Mehwish Hayat has hinted that she might be running for Prime Minister in 2028.
The actor who was recently voted the second sexiest woman in Pakistan took to Twitter to reject the title adding that “these sort of lists should now be confined to history.”
Mehwish asserted that people should be judged on “talent, on merit, on intellect, on wit…but not on physical attributes.”
I’ve been receiving a lot of congratulatory messages via texts & social media. I should be flattered to be on the list of sexiest Asians & to be honest ten years ago when I was the 1st Pakistani to make it onto the list I was. “Sexy” is defined as “sexually attractive or … 1/2 https://t.co/CKYX46U51C
… alluring”. How can potential “shagability” – and that is what it is- be a criteria for comparison?! Judge people on talent, on merit, on intellect, on wit.. but not on physical attributes . Times have changed and these sort of lists should now be confined to history! 2/2
Mehwish’s response was received with a lot of positivity by social media users. One user commented that this was “of the sexiest tweets I’ve read” adding that Mehwish for PMship in 2023.
To this Mehwish replied, “Not 2023 but 2028,” adding a LOL (Laugh out Loud).
The Islamabad Police will now be donning uniforms with cameras in order to restore public faith in law enforcement.
According to reports, Islamabad Policemen will now record encounters with ordinary citizens, suspects, witnesses, and passersby so that the public faith is restored in the law enforcement agency. The videos that have been recorded can also be used as evidence at the courts also.
Islamabad police have decided to arrange body worn cameras for personnel deputed at police checkposts. Footage from these cameras will be connected to the Safe City system.20 cameras have been obtained to check their performance, resolution and results.@fawadchaudhry@Islaamabadpic.twitter.com/5WidXmLwM4
Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Muhammad Aamir Zulfiqar, speaking about the initiative said, “These cameras will be connected with the Safe City Project. This way, complaints about policemen especially serving at police pickets will be resolved.”
Twenty cameras will be bought in the trial phase, which will later be provided to cops serving at various police stations in the city. Video recordings of police’s interaction with the public would make officials act politely and responsibly as they are often blamed for taking bribes and being rude with the citizens.
The main character behind the clash of lawyers and doctors at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), Dr Irfan, was earlier nominated as the main accused in the murder case of a Christian who was tortured to death by doctors at the Services hospital Lahore last year, Pakistan Today reported.
According to the details, Dr Irfan was nominated among the four doctors in FIR [First Information Report] “No. 163/18” registered with the Shadman Police for torturing Sunil Saleem, to death.
According to the FIR, Anil Masih — Sunil’s brother — has stated that he, his brother Sunil and other relatives had taken their pregnant sister Kiran Kashif to the emergency labor ward of the Services hospital on March 26, 2018, because she was suffering labor pains.
Anil said, “Kiran went to the doctor on duty, Dr Saira, who was playing with her cell phone while sipping on tea. Dr Saira told Kiran to wait outside until she finished her tea. We waited for some time, but since Kiran was experiencing severe pain, she again went inside the ward to request for immediate attention.”
Anil Saleem added that as soon as Kiran approached Dr Saira, she started cursing her for not waiting and told a nurse to attend her.
“When my sister protested against the rude behavior, the doctor started slapping her, throwing her on the floor,” he said, adding that she asked my sister how dare a Chuhri [a derogatory term for Christians] question her order?.
Anil said, “On hearing the ruckus we entered the ward, but as soon as she saw us, Dr Saira shouted to the other doctors and security guards to lock the doors from the inside and teach these Christians a lesson”.
“Around 15 to 20 paramedical staff and security guards and eight to 10 young doctors, including Dr Irfan, Dr Salman, Dr Hasan and Dr Sahi lunged at us with iron rods, chairs, leather belts and other things and started beating us,” Anil added.
He said “Sunil, a police constable in the National Highway and Motorway Police, tried his best to placate the assailants but they continued to beat him mercilessly, kicking and punching him in the groin and chest until he fell unconscious.”
“Sunil died after a delay in treatment and due to lack of timely emergency medical assistance”, Anil said.
“We had pardoned the accused doctors after pursuing the case for a year”, reports quoted Anil as saying.
It is important to mention here that Dr Irfan’s speech, which went viral on social media a few days before the attack was the core reason behind the clash between doctors and lawyers at the PIC.
Dr Irfan in the video was seen narrating an encounter with some lawyers in front of a group of medical and paramedical staff of PIC, where he said that a group of lawyers had gone to the inspector general (IG) of police and told him to charge “two doctors” under Section 7 of ATA.
The doctor narrated that the IG had refused while the lawyers had urged him to press charges, saying “they could save face” that way.
Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal has demanded the inclusion of Dera Ghazi (DG) Khan and Rajanpur into Balochistan, The Express Tribune reported.
According to the details, BNP-M chief while addressing a gathering held at Kalama Chowk of Taunsa tehsil in honour of the martyrs of Koh-e-Sulaiman said that Balochistan had the lowest population in Pakistan despite having an area of 43% of the country.
“Both these regions should be included in Balochistan to balance the population,” Mengal said, adding that they were part of the province at the time of partition.
While criticising the the government for launching mega projects such as metro trains under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in other cities of the country, he said that no welfare projects were being introduced in Balochistan.
Akhtar Mengal also accused the government of “selling” the entire country, including Balochistan province under CPEC.
Akhtar said that he is only supporting the government for the implementation of his six-point agenda.
“I am not supporting them in greed for any post,” he added, saying that he was striving for the rights of his people within the framework of the Constitution.
He further demanded of the Punjab chief minister to conduct an inquiry into the killing of two persons in DG Khan two months back in police encounter.
Not like we didn’t see this coming, but award-winning filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Bushan Kumar have announced a film on the Balakot ‘airstrike’.
According to details, the film will be written and directed by Abhishek Kapoor. The cast has not yet been announced.
DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor had a few thoughts on the matter which he voiced on Twitter.
With due respect to WC Abhinandan as a soldier, yes the dream could only be fulfilled through Bollywood. Denial of sham strike on 26 Feb and wreckage of 2 IAF jets shot by PAF on 27 Feb will haunt you despite that.
Previously, Vivek Oberoi had also announced a film on IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.
“As a proud Indian, a patriot, and a member of the film fraternity, it’s my duty to highlight what our Armed Forces are truly capable of. In the form of a trilingual, this film is a powerful tool to underline the achievements of brave officers like Wing Commander Abhinandan, who went behind the enemy lines and did what makes every Indian proud of them,” Vivek had said while announcing the film, which is expected to release in 2020. It will be shot in the backdrop of Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Agra.
BALAKOT INCIDENT
Following the Pulwama incident in which 44 Indian paramilitary soldiers lost their lives, two Indian aircraft entered Pakistani air space on February 27, 2019 for the second time in two days, engaged with Pakistan Air Force (PAF), and as a result, were shot down.
The wreckage of one of the planes landed in Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK), and the wreckage of the other plane landed in the Indian-occupied Kasmir (IoK), Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had confirmed at the time.
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was held captive following the aerial dogfight, was handed over to India on March 1 in a peace gesture after PM Imran had announced to release him in an attempt to “de-escalate tensions” between the two countries.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad gifted a luxury car to Prime Minister Imran Khan. The car has arrived in Pakistan and will be handed over to the government in a ceremony at the Malaysian High Commission in Islamabad on Monday.
Adviser to Prime Minister of Pakistan for Commerce, Textile, Industry & Production and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood will receive the car on behalf of PM Khan, who will be in Bahrain on Monday. A symbolic car key was already presented to PM Imran when the Malaysian PM visited Islamabad.
According to Arab News, Mohamad gifted PM Khan a Malaysian manufactured X-70 Proton during his three-day official visit to Pakistan earlier this year in March.
2019 Proton X70 SUV
It is pertinent to mention here that a Proton joint venture between Pakistan and Malaysia was first agreed on last year and was part of the agreements signed during Mohamad’s visit. Manufacturing and assembly of the Malaysian Proton cars has already begun in Pakistan with a local partner, Al Hajj Automotive.
At Bangkok’s Reclining Buddha temple, Krairath Chantrasri says he is a proud custodian of an ancient skill — the body-folding, sharp-elbowed techniques of Thai massage, which was added Thursday to UNESCO’s prestigious heritage list.
Originating in India and practiced in Thailand for centuries, the massage was popularized when a specialty school opened in the 1960s to train massage therapists from around the world.
Nuad Thai’s addition to UNESCO’s list of “Intangible Cultural Heritage” practices “is historic,” said the Thai delegate at the United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organisation meeting in Bogota, Colombia.
“It helps promote the practice of Nuad Thai locally and internationally,” he said.
From upscale Bangkok spas and Phuket beach fronts to modest street-side shophouses, “nuad Thai” is ubiquitous across the kingdom, where an hour of the back-straightening discipline can cost as little as $5.
Krairath, who teaches at the Reclining Buddha School inside the famed Wat Pho temple, helps thousands of Thai and foreign students who flock to the centre each year.
The son of a masseuse, he takes great pride in his role sharing the ancient discipline at a temple whose certification is a proud banner for any massage shop.
“I’m a continuation of our collective knowledge,” the 40-year-old told AFP.
At Wat Pho’s complex, trainees run through a catalogue of moves targeting the body’s acupressure points with thumbs, elbows, knees and feet while also incorporating deep stretches and contortions.
Doctors and monks were said to have brought these methods 2,500 years ago to Thailand, passing its secrets from master to disciple in temples and later within families.
Under Thailand’s King Rama III in the nineteenth century, scholars engraved their knowledge of the field onto the stones of Wat Pho.
The nuad Thai school, which has trained more than 200,000 massage therapists who practice in 145 countries, first opened in 1962.
Turning the tables –
Massage employs tens of thousands of Thais.
The school’s director Preeda Tangtrongchitr says they usually see an uptick in interest from Thais when the economy is bad.
“For many people who are disabled or in debt, this job is an opportunity because it requires no material — only their hands and knowledge,” he said.
Today, a therapist at a top-end spa can charge around $100 an hour in Thailand, and two or three times more in London, New York or Hong Kong where the Thai massage brand is booming.
But the training is “demanding”, says Chilean Sari, a professional masseuse who travelled to Bangkok to learn the discipline.
“The technique is very precise; there are so many things to be aware of,” the 34-year-old told AFP, as she made rotations with her palm on a fellow student’s skull.
The teachings focus on directing blood circulation around problem areas to solve muscle aches — sometimes drawing winces from clients unaccustomed to the force applied.
Studies have shown it can help relieve back pain, headaches, insomnia and even anxiety.
For Matthieu Rochefolle, a nurse from Lyon, France, adding Thai massage techniques to his repertoire of skills could help his elderly patients aching for relief.
“It could also allow me to earn a little more,” he said.
There’s a door, like Narnia and it’s so exciting to get to where it is. It’s an experience you could never get in any other city of Pakistan because it requires, no, demands the warmth of Lahori Punjabis. The owners of the restaurant with the blue door have tapped into exactly that; the fact that Lahoris will always be ready for an open and warm conversation.
It’s not easy to get a seat at the restaurant, ‘The Blue Door Super Club’. I came across them on Instagram and after inquiring about it from a friend who had recently gone, messaged the owner, Unum. She replied to my inquiry about a reservation with a hint of energy and bubble.
I got a reservation for four, paid half in advance, and we took the long trek out to the restaurant. The boonies of Lahore always has an air of mystery and with Google Maps having a tough time finding the restaurant, the whole experience became even more intruiging.
I was apprehensive though – so much mystery could be the gimmick that made up for the lack of good food.
I saw the menu beforehand and was bemused. So Punjabi to do a menu that was Mexican but also Korean but this one had a flair and the sound of actual, honest fusion. It looked and sounded comforting, not pretentious, and I wondered how well it would do in Lahore, where one would only pay 5000 rupees for a plate of overrated sushi.
Waiting for dinner service to begin
We got to the restaurant and expected to be seated at our table of four. Except it was a long, singular table of 12. Oh great, I thought. There’s a single table, people I don’t know, and they’ve already chosen our spots for us. This is going to be an experience I might not want to have.
The property was large, the restaurant small and cosy. The kitchen was small and the chefs, Unum and her husband Ali, came out to greet us. It quite literally felt like we had walked into someone’s home for Thanksgiving dinner and there were a lot of ‘relatives’ coming.
But like a cold winter night, when its time to get warm, there is a soft and tender warmth that starts to surround you. It started from the warm way Ali and Unum greeted us, and extended to the true Punjabi warmth of everyone getting together to sit at the table. A girl, who later became the life of the party, came and hugged us, exclaiming about how it was so lovely to meet new people. It was warmth, connection and conversation. Everything you expect from a dinner you will never forget.
Camerones al Mojo de Ajo served on a darling little plate
We were seated and the five course menu began with a prawn and garlic appetizer served on a homemade corn tostada. Giant prawns, seared to perfection, perfectly seasoned, it crunched with freshness , with hints of citrus. But what made it explode with flavour was the lemon chilli salt and the green chilli sauce. My God, what a sauce.
The kitchen was her grandmother’s room, explains Unum as she comes to chat between courses. Her nani was the one who taught her to cook, and as Unum spoke, her voice was full of memories of flavour. Which is what usually happens when one loves food and remembers who taught them their passion. Unum learnt hers and it is most likely what’s driving her to follow her memories.
By the time the chicken soup came along, the conversation was in full swing. A couple married for eleven years, one about to get married, everyone started exchanging stories. It was so swinging that we forgot to take pictures of it. There’s nothing better than a homemade bone broth, crispy tortillas floating in a soup with heart. The soup was finished in what felt like seconds as the conversation with strangers warmed into being a conversation with friends.
The fancy samosa that Mexicans call Empanadas was served next with a rocket and cucumber salad. The empanada was basic, which is something I didn’t expect. It lacked flavour but it was bound to, since it required heavy seasoning for the organic chicken and potato to surrender their blandness. A good dose of the saviour chilli sauce elevated it, but here began the downfall.
The conversation never wavered, and sometimes all twelve people listened to one person talk about a life story. Bursts of laughter, waves of silent listening, the conversation was the star. From chefs, to businesspersons, bureaucrats, homemakers and journalists, it was as if Unum and Ali had a secret sauce of mixing the right people. The food didn’t have to be good anymore. No music was needed. The hum of different life stories took over and never stopped.
Yang Nyeom Tong Dak Tacos
I ordered the Korean Chicken Taco, my partner, the Slow Cooked Beef. Having tried to perfect Korean Chicken, I was looking forward to this main course since it is not as easy as it looks. The handmade tortilla was perfection, the Korean Chicken left me wanting. The chicken pieces were crispy – a bit too crispy. They needed more meat and a lot more zing. The Pakistani palette loves spices, mixes of flavor which is why when a dish requires a tablespoon of sauce, add another two and you’ve got the Pakistani feel down. The chilli sauce. Yes. It came back on my plate and added another dimension.
Beef Birria de Res
The Slow Cooked Beef was having an off day as well. I had heard smashing reviews of the beef, with its chipotle aioli and roasted tomato salsa. It was meant to be slow cooked taco heaven. But again, lacked in flavor.
They started as chefs when they missed home living in England. Just like every nostalgic Pakistani, who goes abroad, braves the cold, carries their groceries and walks home to a place that doesn’t smell like ami kay haath ka khaana, they started making desi food for their friends and their friends for them. It happens to most of us.
Ali and Unum cooking for friends when living abroad
When we make our first daal with our mothers on the phone giving directions on how to do it and then slowly progress to biryani with masala mixes, or from scratch. It’s almost a right of passage, and Unum and Ali had the courage to take it forward and do what they love.
Unum and Ali at their graduation
Its apparent in the way they talk about their food. It sings in their dessert, a caramel flan with a chocolate cake base.
Pastel Imposible
The flan was creamy and joyous, the chocolate cake a tad dry. The two fought each other, the chocolate and the caramel vanilla flan, refusing to marry but forced on top of the other. I enjoyed every single bite of the flan, small savoring bites that didn’t last long enough.
The Blue Door to the restaurant
The Blue Door is starting brunch soon and is already booked out from what I hear. Not surprised. As we left, spending more than three hours at the restaurant, we exchanged numbers, promising to meet again and following each other on Instagram. It was the beginning of new friendships and as the tinkling and clatter of plates and cutlery being collected faded, it felt like the end of a meal we would all remember. It’s a magical place, The Blue Door, its fairy dust being the coming together of people being served food that’s grown and cooked with love.
The Kasur DPO wants to educate children about the difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ touches to curb rising cases of child abuse.
The police is holding lectures at schools to educate children about their rights. The police have also recovered 80 missing children. Community Liaison officers have appointed to arrange lectures on child rights.
A sermon has been shared with all mosques so that they can share it with people on Friday prayer. Moreover, cases are being heard at an open court at the DPO office every day. A tent has been set up for the purpose too.
The police have started profiling the entire district. A list of all sexual offenders has been prepared and the police have even identified places where bodies were dumped. Efforts are being made to ensure regular inspections of police stations and their performance. According to the police, the percentage of complaint redressal has risen to 78% from 19% since the new DPO took charge.
The Pakistan Post has suffered a loss of Rs61 billion in the last 10 years.
According to reports, the Ministry of Postal Services, while presenting statistics regarding organisation’s performance, told the Senate Standing Committee that the institute faced a loss of Rs140 million in year 2008-2009 and this loss swelled to Rs10 billion in 2018-2019.
The ministry while explaining the causes of this huge loss
said that the increase in pay, allowances and pension benefits was a major
contributor to widening gap between expenditure and revenue.
They said that the Finance Division had decreased the rate
of post office commission in Savings Bank Scheme from 1.56% to 0.50% in
October, 2010 which reduced the receipts of the institute.
The panel’s chairman Senator Mian Ateeq observed that the situation of the postal service was no different from the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) – the national flag carrier –facing huge losses since over a decade.
The chairman also suggested that the operating expenditure
against income must be added as well. While reviewing recruitment discrepancies
during previous regimes, the panel recommended that Pakistan Post must focus on
figures.
