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  • 19th century abandoned Sikh temple to be reopened

    19th century abandoned Sikh temple to be reopened

    Following the Kartarpur Corridor initiative, the Pakistani government is playing an active role to restore abandoned religious sites in the country. Only recently, a Hindu Mandir was reopened in Sialkot after 72 years.

    Recent reports have revealed that The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) is planning to restore and reopen the historical 19th century abandoned Gurdwara Chowa Sahib in Jhelum and has also unveiled a plan for it.

    The gurdwara, which is one of the most sacred Sikh temples, is situated at the northern edge of the majestic Rohtas Fort’s Talaqi gate near Punjab’s Jhelum city and dates back to 1834. Gurdwara Chowa Sahib means “Gurudwara of the exalted spring”, and it commemorates the site where Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion, was popularly believed to have created a water spring.

    According to a Sikh legend, Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana were travelling in the region and had arrived at the site during hot summer in 1521. When Bhai Mardana told Guru Nanak that water was scarce in the area, Guru Nanak is said to have then struck the earth with his cane and moved a stone thereby revealing a natural spring. The water of the spring was considered to be so holy that Ranjit Singh would reportedly have it specially transported to him in Lahore. Singh had also commissioned the present-day structure of the Gurdwara in 1834.

    ETPB Secretary Shrines Imran Gondal said that the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee and Sikh leaders would perform the inauguration of the multi-million restoration project. However, did not specify a date.

  • Naya Pakistan: ‘Gold Boy’ gangster visits police station to see locked-up friend, gets arrested

    Naya Pakistan: ‘Gold Boy’ gangster visits police station to see locked-up friend, gets arrested

    One of the country’s most notorious gangsters, Zafar Khan Supari, nicknamed ‘Gold Boy’ for flaunting gold jewelry and weapons, has been arrested by the police for “obstructing official work”.

    In the episode, which somewhat proves that Supari has lost the power and respect he once enjoyed owing to his strong political clout, the Gold Boy and his friend were locked up by the R.A. Bazaar police in Rawalpindi.

    According to the details, Supari’s friend and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) activist Asad Numberdar tried to hit a rickshaw with his car near a police picket on Harley Street.

    The rickshaw driver, who was going from Lal Kurti towards Bakr Mandi, asked Numberdar why did he do it, following which the latter lost his temper, cocked a pistol and pointed it at the rickshaw driver identified as Sajjad.

    When the personnel on duty at a police picket saw him pointing a pistol at the distraught man, they jumped into action and overpowered Numberdar, who was later brought to the R.A. Bazaar police station and locked-up there.

    It wasn’t later that notorious gangster Zafar Supari walked into the precinct to meet his friend, however, he too was thrown behind bars on charges of obstructing official work.

    According to The Express Tribune, Supari has also been booked in cases of protecting wanted criminals and proclaimed offenders in his locality, besides posing with illegal firearms on social media.

    Numberdar has served a prison sentence for the murder of Raja Shoaib, a nephew of ex-Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat. Police will produce both arrestees before a judge to seek their physical remand for further investigation.

  • British media law firm sues Daily Mail for ‘politically motivated’ article against Shehbaz Sharif

    British media law firm sues Daily Mail for ‘politically motivated’ article against Shehbaz Sharif

    Renowned media law firm Carter Ruck has sued British newspaper The Mail on Sunday, online news site Mail Online and its journalist David Rose on behalf of former Punjab chief minister (CM) Shehbaz Sharif for publishing a “politically motivated” article.

    The story, published on July 14, 2019, had suggested that Shehbaz and his family “stole British taxpayers’ money” given to Earthquake Relief and Reconstruction Authority (ERRA) set up to help the victims of the 2005 Pakistan earthquake.

    “Our response to the question asked in the headline was robust and clear. It was carried close to the bottom of the 2,500-word story,” United Kingdom (UK) Aid had said in its clarification.

    “The UK’s financial support to ERRA over this period was for payment by results – which means we only gave money once the agreed work, which was primarily focused on building schools, was completed, and the work audited and verified,” a Department for International Development spokesperson had said.

    According to The News, Carter Ruck has agreed to act on behalf of Shebhaz after reviewing the case for a week. Alasdair Pepper, Antonia Foster and Victoria Anderson will represent the leader of opposition in the National Assembly and former Punjab chief minister in his legal claim against the publication.

    “Stealing from earthquake victims is like feeding on corpses,” Shehbaz had said while responding to the allegations against him by the British publication.

  • Meat-lover Nawaz unhappy with ‘tasteless’ vegetarian meals in jail: report

    Meat-lover Nawaz unhappy with ‘tasteless’ vegetarian meals in jail: report

    Former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif, who is rather infamous for his high-protein diet and love for meaty festivities, is reportedly unhappy with the vegetarian food being served to him in jail.

    According to a private media outlet, the ex-premier has complained about the “tasteless” vegetarian meals to his personal doctor, who believes the environment is not fit for ailing Nawaz.

    “The jail food can further deteriorate his health,” the former PM’s doctor was quoted as saying.

    Earlier this month, the Punjab government had discontinued provision of home-cooked food for the ousted premier – currently incarcerated in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail.

    Reacting to the move, Nawaz’s brother and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Shehbaz Sharif had said that the ex-PM is a heart patient and needs homemade food to control his health.

    PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz has also, time and again, stressed the need for her father to be provided with home-cooked meals for the sake of his health.

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, on the other hand, has vowed to ensure the “criminal” doesn’t even enjoy air-conditioning and television facilities in his jail cell.

    “Nawaz Sharif wants food from home in jail, he wants air-conditioning in jail. But in a country where half the population has no air-conditioning or TV, what kind of punishment would this be?” the premier was recently quoted as questioning.

    Action is reportedly being taken in this regard too.

  • Jeez, ‘Hassad’, bas bhi kardo

    Jeez, ‘Hassad’, bas bhi kardo

    Allah, the poor, poor widow, young, beautiful, with one lock of hair always on her face to give her delicate softness, she is shunned by everyone since her husband died.

    The Beychari Naintara

    The beychari Naintara (Minal Khan) gives birth to her dead husband’s (Shahroze Sabzwari) son (after he is killed in a robbery) and is suffering, suffering, suffering ever since. Her husband’s older brother, Farhan (Noor Hassan) feels terrible about her state and is growing sick of his uber jealous wife Zari (Arij Fatima) who is doing everything in her power to make Naintara look like a complete skank who couldn’t wait for her husband to die. Zari plays idiotic games, from trying to get her brother to rape Naintara, to faking a pregnancy and then accusing Naintara of causing her miscarriage, to getting her friends to shame Naintara for getting it on with her brother-in-law Farhan.

    Oh and Naintara has a sister, whose husband wants to marry Naintara off to an Indian businessman for money. If she doesn’t marry the businessman, he will divorce Naintara’s sister. Farhan helps Naintara get out of the situation but it’s sickening – how a sister is willing to sell her blood because Oh No! Mera ghar toot jaye ga, mai kya karoon?

    Hassad wali Zari

    Farhan’s mother (who is also Zari’s khala) decides to get Naintara and Farhan hitched so Naintara can have her “rightful, respectable” place in the society after Farhan’s first wife Zari leaves in a huff and goes back to her house. Farhan, not so reluctantly agrees and Naintara doesn’t put up much of a fight either (aye hai, beychari, how can she) and they get nikkahofied when Zari isn’t there. Right after the qabools, Zari walks in and has an (obvious) crisis. She leaves and later decides that she needs to come back and break up this marriage.

    Okay. What the hell. Did the writers not know that it is now A CRIME to not ask your first wife for permission before you marry again? And why is it that Naintara cannot attain a “rightful” place in society without having a man by her side? The dialogues are literally cringe-worthy, to the extent of being really, really sexist. Oh, aurat ka ghar tou admi se hi bunta hai. What a terrible, terrible social message. Don’t get me wrong, its fantastic mirch masala, the oh NO! Oh nahi, kya! that comes up every time there is a twist. But is it really important to pass such messages to society? Sparring wives, sad, sad widow, jealous crazy wife?

    Crying-all-the-time Naintara and Saas

    If you actually watch Hassad, it shows all that’s wrong in our society. Glorifying the male child and showing women as being mental devils with nothing better to do than ruin reputations. Get a job, Naintara. You can do it.

  • MS Dhoni to serve Indian army in occupied Kashmir

    MS Dhoni to serve Indian army in occupied Kashmir

    Former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, commonly known as MS Dhoni, after making himself unavailable for the West Indies tour, will serve the army in Indian-occupied Kashmir.

    According to media reports, the 38-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman will be undertaking the duties of patrolling, guard and post in held Kashmir for a period of 15 days starting July 31.

    “As requested by the officer and approved by army headquarters; he will be taking on the duties of patrolling, guard and post and would be staying with troops,” the statement read.

    The right-handed batsman holds the honourary rank of lieutenant colonel in the Territorial Army Unit of the Indian army’s Parachute Regiment since 2011.

    He had earlier made himself unavailable for the Men in Blue’s upcoming West Indies tour where the two teams will be crossing swords in three T20s, three ODIs and two Test matches.

  • Selfie gone wrong: Pakistani teenager kills himself while taking a selfie

    Selfie gone wrong: Pakistani teenager kills himself while taking a selfie

    The selfie craze is real. Youngsters like to take unique selfies of themselves and then post them on their social media accounts for likes and comments. But some people go too far while taking a selfie. According to recent reports, selfie attempts have killed five times more people than shark attacks.

    A 14-year teenager from Muzaffargarh killed himself while taking a selfie. He was taking a selfie with a loaded pistol that was pointed at him. That pistol accidentally went off killing him on spot. Police said that the boy’s family does not want to take any legal action.

    The trend of taking selfies with guns should end now considering how dangerous it is. One might think that they look cool posing with a pistol, but the risk attached to it is too high to disregard.

  • ‘Started drug business to earn money for politics’, ANF quotes Sanaullah as saying

    ‘Started drug business to earn money for politics’, ANF quotes Sanaullah as saying

    The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has claimed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA and Punjab President Rana Sanaullah Khan has admitted starting a drug business to earn money for politics, The News reported.

    According to reports, the ANF, in its challan submitted to a court Tuesday, quoted Sanaullah as saying that he has been associated with drug smuggling for years.

    “My expenditures swelled up soon after I entered politics, but my income was not too much. I developed links with drug smugglers after entering politics and becoming Punjab law minister in particular.”

    Sanaullah was further quoted as saying that a few politicians known to him “became billionaires through illegal means”.

    “The business suited me well so I started facilitating drug dealers and gradually started sending narcotics through my personal vehicles. It was an easy way to avoid the police, as being an influential person, no one dared to check my vehicle. I used to get drugs from Afghans in Faisalabad, drop them off to dealers who used to smuggle them abroad,” the ANF quoted him as saying in the four-page challan submitted.

    Sanaullah’s wife Nabeela has denied all charges and termed it a fake story. “My husband is innocent,” she told a private media outlet. Meanwhile, members of the opposition parties term the PML-N leader’s arrest the “worst example of lawlessness and political revenge”.

  • Larka cigarette piye toh cool aur larki cigarette piye toh fool?

  • Fawad Chaudhry says Pakistan will go to space in 2022

    Fawad Chaudhry says Pakistan will go to space in 2022

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhary has announced to send the first Pakistani to space in 2022.

    Fawad made the official announcement on his Twitter. He explained that fifty people will first be shortlisted. The list will then come down to 25 from which one person will be selected to go to space in 2022.

    Though the minister did not share any details of the space program, he said this will be the biggest space event in Pakistan’s history.