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  • ‘I fear we may lose Nawaz Sharif,’ Dr Adnan

    ‘I fear we may lose Nawaz Sharif,’ Dr Adnan

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, Nawaz Sharif’s personal physician Dr Adnan Khan has expressed fear of losing him due to his critical health condition.

    In a series of tweets, Dr Adnan has said that former premier is critically unwell and is fighting the battle for his health and life.

    He also wrote that the poor blood sugar and blood pressure had also taken a toll on Nawaz Sharif’s health, adding that, “Pending Scans/Biopsies, diagnostic dilemma still ensues from multiple complex pathologies & co-morbidities.”

    “Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) & NSTEMI (heart attack) is further complicated by deteriorating Kidney functions”, Dr. Adnan said.

    The chief executive of Sharif Medical City said that the doctors were also facing difficulty in establishing a definitive diagnosis and subsequent management poses a considerable risk to Nawaz’s health.

    Meanwhile, reports further reveal that the former Prime Minister (PM) had lost close to seven kilos since he had been admitted to the hospital. His weight was 107 kilos and right now it had gone to 100 kilos.

    Former PM Nawaz was shifted to Services Hospital Lahore last week for medical examination and treatment after his condition deteriorated with a sudden drop in his platelet count.

  • Cyclone Kyarr: Sindh govt imposes ban on seaside

    Cyclone Kyarr: Sindh govt imposes ban on seaside

    The Sindh government has imposed a ban on swimming or bathing at the seaside within the regional limits of the Karachi Division for eight days due to Cyclone Kyarr.

    In an official notification issued by the Interior Ministry of
    Sindh, people in Karachi would be barred from swimming, bathing and fishing
    activities till November 5.

    The provincial government has issued orders to Commissioner Karachi in this regard.

    The ban was imposed due to the flow of high waves and sharp
    tides as a result of Tropical Cyclone Kyarr in the Arabian Sea.

    Strict action will be taken against anyone found violating the order.

    Mayor Karachi, Waseem Akhtar has also declared emergency in the metropolis owing to MET office predictions about cyclone Kyarr.

    The mayor issued directives to the concerned authorities to remain on-duty and alert to deal with any unexpected situation that may arise due to the natural calamity.

  • Irregularities worth Rs7.44 billion detected in KP public departments

    The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has detected a large number of irregularities, worth Rs7.44 billion, in accounts of public sector enterprises (PSEs) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), a private media outlet has reported.

    According to details, irregularities include 42 cases of provision of funds, wasteful expenditure on a rest house and delays in claim insurance.

    Apart from that, there are 13 cases of less/non-recovery, irregular retention of development funds, irregular award of contract, non-depositing of interest, non-deduction of tax and 11 cases of irregularities of miscellaneous nature during the financial year 2015-16.

    The audit report has also noted that the provision of funds to the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) was in violation of KP Energy and Power Development Fund Ordinance 2016.

    During the audit of Energy and Power Development (EPD) Fund Peshawar, for the year 2015-16, AGP observed that the authorities released Rs6,977.13 million from 2012-13 to 2014-15 to the organization for 7 projects.

    The EDO could only utilize Rs490.49 million during 2012-13 and 2014-15 on said projects, and the release of Rs6,486.64 million by EPD Fund was done without proper assessment and resulted in the loss of interest income amounting to Rs421.62 million.

    The second problem detected in the PEDO was the irregular expenditure of Rs14.88 million incurred in the appointment of Chartered Accountants (CA). The auditors are required to be appointed in consultation with the office of the AGP.

    The audit report also noted the non-recovery of outstanding dues worth Rs.66.70 million from allottees of industrial plots by Sarhad Development Authority (SDA).

    During the audit for the year 2015-16, it was also observed that the management failed to recover the recurring charges on account of maintenance, water and extension from the allottees of plots at Industrial Estates, Peshawar, Gadoon, Hattar, and Nowshera.

  • ‘Govt wants a deal but opposition isn’t willing’, claims minister

    ‘Govt wants a deal but opposition isn’t willing’, claims minister

    Sindh Minister for Information Saeed Ghani has said that the federal government wanted a deal under the current political situation, but the opposition wasn’t willing to give it any relief, Samaa reported.

    According to the details, the provincial minister while speaking to the media in Karachi said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was making all-out efforts to convince the opposition to make a deal with it.

    “But the opposition has decided not to give any kind of relief to the government,” Ghani added.

    He also criticised the government for poor economic conditions in the country, adding that if there is no corruption in PTI’s tenure then the question rises why the economy is declining instead of improving.

    “There is no example of such a decline in the 71-year history of the country, apart from the past one year,” Saeed Ghani said.

    Saeed said that the incumbent government made a record by collecting revenue less than the past year and made a record of cutting salaries of the people for the first time.

    He added, “They have increased taxes on petrol and diesel, despite having previously claimed to reduce them.”

  • Air purifiers that are effective and available

    Air purifiers that are effective and available

    As smog levels rise across Pakistan and Lahore reaches hazardous levels, air purifiers are selling out across the country. The biggest debate: do they actually work?

    According to research, air purifiers do work and have benefits. The demand for air purifiers is increasing worldwide and in 2022, there will be a 10.2 billion dollar global market for air purifiers.

    Air purifiers filter out harmful particles, kill germs and removes volatile organic compounds that can harm the lungs, liver or kidneys.

    In Pakistan, most air purifiers are now out of stock as Karachi and Lahore are facing the brunt of the air pollution. The Current brings you a daily smog level check at 7AM on Instagram and Facebook for your city and what’s really worrying is that Lahore has hit hazardous levels and Karachi is at very unhealthy – and about to get worse.

    Wearing smog masks can help protect you against air pollution and air purifiers are also a great investment. They aren’t cheap but worth it in the long run.

    Here are three air purifiers that are currently in stock on Pakistani websites and have been tried and tested by customers

    1. Smart Air Cannon Air Purifier

    Available here this small but powerful air purifier is effective for a room sized 323 square feet. It was effective in removing pollution particles and comes with a one year warranty. It is cheapest air purifier that is currently available, at 18,000 rupees.

    2. Beurer LR 200 Air Purifier

    Available here Beurer is a tried and tested company, with a popular humidifier range. The air purifier is sleek but according to reviews, it’s difficult to clean the filter. It is for 27,500 rupees and also has a one year warranty.

    3. Hextio Air Purifier

    At 60,000 Rupees the Hextio is available here. It has automatic settings where it detects air pollution and increases the level of the fan. It also has a two year warranty.

  • Art exhibition depicting Rao Anwar’s alleged encounters forcefully shut down

    Art exhibition depicting Rao Anwar’s alleged encounters forcefully shut down

    An installation titled ‘Killing Fields of
    Karachi’ by artist Adeela Suleman presented at Karachi’s Frere Hall as part of
    the Karachi Biennale 2019 was forcibly shut down.

    As per details, the art piece also included a video showing Naqeebullah Mehsud’s father and the scene where Naqeebullah, a model and shopkeeper from South Waziristan, along with two others was murdered allegedly in a fake police encounter led by former SSP Malir Rao Anwar in Karachi in 2018.

    A press conference of lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir was also interrupted by the DG Parks, who snatched mics and forced him to stop the presser.

    While talking to the media, DG Parks Afaq Mirza said, “making graves is not art but vandalism”.

    He further said that the park was for the public but not for any political activities, which should be conducted anywhere in the city but not on government properties.

    A very sweet gesture by the art students who tried to restore the artwork which was destroyed.

    While talking to The Current, Jibran Nasir said that at first the artwork was sealed and then it was destroyed. Later, art students restored the artwork but it was again destroyed by LEA personnel. Jibran Nasir said that he along with some art students are reviving it once again.

    Meanwhile, Karachi Biennale took to social media to respond to the situation.

    Speaking to The Current, artist Adeela Suleman said that she is an artist and was just trying to depict ecology of violence. “We could talk about how we have harmed air or degraded the environment but when we discuss how we have affected humanity, our work gets censored.”

  • Sialkot’s historic Hindu temple celebrates Diwali after 72 years

    Sialkot’s historic Hindu temple celebrates Diwali after 72 years

    Sialkot’s ancient Hindu temple witnessed Diwali celebrations after a long hiatus of almost 72 years.

    The Shawala Teja Singh Temple closed since Partition was opened for worshippers earlier this year on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Members of the Hindu community had long been demanding for the temple to be opened.

    According to reports, the historic temple which is believed to be more than 1,000 years old was illuminated by the Hindu devotees to mark the festival. Local Hindu leaders also cut Diwali cake and lit clay lamps at the temple.

    The devotees started Diwali celebrations with worship and rituals and prayed for the unity, peace and integrity of Pakistan.

    Tight security arrangements were in place to ensure that no untoward incident takes place.

    Made of granite and sandstone, the temple sits high on a sand dune in a congested, residential neighborhood. Over the years, the temple has fallen prey to neglect as a result of which the intricate carvings on the thick outside pillars have long faded or been scrubbed off by drug addicts. The sacred idols of Lord Shiva in the building have also been stolen or destroyed. However, work on the restoration of the temple is currently underway and officials say that it will be restored to its former glory.

  • Five-step guide to breast self-examination

    Five-step guide to breast self-examination

    October is often referred to as Pinktober in a bid to raise awareness about breast cancer among the masses, given the stigma attached to using the word “breast.”

    However, given the spread of the disease, it is absolutely essential to spread awareness on the topic. Early detection is the best way to combat the disease and one way to detect it is breast self-examination.

    Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can do Breast Self-Examination (BSE):

    Know what to look for

     Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with
    your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips. Your breasts should be
    their normal size, shape, and color, and they should be evenly shaped without
    visible swelling or any other changes. 

    Try to sense how your breasts feel at different times of the month

    This can change during your menstrual cycle and knowing
    your breast shape and size could bring any abnormality to your attention.

    Do breast self-examinations yourself

    There are different ways to perform a self-exam. You can do the examination lying down. While lying down breast tissue is more spread out and easier to feel. Or you can perform one in the shower where soap and water can help your fingers move more easily over your breast skin.

    Know what to feel for

    Lie flat and place your right hand behind your head.
    Using the first three fingers of your left hand, feel the breast tissue on your
    right breast. Be sure to use the pads of the fingers, not just the very tips.

     Feel for anything that feels hard and round. Then
    start at your armpit area and work your way towards the center of each breast.
    Move across to the middle of your body until you only feel the breastbone.

     Make sure you use three different levels of
    pressure to feel the tissue: light pressure at the top for tissue just under
    the skin, medium pressure to check tissue in the middle of the breast, and
    deeper pressure to feel the tissue closest to the chest wall. Make sure to
    apply each pressure level to each area before moving on. Do this with both
    breasts.

     Finally, you should squeeze each nipple gently to
    check for discharge.

    When to take an action

     If you feel something uncommon, or see something
    different, schedule an appointment with your doctor promptly. Don’t delay.

  • Shireen Mazari gives her verdict on Abrar ul Haq’s ‘Billo’

    We all know what an avid fan Shireen Mazari is of Coke Studio. No one can ever forget the fiasco that followed when she trashed Momina Mustehsan and Ahad Raza Mir’s rendition of the 1960s classic Ko Ko Korina for Coke Studio 11.

    “Horrendous! Destroyed a great classic – why oh why did Coke Studio allow such a massacre of this classic song?” the Minister for Human Rights had tweeted last year in October when the song had released.

    The 12th edition of Coke Studio is currently underway and two episodes of the season have released so far. The second episode featured a rendition of Abrar ul Haq’s iconic Billo but the bhangra master himself and the song was an instant hit with the masses. The song was trending on all social media platforms and fans thanked producer Rohail Hyatt for bringing it back with zest.

    Mazari also took to Twitter to share her thoughts on the song and said that it is “wonderful.”

    Earlier the minister also applauded Atif Aslam ‘s rendition of Wohi Khuda Hai saying that the hamd was “powerful at so many levels.”

  • ‘Pemra should not suppress individual’s rights,’ PTI leaders slam new order

    ‘Pemra should not suppress individual’s rights,’ PTI leaders slam new order

    Senior leaders of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have slammed Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on a new order that had banned TV anchors from appearing on talk shows hosted by other anchors.

    Former finance minister Asad Umer, Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari and Federal Minister for Science & Technology Fawad Chauhdry have expressed their dismay over Pemra’s decision and urged the media watchdog to do a better job.

    Asad Umar took to Twitter and wrote that “Pemra should be doing a better job and asked it to take action against fake news rather than suppress individual’s rights to express their opinion”.

    Human rights minister Shireen Mazari also weighed in on the order and tweeted that, “Do I need a degree in politics to be an expert on politics? I have no degree in “human rights” so should I go on TV to discuss “human rights” issues?”

    Agreeing with the Shireen Mazari, Fawad Ch termed the Pemra order illogical, unnecessary and uncalled for.

    Moreover, several journalists including Shahzeb Khanzada, Mansoor Ali Khan, Fereeha and Shahzad Iqbal have criticised the move and urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice.

    The regulatory authority on Sunday, through a notification, banned regular TV talk show anchors from appearing in other talk shows and warned those indulging in “inappropriate and biased analyses and negative propaganda” of action.

    According to a Pemra’s notification, under its regulations, anchors are liable to host the show impartially and objectively without giving verdict on any issue.