among others raise voice for Uzma Khan

    Mahira, Mehwish among others raise voice for Uzma Khan

    After Uzma Khan was brutally assaulted and attacked by Aamna Usman Malik, a relative of property tycoon Malik Riaz, celebrities including Mahira Khan, Mehwish Hayat, Usman Mukhtar, Hania Aamir and Osman Khalid Butt have come out to support the actor and demand justice for her.

    Read more – Uzma Khan says Usman Malik wanted to marry her

    Here’s what they had to say:

    Mahira Khan

    Mehwish Hayat

    Usman Mukhtar

    https://twitter.com/MukhtarHoonMein/status/1265993524484476930?s=20

    Sarwat Gilani

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CAuRV82DdUr/

    Hania Aamir

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CAvY4OYBHzp/

    Osman Khalid Butt

    Zara Noor Abbas

    Adnan Malik

    Sana Bucha

    THE INCIDENT

    On May 23 (Chaand Raat) Malik Riaz’s daughters – Amber and Pashmina – along with Usman’s wife Aamna stormed into Uzma’s house with 12 gunmen where they assaulted and injured Uzma and her sister and threatened to kill them.

    They vandalised the house, broke things and even attempted to sexually assault the girls by telling their armed guards to touch them. Moreso, they filmed everything including the women which is a breach of their privacy. The lawyer added that Riaz’s daughters took away all the belongings of the two sisters, including their clothes and shoes and said that they will set them on fire.

    Videos of the incident went viral on social media, sparking public outrage. Uzma, in her official statement, named her perpetrators and vowed that she will stand up against their tyranny.

    “I have been shamed, blackmailed, harassed, been threatened to kill in the past three days. I feel I have nothing to lose now and I have decided to fight the strongest people of Pakistan. For me, it is either I get justice or I will be killed but there is no turning back now.”

    “I will fight against daughters (Amber Malik & Pashmina Malik) of Malik Riaz, who stormed into my house around midnight with 12 men,” she added.

    https://twitter.com/uzmaaaK/status/1265607087431782402?s=20

    While an FIR has been registered, as per the latest reports, action against the perpetrators is yet to be taken.

    https://twitter.com/uzmaaaK/status/1266087541419229187?s=20
    https://twitter.com/uzmaaaK/status/1266092127559311361?s=20
  • Pakistan receives export orders of face masks from US, Canada and Europe

    Pakistan receives export orders of face masks from US, Canada and Europe

    Adviser to Prime Minister (PM) on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood has said that Pakistani exporters have received large orders of face masks from the United States (US), Canada and Europe.

    In a series of tweets on Thursday, he congratulated the exporters and termed their achievement a major breakthrough in the country’s export sector.

    “I have received information that some exporters have obtained large orders for face masks from US, Canada and Europe. This is a major breakthrough and I congratulate them for this achievement,” he tweeted.

    He further emphasised the need for Pakistani exporters to diversify into new segments in order to meet the changing global needs.

    “It is part of our strategy to diversify into new segments and this has been achieved by the exporters through their own efforts. I’m sharing this information with others to encourage them to seek more orders from different parts of the world,” he stated.

    Separately, the adviser stated that in order to achieve the target of agricultural exports, the government was striving hard to make space in the rice markets of the Middle East, North America and Africa.

    Talking to APP, he said the government intends to take the exports to the highest-ever level and in this regard, it was taking different measures to reclaim traditional markets besides getting access to new ones.

    “All members of the Rice Exports Association Pakistan (REAP) should prepare themselves for this opportunity so that they could get their orders approved in the Mexican market.”

    He further informed that rice export to Mexico was stagnant for the past few years but after the delegation’s visit, “we are hoping that our rice will be able to enter the Mexican market”.

    Dawood said that rice was the largest agro-export commodity in the country’s export basket, having a total volume of over $2 billion, which would be increased to $5 billion in the next five years.

  • Uzma Khan says Usman Malik wanted to marry her

    Uzma Khan says Usman Malik wanted to marry her

    Uzma Khan, who was recently attacked and assaulted by Aamna Malik, a relative of property tycoon Malik Riaz, has said that Aamna’s husband Usman wanted to marry her.

    Read more – Uzma Khan vs Malik Riaz’s daughters: Everything we know so far

    Addressing a press conference after videos of her being harassed and assaulted by Aamna along with Malik Riaz’s daughters Amber Malik and Pashmina Malik and their guards went viral on social media, Uzma shared that she was friends with Usman for two years and that his wife never reached out to her or “warned” her despite knowing that Usman had proposed marriage to her in December 2019.

    “I was friends with Usman and he wanted to marry me. His wife never called me. [When] I saw her for the first time, they had a gun pointed at me,” said Uzma. Her lawyer Ali Ashfaq added that the women extracted a confession out of Uzma and her sister Huma Khan under duress.

    Uzma alleged that Usman continues to call and text her and that she has saved all the evidence to present in court.

    “Usman Malik is still sending me messages and I will prove in court how he has been calling me and messaging me even now,” said the actor.

    Responding to Aamna’s claim that the house belonged to Usman, Uzma’s lawyer said that the house was in the name of Babar Naseem, who is also a friend of Uzma’s. He said that the sisters had rented the place and had been living there for a few years, adding that he had all the documents to prove the ownership and rental agreement,

    Explaining the legalities, Ashfaq said the women are guilty of three offences: trespassing, vandalism and criminal intimidation. He said that trespassing is a non-bailable offence but no arrests have been made so far and no pre-arrest bail has been secured by Aamna or other women involved in the incident. He said that though the FIR registered criminal intimidation under Article 506 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Pakistan (CrPC), it should have been registered under Article 506-B because weapons were involved.

    https://twitter.com/uzmaaaK/status/1266016406811918341?s=20

    Uzma’s lawyers, including Hassan Niazi, thanked IG Punjab and CCPO Lahore for their support and hoped that DIG Investigations will conduct proper investigations into the matter so that justice is served. They also demanded that those guilty should be arrested without any further delay.

    They also shared that their lives are under threat and that they are being harassed and requested the state and government to provide them security.

    THE INCIDENT

    On May 23 (Chaand Raat) Malik Riaz’s daughters – Amber and Pashmina – along with Usman’s wife Aamna stormed into Uzma’s house with 12 gunmen where they assaulted and injured Uzma and her sister and threatened to kill them.

    They vandalised the house, broke things and even attempted to sexually assault the girls by telling their armed guards to touch them. Moreso, they filmed everything including the women which is a breach of their privacy. The lawyer added that Riaz’s daughters took away all the belongings of the two sisters, including their clothes and shoes and said that they will set them on fire.

    Videos of the incident went viral on social media, sparking public outrage. Uzma, in her official statement, named her perpetrators and vowed that she will stand up against their tyranny.

    “I have been shamed, blackmailed, harassed, been threatened to kill in the past three days. I feel I have nothing to lose now and I have decided to fight the strongest people of Pakistan. For me, it is either I get justice or I will be killed but there is no turning back now.”

    “I will fight against daughters (Amber Malik & Pashmina Malik) of Malik Riaz, who stormed into my house around midnight with 12 men,” she added.

    https://twitter.com/uzmaaaK/status/1265607087431782402?s=20
  • Coronavirus equipment to US was sent by armed forces, not govt: Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal

    Coronavirus equipment to US was sent by armed forces, not govt: Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal

    National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chief Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal has clarified that the personal protective equipment (PPE) sent to the United States (US) as a gesture of solidarity amid the coronavirus pandemic, was by the country’s armed forces and not the government, Dawn reported.

    The consignment of PPE arrived at Andrew Air Force Base (AFB), Maryland Via C-130 flight from Islamabad, Pakistan.

    Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US, Dr Asad Majeed Khan, and senior officers of the embassy’s defence wing were present at the airport.

    Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs David Helvey with other American officials were also present on the airbase.

    On the occasion, Ambassador Khan referred to the cordial ties between the people of two countries and their armed forces.

    He said that armed forces of both countries fought together in the global war on terrorism and would stand together in the fight against COVID-19 too.

    The Pakistani envoy said that it was a manifestation of the longstanding and close cooperation between the armed forces of both countries, particularly in dealing with the natural calamity.

    The equipment has been handed over to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for delivery to the US Armed Forces.

  • Temporary visit turned all-time love, tourist doesn’t want to leave Pakistan

    Temporary visit turned all-time love, tourist doesn’t want to leave Pakistan

    A UK citizen Stephen David Sheen, who visited Pakistan as a temporary destination on his way to India, where his cousins live, ended up staying here because of the country’s hospitality. He has been living in Pakistan for the past decade.

    Popularly known as Steve among his students, Sheen is currently serving as a school Principal in Khairpur, Sindh.

    In an interview with Independent Urdu, Sheen said that he made a plan for a train trip to Europe and then to India in 2010. He first visited Turkey from where he took a train to Iran and finally to Pakistan. He stayed in Quetta for the initial time before going to Karachi, and from there to Khairpur.

    Steve has learned to speak fluent Sindhi and teaches Mathematics, Physics, and English to the students of Sojhro Faiz High School. The school is now famously known as the ‘Angrez ka School’ among the locals in Khairpur.

    He had volunteered to teach at the school for one summer camp but decided to stay and teach its students permanently.

    Steve mentioned that everywhere around the globe, people make money off tourism, but in Pakistan, the hospitality of the people doesn’t allow them to earn because here, people present him with free food, accommodation, and travel.

    On learning Sindhi, Steve mentioned that when he first arrived in Khairpur, he was invited to an Eid dinner. Everyone at the dinner party was talking to each other in Sindhi, and he felt isolated. That is when he decided to learn the language and now he speaks it fluently.

    Other than teaching and running a school, Sheen also enjoys woodwork. He makes wooden tables and chairs, and some of his students also join him in this activity from time to time.

  • Indian Home Ministry accidentally posts whiskey pictures while advertising cyclone relief efforts

    Indian Home Ministry accidentally posts whiskey pictures while advertising cyclone relief efforts

    There was panic in the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after efforts to advertise its relief operations in Cyclone Amphan-hit West Bengal, went awry.

    According to the details, the MHA had taken to Facebook to highlight the work that personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which falls under the ministry, were carrying out in the Trinamool Congress-governed West Bengal.

    However, with ‘work from home’ having its perils, one of the handlers of MHA’s social media accounts inadvertently posted images of two bottles of whiskey and snacks along with those of the rescue and relief work

    While the photos were posted on MHA’s official Facebook around 9 am and were taken off around 30 minutes later, screenshots of the post started doing rounds over social media. The post sparked exasperation and elation in equal measure as some were enraged by the “irresponsible behaviour” and others saw the funny side of the “accident”.

    The MHA refused to comment on who uploaded the picture but reports quoted officials as saying that the ministry was treating it as a case of human error that should not be shown out of proportion.  

    They added that although most officers were enraged at the “callousness”, many other civil servants laughed off the “disaster”.

  • Pakistan deploys militant-tracking technology to trace coronavirus patients

    Pakistan deploys militant-tracking technology to trace coronavirus patients

    Pakistani intelligence service is deploying surveillance technology to track suspected and confirmed patients of coronavirus, which is usually used to locate high-value militants.

    The development came after Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan announced seeking assistance from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for tackling the virus.

    Details of the project have not yet been made public but two officials told AFP that the spy agency was using geo-fencing and phone-monitoring systems for monitoring.

    Geo-fencing, a strategic tracking system alerts authorities when a suspect leaves a specific geographic area. This tool is also helping officials to monitor neighbourhoods during the lockdown.

    Authorities are also tapping phone calls of COVID-19 patients to check, whether their contacts are talking about having symptoms.

    Speaking on conditions of anonymity, a senior security official said that the trace-and-track system helped authorities track the mobile phones of coronavirus patients as well as anyone they get in touch with before or after their disappearance.

    “The government has been successful in tracing even those who tested positive but went into hiding,” added the official.

    “It was originally used against terrorism, but now they can be used effectively to trace-and-track corona patients,” they maintained.

    Rights groups, on the other hand, are concerned that institutions with such power can abuse their sweeping surveillance to curb political dissidents.

    Countries across the world have employed track-and-trace methods to control the virus spread, raising privacy concerns.

    More than 61,000 people in Pakistan have tested positive and more than 1,200 patients have died.

  • PTV asked to speed up dubbing process of ‘Ertuğrul’

    PTV asked to speed up dubbing process of ‘Ertuğrul’

    Following the unprecedented success of Diriliş: Ertuğrul in Pakistan, Senator Faisal Javed has said that the Pakistan Television Network (PTV) has been directed to air the Turkish series seven days a week.

    Taking to Twitter, Javed said that PTV is trying to speed up the dubbing process so that episodes can be aired daily on the national broadcaster.

    VIDEO: Ertuğrul wishes his Pakistani fans Eid Mubarak

    Last week, Riyaad Minty, an official of Turkey’s TRT Channel revealed that the show had surpassed 200 million views on TRT Ertuğrul by PTV channel and is nearing 3 million subscribers.

    The historical fiction series is being aired on the recommendation of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Set in 13th century Anatolia and based on the struggle of Ertuğrul Gazi, father of Osman I – the founder of the Ottoman dynasty, Diriliş: Ertuğrul has been trending in the country ever since its first episode aired on the first of Ramzan. According to PTV, 133.38 million people have watched the drama series from April 25- May 14. PTV’s YouTube channel has also registered an exponential rise in its viewership with 4.4 million subscribers and episodes trending every day on the social media platform.

    In an exclusive interview with The Current, Senator Faisal Javed Khan had revealed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had gifted the drama series to Pakistan as a goodwill gesture.

    Meanwhile, check out The Current’s review on the series here: