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  • Groom takes baraat to the police station

    Groom takes baraat to the police station

    A groom, hailing from Sialkot, took his baraat to the police station where he spent his wedding day filing a report against his bride-to-be and her family.

    According to the Express Tribune, 24-year-old Zeeshan Shaukat from Daska, Sialkot, arrived along with his wedding party in Sargodha only to find the bride’s house locked and the family nowhere in sight.

    Dressed in traditional wedding attire, including a sehra and garland, Zeeshan spent his wedding day filing a complaint against his bride-to-be Kausar and her mother Mumtaz Bibi.

    “The bride’s mother took Rs250,000 from us on the pretext of dowry,” he told the police.

    Zeeshan also said that upon arrival, they found the bride’s house locked. “When we asked women in the neighbourhood regarding their whereabouts, they expressed ignorance.”

    He added that they found out that Kausar and Mumtaz were tenants at the house which had been locked for over three days. “Even the ladies who were involved in the matchmaking are no longer available and their phones are switched off,” he said.

    According to the groom-to-be’s father Shaukat, the girl’s family had promised a wedding and instead they scammed. “Get my son his bride or recover the money,” demanded Shaukat while failing to hold back tears.

    Zeeshan went on to say that he is a poor farmer and his family had worked really hard to save the money for his wedding.

    “What will I tell people in my hometown when I return without a bride,” he added.

    According to police, a complaint has been filed and authorities are taking action as per the law to bring to justice the women responsible for the scam.

  • Dr Firdous reveals her favourite makeup brand

    Dr Firdous reveals her favourite makeup brand

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has a tough schedule. Apart from attending various meetings throughout the day with the Prime Minister, Dr Firdous also has to address press conferences to brief the media and public about daily happenings. For all this, Dr Firdous maintains an impeccable appearance and is always on top of her game.

    In an exclusive interview with The Current, when asked about her favourite makeup brand, Dr Firdous revealed that it is Clinique.

    “Because my skin remains in painting all day, Clinique is good at all this denting-painting,” the SAPM had said.

    Apart from that, Dr Firdous also revealed the one thing she admired about her predecessor, former federal minister for information Fawad Chaudhry. She said that she liked his “struggle to always stay in headlines”.

    According to the details, with cracks continuing to emerge within the ranks of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and rumour having it that both Awan and Chaudhry are not the best of friends ever since the latter was sacked and replaced by the former, the SAPM when asked what she liked the most about Chaudhry, she said, “His [Fawad Chaudhry’s] struggle to always stay in headlines.”

    To another question, Awan, who is not an elected member of the parliament, said that election defeat under Imran was not a defeat. “It’s a victory for my ideology,” she said.

    “Social media is an unguided missile with warheads but no target,” the SAPM said when asked what was that she disliked the most about social media.

    Awan also said that she was not a misogynist — her verbal attacks “were for people and not genders” and those who criticised her for not being an elected representative, “lacked sense”.

    WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW:

  • Sajjad Ali’s son debuts in father’s new single

    Sajjad Ali’s son debuts in father’s new single

    Renowned singer Sajjad Ali’s son Khubi made his debut in his father’s latest romantic medley Baarish.

    The video also stars Reema and a newcomer Merub. In the music video, Ali looks back at his first love. The video shows the story of two young lovers, played by Khubi and Merub, who part ways on a rainy afternoon. 

    The Teri Yaad singer has not only sung the song but he also directed the video. Sajjad Ali has also done composition and lyrics.

    A few years ago, Khubi and his brother Shabi, had launched a band called SK Champs. Their first song was We Are The Guys.

    Listen to the song here:

  • Mystery shrouds Feroze Khan’s sudden disappearance from Instagram

    Mystery shrouds Feroze Khan’s sudden disappearance from Instagram

    Heartthrob Feroze Khan left fans and followers in a frenzy after he suddenly disappeared from Instagram. Apart from an Instagram story on wife Alizey Feroze’s account, there was radio silence from the actor on the matter. The move was unexpected given the teaser of his upcoming film Tich Button dropped on Saturday and his latest drama serial Ishqiya’s first episode aired last Monday.

    Read more – ‘Tich Button’s teaser is full of action and colour

    According to Alizey’s Instagram story, Feroze is embarking on a spiritual journey and his sister Dua Malick confirmed the news telling a local media outlet that Feroze is spending time away from social media at the moment to connect with his faith, adding that Feroze doesn’t really care about social media.

    Soon after, fans and followers began to speculate that the actor is quitting the showbiz industry and will be following a path similar to that of Hamza Ali Abbasi. However, this is not the first time that the actor has deactivated his Instagram account. Feroze has deactivated his account on various occasions only to come back later.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Feroze’s Twitter account is still active, though there is no activity on it.

  • Israeli PM’s election app leaks personal data of 6.5 million people

    Israeli PM’s election app leaks personal data of 6.5 million people

    Threats of electoral manipulation and identity theft are rising in Israel after a critical flaw in a voting app used by Israeli Primer Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu leaked personal data of 6.5 million voters.

    The app was used to communicate with voters and it also allowed their personals to be viewed without the need for any technical skills. The leaked data includes voters’ full names, addresses, identity card numbers and phone numbers.

    Read more – Windows 7 is officially out of support from Microsoft

    As for how the cyberattack was inflicted, the source code of the app was available on the website and even included the personal data of administrators in charge of the app’s database. While Israel’s Privacy Protection Authority has denied the accusation and is looking into the matter, the cause of the breach still remains uncertain.

    A petition has been filed against the Israeli PM’s political party after a programmer said that it was one of the largest and most compromising leaks of Israelis’ personal information in the nation’s history.

    Read more – New survey reveals Pakistani businesses positive about future

    The party is being accused of violating privacy laws for creating and sharing their database with access to all of the government’s voting registry.

    While the flaw in the app has been fixed, it goes to show how electoral apps aren’t being tested thoroughly and aren’t ready to carry sensitive information.

  • Did coronavirus reach China from Pakistan?

    Did coronavirus reach China from Pakistan?

    With Chinese scientists saying the endangered pangolin could be the potential link that facilitated the spread of coronavirus across China, a report in Independent Urdu has argued if the novel virus could have reached the neighbouring country from Pakistan, where the scaly anteater is quite commonly found.

    According to the report, the rather expensive pangolin meat is widely consumed by the Chinese, and to meet its demand, China imports the animal from other countries, including Pakistan.

    Although pangolin is found all across the country, its largest population is there in the Potohar region — northern parts of Punjab bordering the western parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and the southern parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    While it is an environment-friendly animal, there’s been a 90%, 80% and 50% decrease in its population in KP and Sindh, Punjab, and AJK, respectively, amid a spike in pangolin trafficking.

    The pangolin is considered the most trafficked animal on the planet and more than one million have been snatched from Asian and African forests in the past decade, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

    According to a report in DAWN, some officials say that pangolin meat is being sold in the local market, as people coming from China like it. A large number of Chinese people are staying in Karachi, working on projects related to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). But these allegations have never been formally investigated or proven.

    China in January ordered a temporary ban on the trade in wild animals until the epidemic is under control. The country has long been accused by conservationists of tolerating a shadowy trade in endangered animals for food or as ingredients in traditional medicines.

    “If we want to do everything in our power to prevent deadly disease outbreaks such as coronavirus, then a permanent ban on wildlife trade, in China, and around the world, is the only solution,” said Neil D’Cruze, global head of wildlife research at World Animal Protection.

    A price list that circulated on China’s internet for business at the Wuhan market showed a menagerie of animals or animal-based products including live foxes, crocodiles, wolf puppies, giant salamanders, snakes, rats, peacocks, porcupines, camel meat and other game — 112 items in all.

    The SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus that killed hundreds of people in China and Hong Kong in 2002-03 also has been traced to wild animals, with scientists saying it likely originated in bats, later reaching humans via civets.

  • Irfan Junejo quits vlogging

    Irfan Junejo quits vlogging

    Pakistani YouTuber Irfan Junejo bid goodbye to vlogging as he no longer likes the format. The vlogger made the announcement in a video titled ‘I Quit‘.

    Junejo said that from now on he will make videos on his terms and on his own time implying that he won’t be uploading them with the same regularity as before.

    The reason behind his decision is that he got lost along the way and forgot the reason he started vlogging.

    “Mein ab kisi bhi event pay nahi jata, mein kisi award ceremony pay nahi jaata ,mujhe kisi bhi podcast kee invitation aati hai mein nahi jaata, mein ney Twitter chor dia hai, aur mein ney camera use karna bohat kam kardia hai ( I don’t go to any events anymore, I don’t respond to any podcast requests, I’ve left Twitter and I have stopped using the camera regularly),” said Junejo in the video.

    Junejo has hidden/removed all his tweets and his Twitter bio reads, “I don’t use Twitter anymore. It’s a dark scary place.”

    Junejo supported his decision by giving examples of superstars Will Smith and Anurag Kashyap, who gave up lucrative opportunities at the peak of their careers to achieve their personal goals.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=EoFTr8439yQ&feature=emb_title

    All that said and done, Junejo said that he is glad that by choosing this career, he had fulfilled his wildest dreams from meeting Ronaldinho to purchasing his dream bike.

  • Nazish Jahangir opens up on her struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder

    Nazish Jahangir opens up on her struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder

    Nazish Jahangir, who is currently popular as Shameela bhabhi in Geo’s Kahin Deep Jalay recently opened up about her battle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

    In an elaborate post on social media, the actor talked about being a victim of PTSD for the past ten years and explained to her followers what exactly it is.

    “Many people are unaware that untreated post-traumatic stress disorder can have a devastating effect on those who have the condition and their loved ones. It not only affects relationships with your family, friends and others, it can trigger serious emotional problems and even cause health problems over time,” Nazish wrote.

    She concluded her note writing, “There isn’t a formula that you can insert yourself into to get from horror to healed. Be patient. Take up space. Let your journey be the balm,” adding that she offers prayers regularly.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B8XXba_n2_e/

    Born and raised in Islamabad, Nazish began her career in 2015 when she took part in a play by Anwar Maqsood. However, it was not until 2017 that she made her television debut with the drama serial Bharosa. Following that, Nazish was part of several popular dramas including Alif Allah Aur Insaan, Tohmat and Kamzarf.

    Nazish was also recently embroiled in controversy after Mohsin Abbas Haider’s former wife Fatema Sohail accused her of having an affair with her husband. Mohsin and Nazish both had refuted the allegations then. Later, it was also rumoured that the two were tying the knot – however, they rejected those reports also.

    Read more – Nazish Jahangir responds to marriage rumours

    Addressing these rumours and allegations, Nazish in a recent interview had said, “I was friends with both Mohsin and his wife Fatema and I knew the truth but stayed stay quiet out of respect for Mohsin.”

    “I don’t think social media is the place where we openly and publicly discuss our personal matters and get the whole nation involved in trivial matters,” she said, adding, “It is below my dignity. I am totally against domestic violence but I will always stand by real victims and not those who have an ulterior motive.”

    Meanwhile, Nazish is also set to make her big-screen debut this year with Lafangay alongside Sami Khan, Mani and Saleem Mairaj.

  • Largest gas reserve in 20 years discovered in Balochistan

    Largest gas reserve in 20 years discovered in Balochistan

    Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) has found a huge gas reserve in Margand block of Kalat, Balochistan, 100% of drilling rights of which are owned by the PPL.

    According to the details, PPL had been drilling at Margand X-1 block since June 30, 2019. It carried out Modular Dynamics Testing (MDT) that helps in the detection of gas reserves. PPL further conducted a Drill Stem Test (DST) that revealed that these reserves might potentially exceed 1 trillion cubic feet.

    In comparison, Sui has estimated reserves of 2 trillion cubic feet. This is the first significant discovery of gas reserves in Balochistan since 2000 after which companies such as British Petroleum, Petronas and Niko Resources had been trying to tap unexplored reserves.

    All companies had, however, failed to discover reserves this large and pulled out of the country.

    Furthermore, little to no attention was given during the tenures of previous governments to exploit the domestic wealth of minerals and fulfil the energy needs of the country. Instead, dubious contracts like rental power plants and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) power plants were signed, which the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been investigating.

    Pakistan can save more than $900 million on the import bill if Margand gas reserves replace LNG, which costs domestic consumers 100% more than Sui gas, a former board director of the PPL has said.

  • Lt Gen (r) Amjad Shoaib under fire for defending prime accused of APS massacre

    Lt Gen (r) Amjad Shoaib, who is among the 26 former military officers allowed by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) to appear on media as defence analysts, has drawn the ire of hundreds of social media users for defending former Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesperson and prime accused of the 2014 Army Public School (APS) Peshawar massacre, Ehsanullah Ehsan.

    “He [Ehsan] did not directly carry out attacks and was ‘brainwashed’. In fact, it is the attackers on suicide missions who are brainwashed and not the other way round,” he said while speaking to a private media outlet on the escape of the former TTP spokesperson from a military jail.

    Ehsan had last week claimed in an audio message that he was no longer in the state’s custody and had managed to flee to Turkey. A government official, commenting on the development, had stated that Ehsan had surrendered voluntarily to the government on Feb 5, 2017, under an agreement.

    Security sources had told Geo that the state launched many successful anti-terrorism operations based on information provided by Ehsan.

    With the former military officer defending Ehsan on-air, he was trained guns at by Twitterati, who said:

    “Their views/comments/opinions on media shall remain personal/independent expression and not attributable to the institution,” read an ISPR notification that allowed Shoaib among 25 other ex-military personnel to appear on television as defence analysts.

    The notification in April 2019 had come after the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) had instructed all television channels to seek prior clearance from the military’s media wing before inviting retired military officers on news and current affairs programmes “to solicit their views on matters of national security”.