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  • Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, his wife safe in car crash: report

    Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, his wife safe in car crash: report

    Former Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director general (DG) Major General Asif Ghafoor has met with an accident on the motorway near Sargodha.

    According to Khaleej Times, both the former military spokesperson and his wife were safe as the car was under the speed limit.

    The same was also tweeted by Oasis Energy Director Usama Qureshi.

    Qureshi went on to say that the accident took place during the wee hours of February 3.

    Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar has replaced Asif Ghafoor as the ISPR chief. Maj Gen Ghafoor has been posted as general officer commanding (GOC) of the military’s 40th Infantry Division in Okara.

  • ‘Over my dead body,’ says Khadim Rizvi on Zindagi Tamasha release

    ‘Over my dead body,’ says Khadim Rizvi on Zindagi Tamasha release

    Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi has said that he would not let Sarmad Khoosat’s film Zindagi Tamasha release no matter what anyone does, Pakistan Today reported.

    “We will not let Zindagi Tamasha release and will do whatever it takes to make sure it does not see the light of day,” he said, adding ‘jo karna hai kar lo’ (do whatever you can), as he addressed party workers and supporters at Faisal Chowk on Kashmir Solidarity Day.

    Earlier on January 28, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) had set up a four-member committee that would review the film Zindagi Tamasha and submit a report to CII Chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz.

    The members of this committee include Ghulam Majid, Abdul Rasheed, Taaj Muhammad and Muhammad Ashfaq, all of whom are said to be experts in the concepts of Shariah.

    “All the members are competent and hold qualifications in Islam and social sciences. They belong to CII’s research wing and were selected for this task after going through an interview process. We have shown them the CBFC letter and advised them on how to review the film, keeping religious sentiments in mind,” CII’s Media Coordinator Rana Zahid had said.

    “The Council’s supreme body will further take a decision regarding the film after viewing the report,” he said.

    He further told that the CII has sent a letter notifying the CBFC of its plan of action in the first phase and is expecting a reply soon.

    According to another anonymous member of the CII, the four member bench will also question the viewpoint of CBFC members over objectionable dialogues.

    “How were these dialogues and scenes that hurt the sentiments of the public even cleared if they (CBFC) watched the film? The reply of the CBFC members will also be a part of the report. We are just concerned over the objectionable dialogues that hurt the public. We have no concern otherwise. No scene or dialogue that hurts religious sentiments, would be allowed to pass,” said the member.

  • Chitral man booked for spreading coronavirus rumours

    Chitral man booked for spreading coronavirus rumours

    Amid growing fears of the deadly coronavirus in Pakistan, a man in Chitral has been booked on charges of spreading misinformation on social media.

    An FIR has been registered against Irshad Mukarer, a resident of the Darosh area of Chitral district, in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

    According to Wali Khan, the SHO of Darosh Police Station, a Chinese citizen working on the Lawi Hydro Power Project in Chitral visited a local hospital for having pain in his stomach where doctors prescribed him some medicines.

    Irshad took his picture at the hospital and posted it on social networking websites saying the Chinese man was infected with coronavirus, medically named ‘2019-nCoV’, SHO Khan added.

    The wrong information circulated spreading fear among the locals. Authorities took serious notice of the incident and the police registered FIR against Khan, who managed to get pre-arrest bail.

    While Irshad denied sharing any post on social media. “I was visiting the hospital to meet an ailing relative where I saw the Chinese man who was in severe pain and I asked for his proper diagnosis. ”Irshad went on to add that the charges against him were baseless and that the police twisted his words and registered the FIR against him.

    The coronavirus originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan has claimed many lives and the World Health Organization (WHO) also declared a global health warning.

  • Mahira Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Humayun Saeed stand in solidarity with Kashmir

    As Pakistan observes Kashmir Day, local celebrities including Mahira Khan, Shahid Afridi, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Humayun Saeed and Saba Qamar raised their voice for the people who are currently under lockdown in the picturesque valley.

    https://twitter.com/iamhumayunsaeed/status/1224969229914558465?s=20

  • ‘Thank you for being there as we live yet die every day,’ Love, Kashmir

    Dear Pakistan,

    Over six months ago, we woke up like it was yet another day for caged birds that sing to the deaf in a dark and lonely corner of a pet shop. It wasn’t that bad. You get used to never feeling free, able to be outside, go to school, get groceries with soldiers watching your every move. We were used to it but we would always wish to get what we deserve.

    We deserve to live and breathe as freely as you… yes you… dear Pakistan.

    We would like to thank you for standing up for us when we need it the most. And also for not limiting your support to what you call ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’.

    We pray that you never have to live through the pain of losing a loved one, but do you have any idea how it feels to lose one when you aren’t even sure if they’re gone forever? Do you have an idea what it feels like to lose touch indefinitely?

    We had woken up to a bright August morning. It was just another Monday, and like the rest of the world, Mondays are hard for us too. Little we knew, that this Monday was going to rob us of even the paltry autonomy we had struggled to achieve for decades.

    The government led by fascist Narendra Modi announced abrogating Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, revoking the special status of this troubled heaven, spelling misery for us yet again. We weren’t sure what would follow, some of us had no idea what even it meant, but it wasn’t later that we realised how it was the beginning of the end.

    As protests gripped the valley, Indian forces stooped to a new low. While activists and political leaders were arrested, kids were tortured; communication blackouts were set in place and certain parts of the disputed territory still remain under lockdown.

    Of the 4,000 people, one of the 144 children picked up by Indian occupying forces between August 5 and September 23 last year, was a nine-year-old. His mother had passed away and he was abandoned by his father. He was detained when he went out to get a loaf of bread, and had to spend two days in detention until he was set free by the sweet relief of death.

    In a village in southern Kashmir, a 22-year-old was picked up in a midnight raid and tortured for more than an hour along with a dozen other Kashmiris. He was beaten with sticks, rifle butts and they kept asking him why he went for a protest march. He kept telling them he didn’t, but they didn’t stop. After he fainted, they used electric shocks to revive him.

    While some mothers have lost their children to Indian brutality, others have lost their unborn babies to the lockdown. Besides that, pellet guns being shot in abdomens of pregnant women and eyes of infants, is but the terrible tale of every other Kashmiri family.

    Within minutes of the abrogation, the internet was blocked. People were expecting mobile networks to be shut by the government as well in order to restrict communication in the valley. Our social media accounts have been deactivated due to inactivity, and our loved ones we managed to send out of Kashmir for a better life, don’t even know if we’re dead or alive.

    Don’t take us wrong, dear Pakistan, we’re not scared. We never were. Death, torture or detentions are not new to us. Tens of thousands of us have been killed since the rebellion erupted 30 years ago. But we just want you to know what it means to us when you express your support.

    We just want you to know what it means for us, knowing that you are not forgetting us like many others.

    We have not lost hope, but only because neither of us has lost each other.

    Here’s to a new life… here’s to our love for you and your support for us…

    Here’s to freedom…

    Love,
    Kashmir

  • Every mom will relate to Shaniera Akram’s bathroom workout

    Every mom will relate to Shaniera Akram’s bathroom workout

    Shaniera Akram has a great sense of humour and she doesn’t shy away from cracking a joke or poking fun at her husband whenever she gets the chance.

    This morning, Wasim Akram posted a picture of himself working out at the gym. It is no secret that the former cricketer and his wife are fitness freaks.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B8K8DXOp-pc/

    Under the picture, Shaniera commented that she thought that the picture was for her only.

    In response to Wasim’s photo, Shaniera posted a picture of herself in which she showed off her muscles after cleaning the bathroom. Shaniera wrote how she didn’t have time to hit the gym but got her workout done by cleaning. We’re pretty sure every Mom will be able to relate to this.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B8LXTgIgEBT/

    When Wasim expressed that he was impressed with her workout, Shaniera remarked, “You should be.” Gotta agree with her.

  • Coronavirus: JI woman leader trolled for comparing hazmat suit to burqa

    Amid global coronavirus fears, Jamaate Islami (JI) leader Dr Samia Raheel Qazi on Wednesday was trolled for what appeared to be a comparison between a hazmat suit and burqa on her Twitter.

    “Food for thought,” the women wing leader of the religio-political party wrote as she tweeted two images, one of which showed a person in a hazmat suit and the other a burqa-clad woman.

    The tweet that came as the world battles the deadly coronavirus that has so far claimed at least 500 lives and left over 24,000 others infected, met with trolling on the micro-blogging website, as people reacted to what they said was an absurd comparison.

    Meanwhile, China’s National Health Commission has said the number of confirmed infections in the country rose to 24,324 after an additional 3,887 people were diagnosed with the virus.

    Other countries have rushed to evacuate their citizens from Hubei and its capital city, Wuhan, while many have also imposed extraordinary travel restrictions on travellers to and from China, Al Jazeera reported.

    Countries outside China continue to report more cases, with Hong Kong and the Philippines reporting one death each from the disease.

    The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has called for greater solidarity among the international community, and criticised governments for being “well behind” in sharing data on virus cases. He said he had received complete case report forms for only 38 per cent of the cases outside China.

    THE CURRENT LIFE WITH DR SAMIA RAHEEL QAZI:

  • Doctor ‘beats up nurse for refusing to be photographed’

    Doctor ‘beats up nurse for refusing to be photographed’

    A doctor at the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Jhang, Punjab allegedly beat up one of the nurses for not allowing him to take pictures of her. An FIR has been registered against the doctor for the attack.

    The closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the incident shows the doctor getting angry at the nurse and then slapping her repeatedly.

    An FIR has been registered against the doctor at the Shorkot Police Station on the request of the nurse. In her complaint, the nurse claimed that the doctor in question entered the nursing room at night when she was on duty and asked her to accompany him on rounds.

    She added that when she paused to collect medical files for the rounds, the doctor started taking pictures of her. When she tried to stop him from taking her pictures, he started beating and slapping her.

    Meanwhile, the doctor has reportedly secured a pre-arrest bail till February 14th from a local magistrate.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGovY20_gOM
  • Jhooti: The drama that replaced ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’

    Jhooti: The drama that replaced ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’

    Meray Paas Tum Ho left some big shoes to fill. The Humayun Saeed-Ayeza Khan starrer received unprecedented success and was reported to be television’s highest-rated drama of all time. The serial wrapped up on January 25 and the next week on February 1, Iqra Aziz, Ahmed Ali Butt and Yasir Hussain’s Jhooti took over.

    Much before its release, when the teasers of the drama were released, Jhooti had stirred up controversy for allegedly showing women in a bad light and portraying them as money-hungry, two-faced creatures and the first episode did nothing to change the perception.

    The drama opened with the same-old storyline. Nirma’s (Iqra) parents want their daughter to get married and settle down. But the rebel daughter wants a better life for herself and doesn’t want to settle for the “useless” boys in her “poor” neighbourhood. She spends her days shouting or passing snide remarks to her family members. There are a lot of screaming sessions as Nirma clashes with her family over the rishtas that come for her. The only person who supports her is her father.

    In comes Ahmed Ali Butt as Nasir, a simple man *yawn* madly in love with Nirma. He runs a small store in the neighbourhood and lives a fuss-free life. He comes over with his family with a rishta for Nirma. While Nirma herself rejects him by constantly calling him fat, her family thinks that he is a good choice for her. Eventually, Nirma’s partner in crime and equally vile friend advises her to marry Nasir only if he agrees to put his shop and house in her name. Interestingly Nasir’s parents agree to her condition and they come over to fix the date for the wedding when Nirma flips and tells them that she’s already rejected the proposal.

    While the drama doesn’t appear to have anything new to offer as yet and is as regressive as it can get – I mean Nirma’s mother tells her that she cannot go to university because she needs to get married – the only department in which it excels is acting. Iqra has given a solid performance and you absolutely hate her at the end of the episode. The rest of the actors including Butt and Asma Abbas as Nirma’s mother put up commendable performances.

    The drama has a bit of a negative vibe to it and reminds you of the over the top Star Plus sagas. But I’m going to watch a couple of more episodes before deciding whether the drama is worth watching or not.

    Jhooti has been directed by Syed Ramish Rizvi and penned by Ali Moeen. It airs every Saturday at 8pm.

  • Former Bollywood actor Zaira Wasim condemns Indian atrocities in Kashmir

    Former Bollywood actor Zaira Wasim condemns Indian atrocities in Kashmir

    Former actor Zaira Wasim, who hails from Kashmir, has condemned the curfews in the region.

    Taking to Instagram, the Secret Superstar actor shared a lengthy note writing, “Kashmir continues to suffer and see-saw between hope and frustration. There’s a false and uneasy semblance of calmness in place of escalating despair and sorrow.”

    She continues by asking many questions. “Why do we have to live in a world where our lives and wills are controlled, dictated and bent? Why is it so easy to have our voices silenced? Why is it so easy to curtail our freedom of expression? Why aren’t we ever allowed to voice our opinions, let alone our disprovals to decisions that are made contrary to our wishes? Why is it that instead of trying to see the cause of our view, our view is just condemned ruthfully? What is so easy to curb our voices so severely?

     “Why can we not live simple lives without always having to wrestle and remind the world of our existence? Why is that life of a Kashmiri is just about experiencing a lifetime of crisis, blockade and disturbance so abundantly that it has taken away the recognition of normalcy and harmony from the hearts and minds?”

    Zaira also warned not to believe the beautiful picture that the media has been showing about the Kashmir.

    “Do not believe the unfair representation of the facts and details or the rosy hue that the media has cast on the reality of the situation. Ask questions, re-examine the biased assumptions. Ask questions. For our voices”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B8HbAKKlUvT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    In early August, the Indian Government revoked Article 370 which granted special status to IoK(Indian occupied Kashmir). Troops were deployed in the region and all communication in the valley was blocked, cutting off Kashmiris from the outside world.

    Earlier, Zaira had taken to social media to assure fellow Kashmiris that “this too shall pass.”