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  • ‘My married life is no one’s business’: Reham Khan shuts down divorce rumours

    ‘My married life is no one’s business’: Reham Khan shuts down divorce rumours

    British-Pakistani journalist Reham Khan has addressed rumours that she has divorced her husband Mirza Bilal. Speaking in a six-minute video, Reham confirmed that the news is fake, criticising trolls for being invested in her personal life.

    “Whether I get married 12 times or get divorced 12 times, it’s none of your bloody business,” Reham said. “If you gave this much attention to your own life, career and your children, you would be so much better.”

    Her husband was seated next to her.

    “Whoever’s sleep got disturbed because of our marriage, first of all I want to tell them they can sleep now peacefully. Whoever was upset they don’t need to stay worried any longer, we have taken care of our issues.”

    Reham tied the knot with Mirza Bilal in an intimate ceremony in Seattle last year, and revealed the news on social media by calling it the happiest day of her life by marrying someone “who will be around me in my darkest hour”.

  • Social media loved Pakistani cricket show ‘The Pavilion’

    Social media loved Pakistani cricket show ‘The Pavilion’

    Although the Pakistan cricket team has not qualified for the World Cup semi-finals, former cricketers are still getting praise from the cricketing world in ‘The Pavilion’. Misbah-ul-Haq, Waseem Akram, Shoaib Malik, Moin Khan, and presenter Fakhar-e-Alam are getting praised on social media for their unique, off-the-cuff and candid analysis on the A Sports show.

    This show is a hit both in Pakistan and in India.

    Former Indian superstar Saurav Ganguly talked about the show, stating, “I watch all of them, Wasim, Moin, Shoaib and Misbah, I follow their show regularly.”

    Indian journalist Rajdeep Sardesai appreciated the show in a tweet, saying ‘Pakistan have had a pretty woeful World Cup but arguably the best cricket show on the World Cup has come from Pakistan tv: The Pavilion. No jingoism, no noise, just solid analysis and truth telling by former players. Wish our sports/news channels/experts would take a cue. This is a WORLD Cup, not a domestic tournament for Indian stars only. Sure we love Virat, Rohit and our team but let’s talk about the game and other players too also sometimes”.

    Two Indian websites, News18 and Livemint, also wrote about the show.

    Here are some reaction from social media:

  • Angelina Jolie ‘saddened’ by forced deportation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan

    Angelina Jolie ‘saddened’ by forced deportation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan

    Angelina Jolie has always been one for speaking her mind. The Hollywood A-lister and UNHCR ambassador won hearts globally when she openly criticised the Israeli regime for air strikes on Gaza which has claimed countless innocent lives. Now, she has spoken out against the deportation of 1. (www.enov8.com) 4 million Afghan refugees from Pakistan.

    Reporters have said that they are banned from taking pictures of detention centres or to speak with any of the captives, and several families have reported that their children were being picked up despite having a birth certificate.

    Sharing clips of Afghan families and children stranded at the border, Angelina called this an example of “the backsliding in human rights globally,” on her Instagram.

    “Pakistan has been a supporter for many Afghan refugee families for decades. I am saddened they would so abruptly push back refugees who face the impossible realities of trying to survive in today’s Afghanistan, where women have again been deprived of all rights and the possibility of education, many are being imprisoned, and there is a deep humanitarian crisis.

    It is yet another example of the backsliding in human rights globally, and is a new tragedy in the long history of the suffering of Afghan people – who have experienced nothing but war and conflict and displacement for over forty years, and are being abandoned by the world after all the promises that were made of a better future for the Afghan people.”

  • Underage driver kills six of a family in Lahore

    Underage driver kills six of a family in Lahore

    Six members of a family in Lahore were killed when an underage driver crashed into their vehicle late on Saturday night. The accident took place in DHA Phase 7 when a family driving back to their residence in Shadab Colony on Ferozpur Road, was rammed into another vehicle being driven by a teenage boy, Afnan Shafqat.

    The victims were quickly moved to the Lahore General Hospital in severely injured condition but they could not survive. They were identified as Rukhsana, 52; Anabia, 3; Huzaifa, four months; Muhammad Hasnain, 28; Sajjad, 26; Ayesha, 22, as reported by The Nation.

    A case has been registered against the driver. According to witnesses, he was driving rashly and his speeding car hit the victims’ car from the left side. The collision was so bad that it overturned the latter’s car altogether, resulting in their death.

    Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi offered condolences over the incident and sought a report from senior police officers.

  • Murtaza Solangi says President Alvi undermining his credibility by speaking for one political party

    Murtaza Solangi says President Alvi undermining his credibility by speaking for one political party

    Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Murtaza Solangi, has said that President Dr. Arif Alvi should represent all political parties in accordance with the law and the constitution, to foster unity in the country.

    Talking to the media on Sunday, Solangi said that the President’s role was not limited to one party, urging him to speak on behalf of all political parties.

    “If the president continues to speak for one political party, it would undermine his own credibility,” he said.

    Highlighting the essence of democracy as a platform for dialogue, Solangi dismissed concerns over complaints and grievances, stating that every party and individual had the right to voice their concerns at appropriate forums including courts and the election commission.

    As regards the upcoming elections, Solangi pledged the caretaker government’s full cooperation and assistance to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), in accordance with the law and the constitution.

    He commended the competence and the sense of responsibility shown by the current ECP management, noting that they adhered to the action plan outlined for the elections.

    The people of Pakistan will determine the country’s future course on February 8, 2024, a date slated for the elections, he added.

  • ‘No merger, only seat adjustment with PML-N’: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid

    ‘No merger, only seat adjustment with PML-N’: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid

    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat has said that the people of Pakistan have pinned many hopes on former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, adding that the future government will have to work for the restoration of the economy, eliminating unemployment and inflation.

    Shujaat Hussain said, ‘By overcoming the bitterness of the past, we should utilize our full capabilities to solve the issues facing the people.”

    “Our collective responsibility is not for revenge politics but for building a strong economy, providing relief to the people, and safeguarding national interests,” he added.

    PML-Q also quashed rumors of an impending merger with PML-N on Sunday.

    Instead, the party confirmed its intention to pursue seat adjustments with the Nawaz Sharif-led faction in specific constituencies.

    Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, PML-Q Punjab General Secretary, clarified the party’s position, asserting its commitment to maintaining an independent identity.

    Notably, PML-Q candidates are set to participate in the upcoming elections, carrying the party’s symbol – the tractor.

    Speculations about a potential merger were rife, with talks centering around seat allocations for Chaudhry Shujaat’s sons and Tariq Bashir Cheema, the party’s secretary-general.

    However, these speculations were dispelled by Chaudhry Shafay Hussain.

    The political landscape is witnessing increased activity, with PML-N actively seeking alliances.

    Last week, they announced a joint participation in the polls with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).

    A recent meeting between a PML-N delegation and MQM-P leadership in Karachi delved into discussions on electoral alliances and future strategies.

    While PML-N explores collaborative ventures, the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) has voiced discontent. Sharjeel Memon, a PPP leader, criticized PML-N’s historical ascent to power, alleging rigging.

    Despite this, Memon expressed confidence in PPP’s electoral prospects, anticipating a clean sweep in the upcoming elections.

    Simultaneously, PML-Q leader Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain and his son, ex-MNA Hussain Elahi, critiqued PML-N’s economic policies.

    They credited the recent improvements in the national economy and currency to strict measures initiated by Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir.

    The criticism of the PML-N by both the former PML-Q lawmakers and close family members of the party chief, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, has surfaced just when the leadership of both factions of the Pakistan Muslim League is hinting at making a seat adjustment in the election on Feb 8, 2024.

    Speaking to a gathering of party workers at his Nutt House in Gujrat, Wajahat said the masses were witness to the statement of PML-N leadership regarding being beggars and that wherever they went to seek financial assistance, the other side would consider them as beggars.

    Wajahat announced to kick off the election campaign of his son, Hussain Elahi, and two Punjab Assembly candidates of his party, Abdullah Yousaf Warraich and Khalid Asghar Ghural, asking his supporters to work for their victory.

    Sources have told Dawn that by criticizing the PML-N policies, the Wajahat camp has tried to attract the PTI vote bank with an anti-PML-N narrative as his traditional rival, Nawabzada family, has already been in the PML-N and the voters might not be easily won by the PML-Q in that constituency.

    They say Hussain Elahi would assess the ground position of his constituency for the future course of action.

    It’s pertinent to mention that both Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain and his son Hussain Elahi were in the PTI before the May 9 incidents when many of the party leaders had started quitting the party. The duo also quit the PTI and joined the PML-Q.

  • ‘Disgusted’: Timothee Chalamet’s Hamas joke on Saturday Night Live has social media outraged

    Hollywood actor Timothee Chalamet guest starred on popular comedy show ‘Saturday Night Live’ in a skit mocking the genocide in Gaza.

    Social media users were outraged at a clip in which Timothee plays a man who is ready to commit suicide and has a band called Hamas. A member of ‘Please Don’t Destroy’ then tells him they can’t share the song on Instagram.

    The joke comes just as the dire situation in Gaza is taking an even darker turn, with hospitals declaring complete collapse without fuel, water and medical supplies. Babies on incubators, as well as several patients in the ICU, risk being killed as a result of Israeli tanks surrounding the Al-Shifa hospital.

    Twitter users were outraged on Timothee Chalamet’s involvement in the insensitive script and criticised him. Many also declared they are boycotting his upcoming films ‘Willy Wonka’ and ‘Dune Part 2’, both of which are set to release in December.

    Several cases of people getting fired or losing gigs because of their support for Palestine have come to light since the genocide began.

    Many also pointed out the difference in how SNL responded to the Ukraine war by inviting a choir to sing a song about peace, in contrast to mocking the deaths of countless Palestinians in which USA is complicit.

    Many also reshared a comedy skit featuring actor Adam Driver playing Aladdin, taking Jasmine on a magic carpet ride. In the scene, when a drone hits Jasmine’s head, Adam remarks “We must be flying over Syria.”

  • Ramiz Raja lashes out at PCB after Pakistan departs from World Cup

    Ramiz Raja lashes out at PCB after Pakistan departs from World Cup

    Former cricketer Ramiz Raja has expressed anger at the bad performance of the Pakistan cricket team in the World Cup and at the selection committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    Expressing anger, Ramiz Raja, a former head of PCB, said, “When you (your bowlers) will not get wickets with the new ball, expensive bowlers will become more and more expensive, then what will Babar Azam do as captain?”

    He severely criticized the management of the Board, stating, “Now there will be a gathering of cricketers in which they will ask questions about how to fix cricket. Why were you appointed in the cricket board, their job is to change the captain and coaching staff and understand they have done a great job and now everything will be fine. These people are under the misconception that unless there is love and passion for cricket, Pakistan cricket cannot recover an inch.”

    A few days ago, Ramiz Raja slammed the leaking of a provate conversation between Babar Azam and PCB Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer. “Those who leak news and make some journalists favorites are defaming Pakistan’s cricket and now it should be stopped. The cricket board leaked Babar Azam’s WhatsApp chat, just listen to the recording of the chief selector, how much venom he is spewing against Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan,” he said at the time.

    Without mentioning the name of the head of the cricket board, Zaka Ashraf, he severely criticized him and said, “If cricket has to take a new turn, will we work with a 70-year-old person who does not know anything about selection in Pakistan? Club cricket is over, the people teaching there are doing politics.”

    He suggested that the whole system should be fixed but first, the cricket board should be fixed.

  • Australian Club Cricketer Takes Six Wickets In Six Balls To Win Match

    Australian Club Cricketer Takes Six Wickets In Six Balls To Win Match

    An Australian club cricketer took six wickets in an incredible final over to clinch victory in a one-day game over the weekend, describing the rare feat as “surreal”.

    Facing almost certain defeat in the Gold Coast’s Premier League Division 3, Mudgeeraba captain Gareth Morgan opted to bowl the last six balls himself with Surfers Paradise needing five runs to win with six wickets in hand.

    They dramatically collapsed with Morgan removing opener Jake Garland for 65 then dismissing the next five batters for golden ducks.

    “It is funny, the umpire said to me at the start of the over that I needed to take a hat-trick or something to win the game,” Morgan told the Gold Coast Bulletin after his exploits attracted national attention.

    “When it happened he just sort of looked at me.”

    He added to national broadcaster ABC that it was “very surreal”.

    “I remember thinking after I got the hat-trick — I don’t want to lose this game now,” he said.

    “Then it just went crazy. When I saw the stumps go back on the last ball I couldn’t believe it, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

    The first four dismissals were all caught, while the final two were bowled.

    The most wickets in an over in professional cricket is five, achieved by New Zealand’s Neil Wagner (2011), Bangladesh’s Al-Amin Hossain (2013) and India’s Abhimanyu Mithun (2019), according to ABC.

  • Jail trial of Imran Khan in Cipher case approved by caretaker cabinet

    Jail trial of Imran Khan in Cipher case approved by caretaker cabinet

    The caretaker federal cabinet has given the green light for the jail trial of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case, as per Geo News.

    The decision comes in response to security concerns, prompting the Ministry of Law to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the trial on August 29, following requests from the Interior Ministry and Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain.

    The Ministry of Law emphasized that the jail trial for the PTI chairman was deemed necessary due to security considerations.

    This approval sets the stage for an intra-court appeal filed by Imran Khan against the trial, scheduled to be heard by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on November 14. The court has invited arguments from the attorney general.

    Imran Khan, who was ousted from the prime minister’s office in April last year through a no-confidence motion, initially contested the jail trial through a petition in the IHC.

    However, the court’s single bench, led by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, dismissed the appeal on October 16, citing no apparent malice in conducting the jail trial and advising Khan to address his concerns in the trial court.

    The cipher case, invoking the Official Secrets Act 1923, was registered against Khan and Qureshi in August of this year by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), using Section 5 of the aforementioned law.

    The case revolves around a missing diplomatic cable allegedly containing a threat from the United States to overthrow the PTI government, according to the former ruling party.

    Both Imran Khan and Qureshi face allegations under the Official Secrets Act 1923 in the cipher case, related to a missing diplomatic cable, and are currently detained in Adiala jail.

    The IHC had earlier suspended Imran Khan’s three-year sentence in the Toshakhana case on August 29.