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  • MARYAM NAWAZ, PML-N’S CANDIDATE FOR CHIEF MINISTER PUNJAB

    MARYAM NAWAZ, PML-N’S CANDIDATE FOR CHIEF MINISTER PUNJAB

    The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, Captain (r) Muhammad Safdar, said on Wednesday that his wife, vice president of PML-N, Maryam Nawaz, is the party’s candidate for the position of Punjab’s chief minister, Dawn has reported.

    Captain Safdar also said that after getting a clean chit from courts, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will contest the upcoming elections for a National Assembly (NA) seat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s NA-15 (Mansehra).

    “Nawaz Sharif will be our election candidate from NA-15 (Mansehra-II). He will become the prime minister as an elected representative of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to address the province’s deprivation,” Mr Safdar told reporters outside the deputy commissioner’s office in Mansehra.

    Safdar also said that he himself will submit the nomination papers of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

    He further said that PML-N leader Amir Muqam is the party’s candidate for KP’s chief minister.

    Captain Safdar also mentioned that he will not contest the election from NA-15, as he wants to become a senator. “I will never decline the party’s offer for a Senate ticket,” he said.

    PML-N president and former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will submit his nomination papers from Lahore’s NA-123, PP-158, and PP-164 seats.

  • Shiraz Uppal talks about ‘Funkari’ controversy with Aima Baig

    Shiraz Uppal recently gave an interview to a private TV channel and talked about the controversy with singer Aima Baig regarding the song ‘Funkari’ released this year.

    “I resolved the issue because at the stage of my career that I am at now, after creating the music of many famous singers’ famous songs, it should not be tolerated that anyone takes away credit, and people in our industry are very good at denying credit.”

    The singer said, “I wanted to set an example for newcomers in the industry because newcomers are not able to raise their voice for their rights. They fear that they will have trouble getting more work in the future.”
    He said that he was in a position to speak up for his right, adding, “I replied to Aima Baig so that the new people who are coming in the industry also have the confidence to raise their voice for their right. Aima was arguing with me that the song ‘Funkari’ was written by Shakeel Sohail, who was my close friend.”
    Shiraz Uppal said, “I made it clear to Aima that Shakeel Sohail had passed away in June 2020 and that I had written the lyrics for the song ‘Funkari’ in November 2020.”

    Stressing that he would never take his friend’s credit, Uppal emphasized, “I wrote this song 6 months after his death. I have all the proofs which I showed to Aima and she admitted her mistake.”

    Aima Baig had claimed that she wrote Funkari together with Sohail Shakeel.

    At the time, Uppal refuted Aima Baig’s statement, stating, “He had written the song on his own six months after Shakeel Sohail’s passing.”
    Following Shiraz Uppal’s clarification, the disagreement persisted but eventually got resolved when Aima Baig acknowledged her mistake.

  • Pakistan’s Huzaifa wins silver medal in US Open Under-19 Squash Championship

    Pakistan’s Huzaifa wins silver medal in US Open Under-19 Squash Championship

    Huzaifa Ibrahim, a young player from Pakistan, has won the silver medal in the United States (US) Open Under-19 Squash Championship played in the American city of Philadelphia.

    Huzaifa Ibrahim, a player of the Pakistan Army, faced Rishi Srivastava of America in the final. Huzaifa won the first game by 5-11 while Rishi Srivastava won the second game with 11-13 after a tight contest.

    Srivastava won two games by 5-11 and 5-11 to claim the title while Huzaifa was awarded the silver medal for finishing second.

    A total of 128 players from 30 countries participated in the championship and Huzaifa Ibrahim reached the final by winning six consecutive matches. He won the silver medal due to his unparalleled performance, making Pakistan proud.

  • ECP lists Imran Khan as Chairman of PTI

    ECP lists Imran Khan as Chairman of PTI

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has released a list of political parties after the issuance of the election schedule, as per The News on Thursday.
    The list comprises of 175 political parties that are going to take part in the upcoming general election, set to take place on February 8 next year.

    According to the list, former Prime Minister Imran Khan is still the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), despite the fact that Barrister Gohar Khan was recently elected as chairman of PTI.

    The issue of PTI’s intra-party election conducted on December 2, 2023, remains undecided, as the ECP reserved its judgement after hearings.

    Former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is the head of  Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and ex-president Asif Ali Zardari leads the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP). On the other hand, former foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is a chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

    Similarly, Khalid Maqbool Siddique is the head of  Muttahida Qaumi Movement- Pakistan (MQM-P), and Abdul Aleem Khan is the president of a newly formed Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).

  • X restored after being globally down for more than an hour

    X restored after being globally down for more than an hour

    Various complaints of social networking website X (formerly Twitter) being down around the world have been reported in the past hour but it is now restored.

    Reports emerged that complaints of the service being down of both the social media micro-blogging website and mobile application surfaced around 11 am.

    According to X-monitoring website Downdetector, about 70,000 complaints were received from around the world about X’s service being affected.

    Earlier, in March and July of this year, there were complaints about X’s services being affected.

    According to media reports, users visiting X saw ‘WELCOME TO YOUR TIMELINE’ written instead of regular tweets, indicating that there was a major problem on the social networking site.

  • ‘I think your clothes don’t define you as a good or a bad person’; Ushna Shah on wearing hijab

    ‘I think your clothes don’t define you as a good or a bad person’; Ushna Shah on wearing hijab

    Actress and model Ushna Shah shared her thoughts on wearing a hijab in a recent interview. The superstar pointed out that some people believe that wearing a hijab automatically makes someone a good person. However, she emphasized that one’s clothing choices do not determine whether they are a good or bad person.

    Ushna Shah highlighted that wearing a hijab is a personal choice, and during the interview.

    Reminiscing about her Umrah experience two years ago, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she explained that there’s a misconception in society that if you wear a hijab or cover yourself, you are automatically considered a good person. She presented these views to highlight the contrasting perspectives that exist in society: “If you wear lehenga choli or sleeveless in your marriage then you are the opposite of good.”

    “I know many of those who cover themselves but I don’t believe them as good human beings. I think your clothes don’t define you as a good or a bad person,” she said.

    Ushna Shah shared that choosing to wear a hijab is a personal decision, and it’s something between an individual and God, so others shouldn’t interfere.

    She also expressed her belief that modest clothing is both comfortable and stylish. According to her, opting for modest clothes has its advantages, such as freeing us from worries about weight gain and complicated hairstyling.
    She added: “I enjoy wearing hijab and I understand why so many women enjoy this. It freed us from so many problems and in such clothing, you represent your religion.”

  • Tumharay Husn Kay Naam: A progressive story comes to a happy conclusion

    Tumharay Husn Kay Naam: A progressive story comes to a happy conclusion

    It is said “All is well that ends well”, a saying that perfectly captures our feelings for the show Tumharay Husan kay Naam. The drama series that had a slow narrative was weaved so meticulously that the ending made it all worth it.

    The coming-of-age story ended beautifully, capturing the essence of true love. Saba Qamar and Imran Abbas portrayed the characters of Salma and Sikandar perfectly; no one else could have done it better.

    The actual crescendo was the point when Salma and Sikander’s children put their parents’ happiness before themselves. The last declaration of love by Omar and his acceptance of his father was not just heart-melting but the messaging was done absolutely sensitively. The real win for the drama was its progressive outlook. More of this please, Pakistani script writers!

    Everything, from the story to the dialogue and acting, is well-done. The writer, director, and actors of the show deserve a big round of applause for taking it to a satisfying culmination keeping its essence of old-school romance intact.
    As we say goodbye, we are reminded of the memorable tune of the show, echoing the poet’s words, “The music in my heart I bore long after it was heard no more.” The excitement for Monday episodes, the soulful title track, and the chance to escape from daily routine and connect with the main characters as they navigate through challenging relationships—all of that comes to a graceful end.

  • Khurram Shehzad out of Test series against Australia

    Khurram Shehzad out of Test series against Australia

    National cricket team fast bowler Khurram Shehzad has been ruled out of the Test series against Australia.

    According to media reports, Shehzad has been ruled out of the Test series due to a rib fracture. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will come to a decision after consultation with the specialist.

    The pacer’s rehab will start at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Khurram Shehzad complained of pain during the Perth Test.

    He dismissed five players in his debut Test, bowling a total of 38 overs in both innings of the first Test match.

  • Gold price surges to Rs218,500 per tola amid global uptick

    Gold price surges to Rs218,500 per tola amid global uptick

    In the latest update on the precious metals market, the cost of gold in Pakistan has witnessed a consistent upward trend for the third consecutive week, culminating in a settling price of Rs218,500 per tola on Wednesday.

    According to data released by the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Association (APGJA), the rate of 24-karat gold experienced a notable surge, increasing by Rs900 per tola, reaching the current benchmark of Rs218,500.

    Simultaneously, the price for 10 grammes saw a rise of Rs771, now standing at Rs187,328.

    This surge in gold prices is a continuation of the trend observed earlier in the week, when prices increased by Rs400 twice.. This cumulative rise over the week amounts to Rs1,700 per tola, following a similar trend from the previous week when the precious metal’s price escalated by Rs1,200 per tola.

    Internationally, spot gold exhibited a modest 0.1 percent increase, reaching $2,042.10 per ounce as of 0729 GMT.

    Concurrently, US gold futures recorded a 0.2 percent uptick, settling at $2,055.90.

    These global market dynamics further contribute to the evolving landscape of gold prices, adding nuances to the economic outlook both domestically and abroad.

  • 7th consecutive gain: Pakistani rupee closes at Rs282.9 against US dollar

    7th consecutive gain: Pakistani rupee closes at Rs282.9 against US dollar

    In a persistent surge, the Pakistani rupee (PKR) continued its upward trend against the US dollar (USD) for the seventh consecutive session, appreciating by 0.04 per cent in the inter-bank market on Wednesday.

    According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the PKR concluded at Rs282.9, marking an increase of Rs0.11.

    In the open market scenario, the PKR experienced a decline of 25 paisa for both buying and selling against the USD, settling at Rs281.50 and Rs284.50, respectively.

    Conversely, against the Euro, the PKR maintained stability for both buying and selling, closing at Rs307.00 and Rs310.00, respectively.

    Against the UAE dirham, the PKR held steady for both buying and selling, concluding at Rs77.30 and Rs78.00, respectively.

    In comparison, against the Saudi Riyal, the PKR saw a gain of 10 paisa for both buying and selling, closing at Rs75.20 and Rs75.90, respectively.

    This positive trend follows Tuesday’s marginal gain, where the rupee settled at Rs283.01 against the US dollar.

    The dollar index, which experienced a slight dip on Tuesday, maintaining a mostly flat position at 102.20, had previously reached a four-month low of 101.76 last week.

    In the backdrop of global trade concerns and heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, with Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces conducting attacks on ships in the Red Sea, oil prices surged past $80 a barrel on Wednesday.

    Brent crude futures observed an 89-cent increase, or 1.1 per cent, reaching $80.12 a barrel by 1101 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 93 cents, or 1.3 per cent, to $74.87 a barrel.