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  • Jordanian princess becomes her country’s first female pilot

    Jordanian princess becomes her country’s first female pilot

    Jordan’s Princess Salma bint Abdullah became the first woman in her country to pass her theoretical and practical pilot training with the Jordanian Armed Forces.

    19 years old princess was presented with her aviation wings by her father in a ceremony at Amman’s Al Husseiniya Palace. Her mother Queen Rania and her elder brother, Crown Prince Hussein were also present at the ceremony.

    The princess graduated from a short commissioning course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in November 2018. She is also not the first female member of the Jordanian royal family to attend the military academy. Her aunt, Princess Aisha bint Hussein, became the first Middle Eastern woman to attend the academy, graduating in 1987.

    Her brother, who is a first lieutenant in the Jordanian Armed Forces, took to social media to congratulate her.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B7EA29cHx3s/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
  • PM Imran orders to publicly reveal names of officers ‘stealing’ BISP funds

    PM Imran orders to publicly reveal names of officers ‘stealing’ BISP funds

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has reportedly ordered to publicly reveal the names of 2,543 senior government officers who had added either their own names, or those of their spouses, to the list of beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

    In a tweet, Sania Nishtar, who serves as the BISP head as well as the special assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) on social protection and poverty alleviation, had last week said that 2,543 government officers of Grade-17 and above had availed the BISP and had now been “exited” from the programme.

    According to official data, which was also posted on Twitter by Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry, the highest number of government officials availing the BISP was from Sindh. Per the detailed breakdown, 1,122 officers of Grade-17 and above from the province had been BISP beneficiaries.

    The second highest number came from Balochistan, where 741 government officials were signed up for the poverty alleviation scheme. From Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 403 government officials availed the BISP, while 137 did so from Punjab.

    From the federal government, 62 officers availed the programme. Additionally, 1 officer of the Pakistan Railways, 22 of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and 49 of Gilgit Baltistan were also marked as undeserving recipients of the BISP. From within the BISP itself, six officers were listed among the beneficiaries.

    With the federal cabinet taking up the matter on Tuesday, PM Imran ordered to publicly reveal the names of the officers benefiting from the programme. “No leniency should be there for those who deprive the poor of their rights,” the premier reportedly said.

    “It is very regretful for us and damaging for the image of the country that officers of grade-17 to grade-20 officers were receiving funds meant for the poor deserving people,” SAPM on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan had said earlier in the day as she announced that a report on the matter would be presented to the premier in the federal cabinet meeting.

    She had also said that a strict action would be taken against those involved.

  • Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar lands in another controversy

    Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar lands in another controversy

    Critically acclaimed playwright Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar has found himself in a sticky situation yet again after a local media outlet reported that he referred to the lead heroine of his film Kaaf Kangana as ‘do takkay ki larki.’

    Late last weeks reports started circulating that Kaaf Kangana actor Eshal Fayyaz was Qamar’s second wife. Both the actor and director came forward and vehemently denied the rumours and reports.

    Read more: No, Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar is not married to ‘Kaaf Kangana’ heroine Eshal Fayyaz

    Meanwhile, The Express Tribune reported that the Meray Paas Tum Ho writer told the publication that he doesn’t want to be associated with “such second-rate women.”

    Qamar’s reported statement caused outrage on social media and people came forward to oppose him and his views.

    https://twitter.com/daanistan/status/1216711327349182464?s=20

    Following the backlash and outrage, Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar took to social media to deny the report and shifted the onus of the words onto the journalist who filed the report. Qamar further said that Eshal is a “very respectable, hardworking girl and I always admire her professionalism.”

  • Karachi to witness coldest day in 70-year history; mercury to drop to 3°C

    Karachi to witness coldest day in 70-year history; mercury to drop to 3°C

    The provincial capital of Sindh is likely to witness next week its coldest day in over 70 years as the mercury drops to a chilling 3 degrees Celsius.

    According to Pakistan Meteorological Depart (PMD), the westerly weather system that caused drizzle and cloudy weather in Karachi on Sunday has now moved to Balochistan, but a new cold wave, as witnessed on Monday, will last until January 22.

    While the temperature is likely to fall to 3 degrees Celsius, the lowest recorded temperature in Karachi was 3.3 degrees back in the February of 1950.

    With rain across the port city on Sunday, the lowest temperature has for now been recorded at 14 degrees Celsius, while the highest was recorded at 23.7 degrees Celsius.

    The weather remains cold and dry for now.

  • Queen approves of Megxit for now

    Queen approves of Megxit for now

    Queen Elizabeth II on Monday allowed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to split their time between Canada and Britain during a “transition period” in which the family will figure out how to deal with their shock resignation from front-line royal duties.

    The monarch said she held “very constructive” talks between Harry and his older brother Prince William and their father Prince Charles aimed at charting a course through the fallout of the bombshell announcement.

    Meghan reportedly joined the conversation by phone from Canada after abruptly jetting out of Britain last week.

    The Sussex’s resignation last Wednesday came after a year filled with rumours of infighting between the brothers and reports of Meghan feeling unwelcome in the highly traditional and structured royal family.

    “My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family,” the 93-year-old queen said in a statement after the first day of meetings at her Sandringham estate in eastern England.

    Harry and Meghan said they wanted to “carve out a progressive new role within this institution” — a statement that some read as a slight at the way the royal family has been run under Britain’s beloved monarch.

    The monarch stressed the couple told her “they do not want to be reliant on public funds” but did not address the issue of whether they would keep their royal titles.

    Harry and Meghan are formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Five percent of their income comes from public funds. The rest comes from Prince Charles’ Duchy of Cornwall heredity private estate. It dates back to 1337 and has officially reported assets worth £1.1 billion ($1.4 billion).

    However, the queen elaborated there were still “complex matters” for the family to sort out.

    “It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK,” she said.

    According to British media, Charles was furious at Harry for making the announcement without winning the queen’s consent and had left the meeting early.

    Debates over Harry and Meghan’s future have divided British public opinion and dominated newspaper front pages for days. According to a poll, 46 percent of respondents supported their decision, while 57 percent thought they were unfair to the Queen.

    While their official plan is to continue to “fully support” the queen and honour their duties to the Commonwealth and their patronages, they want to make 2020 a transition year to carve out their new role and launch their new Sussex Royal charitable entity and seek to raise their own sources of income.

    They also want to keep their newly-renovated Frogmore Cottage home on the queen’s Windsor Castle estate as their British base.

    Meghan likes to vacation in Canada and is currently there with Archie.

    But the Daily Mail said “her real dream” was to settle alongside other celebrities in Los Angeles – “but not while President Donald Trump is in charge”, it added. Meghan and Trump are not particularly known to like each other. In wake of the Sussex’s decision, Trump commented that the couple was being unfair to the Queen.

  • Ahad Raza Mir’s mother reveals his secret chai recipe

    Ahad Raza Mir’s mother reveals his secret chai recipe

    Who knew that national heartthrob Ahad Raza Mir has a secret chai recipe with cinnamon and a dash of coffee?

    Turns out he does and Ahad’s mom shared the recipe on social media so everyone can try it out.

    Ahad also shared his secret recipe in the latest episode of his drama Ehd-e-Wafa. Making a cup of it for Dua, Ahad said that his PMA platoon mates used to call this tea ‘hi-octane’ because it would give a burst of energy.

  • Pakistani taxi driver returns lost wallet to Indian girl in Dubai

    Pakistani taxi driver returns lost wallet to Indian girl in Dubai

    A Pakistani taxi driver’s honesty in Dubai has made him a hero after he returned a wallet full of cash and documents to an Indian girl, who had forgotten her wallet in his cab’s backseat.

    As per reports, Raechel Rose, a law student at Lancaster University,
    was on her way to attend a friend’s birthday party on January 4 when she left
    the wallet in Modassar Khadim’s cab.

    Girl’s mother, Sindhu Biju told that “She had got into the
    taxi with another friend and then they saw their other friends in another car
    and decided to join them. They immediately left the taxi and Rose forgot her
    wallet behind.

    The purse had her UK student visa, her Emirates ID, UAE
    driving license, health insurance card, credit card and more than 1,000 Dirhams
    in several currencies.

    Her return flight to Manchester was scheduled for three days
    later, and she could not afford to delay it as she had an exam on January 13.

    The family also checked the CCTV footage with the help of
    the police but in the footage, they could not see the car’s number plate
    properly.

     The cab driver,
    Khadim noticed the wallet on the front seat after he had finished two other
    trips.

    “Since the family, who came next, said it was not theirs, I
    opened it to check if there is any contact number. I could only see all the
    cards and the cash,” said Khadim

    Khadim called up RTA’s call center and asked for their
    assistance. After Khadim was told that another department would reach out to
    him, he decided to report the lost wallet to the police.

    “When I reached the police station, I met another taxi
    driver who advised me to try to get the girl’s number and give it as the
    procedures might take a long time,” said Khadim.

    Khadim then tried to get Rose’s contact through her mobile
    service provider and insurance company but he could not find her number as
    privacy clauses barred the company from sharing the information with him.

    “Finally, the RTA call center called me back when I was
    finishing my duty at 3.30 am and verified the details that matched with their
    complaint. I was given their number following which I went to their house to
    drop the wallet,” shared Khadim.

    After handing over the purse, Rose’s father rewarded Khadim
    with 600 dirhams. He initially refused the offer but accepted it when the
    family insisted him.

    Later, Rose’s family also wrote a letter to RTA in
    appreciation of Khadim’s honesty and help.

  • Indian army officer slips in snow near border, reaches Pakistan

    Indian army officer slips in snow near border, reaches Pakistan

    Indian Army Havildar Rajendra Singh Negi’s allegedly slipped in the snow at Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir during duty and reached Pakistan.

    As per reports, on January 8, Negi’s wife Rajeshwari got a phone call from his unit informing her Negi was missing. It was later found that he had slipped in the snow and crossed the India-Pakistan border in Kashmir. The family has demanded the government for his safe and early return from Pakistan to his homeland.

    According to Indian Army sources, the search and rescue operation of Negi was ongoing and all attempts were being made to bring him back safely from Pakistan.

    Negi, a resident of Ambiwala Sainik Colony in Dehradun, had joined the 11 Garhwal Rifles regiment in 2002. He had arrived in Dehradun in October for a month’s vacation and was posted to the snowy area of Gulmarg in November.

  • IN PICTURES: Eman Suleman’s wedding celebrations

    IN PICTURES: Eman Suleman’s wedding celebrations

    Model and social activist Eman Suleman tied the knot in a low-key nikkah in early January.

    The model shared that she and her husband hoped for a small, intimate wedding but the elders in the family wanted a full blown wedding so the couple will now be having all three traditional functions.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6-tbgbnsv4/

    Eman’s wedding festivities started with a fun mehndi. Eman made a gorgeous bride with minimal makeup and jewellery.

    The couple’s closest friends including models Rehmat Ajmal, Zara Peerzada and Neha Rajpoot were present at the function.

    Saheefa Jabbar Khattak, Farwa Kazmi

    The next day, it was the baraat. Eman went down the traditional route opting for an all-red look.

    She made sure to enjoy her baraat also.

    The wedding festivites concluded with a valima.

    We’re not crying you are!

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B7OepODBvf1/

    Meanwhile, social media users couldn’t get enough of the couple, especially Eman’s looks and their simple marriage.

    https://twitter.com/_maulana_banana/status/1216430778755821572?s=20
    https://twitter.com/zanakhan/status/1216732663949643782?s=20

  • PTI’s Fawad spotted in PPP leader’s car with another friend from PML-N

    PTI’s Fawad spotted in PPP leader’s car with another friend from PML-N

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Federal Minister for Science & Technology Fawad Chaudhry has been spotted in the car of a Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader along with one belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), leaving supporters wondering if “a deal has been struck”.

    According to the details, Fawad on Sunday evening was spotted getting on the car of PPP senator and party chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s spokesperson Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. PML-N Senator Musadik Malik and two others also accompanied Fawad and Mustafa as the latter drove to a five-star hotel.

    With Fawad, who has never shied away from training guns at the two major opposition parties — the PML-N and PPP — accompanying the two leaders belonging to the ruling party’s arch rivals, it wasn’t later when speculation ran rife that a deal had been struck between the three largest political parties of the country and there lied no disputes among them whatsoever.

    Amid all rumours, The Current went an extra mile to investigate and figured out that the three leaders had only decided to accompany each other for a cup of tea following “Where is Pakistan heading in the next 10 years” — their session at the recently-concluded two-day Afkare Taza ThinkFest 2020 in Lahore.

    Their bond also dates back to a private media outlet’s show “Khabar K Peechy” where the three represented their respective political parties.