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  • American entrepreneur paying $4 per hour criticised for exploiting Pakistanis

    American entrepreneur paying $4 per hour criticised for exploiting Pakistanis

    A video shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday is being criticised by users. The video, which features an X user named Christian, says that he remotely hires people from Pakistan to work for him.

    He has a marketing agency and he stated he pays his employees $4 an hour and “they’re extremely grateful to be working with me”.

    Christian explains that he hires a virtual assistant from Pakistan for administrative level tasks for his business like formatting spreadsheets, setting up email accounts and pays them 4 USD an hour.

    He justifies the meagre amount by expounding that an average monthly income in Pakistan is 280 USD, but as he is paying them four USD an hour, they are getting 160 USD a week or 640 USD a month, which is almost 3 times the average income, “a really great living for them”, he adds.

    “They live very very well.”

    He also added that if they perform well, the pay can be raised up to $7 an hour which is 4-6 times the average monthly income of a typical person in Pakistan.

    “They’re really grateful to be working with me because of the money they make. They have a great income, I get a great employee — it’s a win win.”

    He, however, concluded the video keeping in mind the expected criticism;

    “Before you leave a comment, yes i have US based employees. Yes, they make way more than $4 an hour. I’m just saying for this specific task, I pay a Pakistani assistant $4 an hour and they are very appreciative of it.”

    While some appreciated his work, many have criticised him for exploiting people from developing countries by paying them less than those from developed countries.

  • Court issues notice to FIA for Imran Khan’s bail plea in cipher case

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a notice to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) regarding the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman plea seeking bail before arrest in the cipher case.

    The court issued the notice during the hearing of Khan’s petition challenging the decision of the special court in a diplomatic document case. Imran Khan filed the plea on Saturday.

    The bail pleas of Imran Khan and vice president of PTI Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the missing cipher case got rejected by the special court made under the Official Secrets Act.

    PTI’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, filed a petition on behalf of Imran Khan while IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued the notice to FIA in response to the petition.

    Imran Khan’s legal team repeatedly requested an early hearing of the case, but the chief justice of the IHC said that the case would be decided according to proper procedure.

    On the other hand, the court ordered the FIA to submit its response regarding Imran Khan’s petition.

  • Serious or sarcasm? Shah Rukh Khan’s birthday wish to Indian PM Modi divides social media

    Serious or sarcasm? Shah Rukh Khan’s birthday wish to Indian PM Modi divides social media

    Shah Rukh Khan is fresh off another professional high as his film ‘Jawan’ gets rave reviews from audiences and film critics alike. However, the actor was once again targeted by social media for sending birthday wish to the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi. Many felt the message was a complete departure from the actor’s image as a driving force against extremism. Others felt that the actor was mocking the PM in a subtle manner.

    “Happy Birthday to Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi ji!!! Have a healthy and joyful day. May u get some time off from work and have a bit of fun too. Best wishes.”

    The Bollywood Badshah was slammed for still supporting the PM, whose controversial regime is mirred with extremism, rising Islamophobia, and for jailing the superstar’s son Aryan Khan in 2021 on misled charges, cleared in May 2022.

    “With great success comes great responsibility,yet nobody is cancelling srk for a political stance.We are easily riled up against our artists,” wrote a user.

    Many were critical of how the ‘Pathaan’ actor has remained silent about the ongoing persecution of Muslims in India.

    But for others, many interpreted the actor advising Modi to “ake time off work” as a sarcastic dig implying that he is too old for the position any longer..

    Is King Khan subtly telling Modi to retire completely or actually sending a compliment? We’re not sure either but we’re hoping its the latter!

  • ‘Hadsa’ is back, Islamabad High Court reverses suspension

    ‘Hadsa’ is back, Islamabad High Court reverses suspension

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has released a judgement ordering the reversal of the suspension on the controversial drama ‘Hadsa’, a series banned by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) after the motorway rape survivor accused the show of capitalising on her trauma. Legal expert Reema Omar shared a clip of the judgement on her Twitter account, where it was highlighted that the regulation board had not listened to the drama makers before announcing the ban:

    “The inconvenience caused to the applicant/appellant side including their irreparable loss is visible, all these ingredients compel this Court to pass the injunctive order.”

    The judgement also ordered that the explicit scene in question- the controversial gang rape of Episode 5- may not be repeated or broadcasted in the upcoming episodes.

    The controversy surrounding ‘Hadsa’ began in August when journalist Fareeha Idress shared an account of her conversation with the survivor, who shared that she was not consulted by the show runners who aired the controversial scene, and requested help from authorities to take down the drama.

    “They have made a drama on my life,” Fereeha tweeted Z told her. “As if I am nothing, no one asked me, it’s same, they are showing the same things, oh my God! Why didn’t I die before reliving this again? You know , I didn’t sleep after the incident for many many nights and it’s all back now, I haven’t slept a wink since I saw this terrible, horrendous depiction of the most terrible moments of my life which I so want to forget. It’s unbearable, I start shivering every day at 5 pm because I know the drama is coming at 7 pm. Why are they doing this to me?”.

    READ MORE: ‘I asked is this related to the motorway incident’: Hadiqa Kiani on motorway rape survivor statement

    Hadiqa Kiani released a lengthy statement on her social media accounts addressing the accusation, saying that after consulting the script writer and the rest of the team, she was sure the drama was not based on the motorway rape survivor:

    “When I was asked to do the role of Taskeen for Hadsa my first question was ‘Is this related to the motorway incident?’ ‘Is this based off the true incident?’ – I made it clear that I would not do the project if it was based off anyone’s story. The team behind the project explicitly told me ‘No’. After many conversations with the team and only after reading the script I understood that Hadsa was not related to or based off on the motorway story.”

    Director Wajahat Rauf answered the criticism by saying the drama was not based on the life of the motorway survivor, and said the purpose of the screenplay was to raise awareness about the ordeal rape survivors go through:

    “The drama is not based on the motorway incident. The protagonist, her husband, her three children, the family dynamics, the police officers who investigate the crime, the reason behind the crime, and the trial are all fictional. The only thing common is the part that the incident occurred on a highway.”

    “The last thing we would want to do is be insensitive towards someone who has been a victim of this brutal crime. It is our opinion that it would be far more insensitive towards the victims if we did not adopt a condemnation tone; in that case, one might argue that we are not at all familiar with the trauma that a rape victim goes through.”

    “Our writer did speak to actual victims who were willing to talk about their trauma and how they eventually coped with it and that is what is reflected in the play. A character should be judged after seeing her entire role. Judgement shouldn’t be passed on the basis of a glimpse of social media posts. Writers and directors can show temporary weakness to show long term strength of a character that develops.”

    On August 31, PEMRA released a statement announcing a ban on ‘Hadsa’.

  • Suspect in KP MDCAT bluetooth scam has been identified

    Suspect in KP MDCAT bluetooth scam has been identified

    The suspected mastermind behind the MDCAT test cheating scam in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been identified. The accused has been alleged to have helped candidates cheat through Bluetooth devices.

    Sources have told Jang that the accused turned out to be a former employee of the Public Service Commission and the Federal Public Service Commission, and was aware of the frailties of the testing system.

    Moreover, he had ordered Bluetooth devices from China and would entice medical test candidates to cheat.

    He would also send his operatives in the examination hall to leak the tests.

    The accused has earned hundreds of thousands of rupees in return for aiding candidates to pass the MDCAT.

  • 10-year-old Fatima case: Pir Shahzeb in custody

    10-year-old Fatima case: Pir Shahzeb in custody

    The police have arrested Pir Syed Suraj Shah’s brother Pir Shahzeb Shah in the case of the death of 10-year-old Fatima.

    According to the police, Pir Syed Suraj Shah is the Gadinishin of Dargah Ghousia.

    Police say that Pir Shahzeb Shah is being investigated in relation to Hina Shah and her father, Fayaz Hussain Shah Jilani.

    Additionally, only a day after an investigating officer working on the case of the murder of 10-year-old Fatima in Khairpur, another officer has also been transferred.

    DSP Safiullah Solangi was appointed as the new investigating officer just a few days ago, however, he was removed the very next day and DSP CTD Abdul Qudous Kalhoro was appointed as the new investigating officer.

    Dissatisfied with the performance of the investigating officer Inspector Bachal Qazi, the Anti-Terrorism Court had ordered that an officer of DSP level should be appointed as the investigating officer.

    Earlier, the lawyer of the murdered girl had said in the court that the police are not cooperating, and that so far the pin code of the mobile phone has not been obtained from the main suspect, Pir Asad Shah.

    Fatima’s case

    A domestic maid, 10-year-old child Fatima Phuriro, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in Ranipur.

    The child had been working as a domestic worker at a haveli owned by an influential local, Pir Asad Shah Jilani.

    Fatima’s mother, Shabana, was informed about the death by the employer who asked her to remove the body from the premises where two of Fatima’s sisters were also employed.

    According to DIG Sukkur Javed Jiskani, the parents initially did not share the facts of the case with the police and claimed that the girl was suffering from gastroenteritis. While her diagnosis was also confirmed by Dr Abdul Fatah Memon who treated her, the DIG revealed that Fatima was taken to the hospital either by the Pir or his staff and that the SHO was present at the time she was pronounced dead.

    It was not until videos of the child were leaked by an unknown source and circulated in social media that the case caught media’s eye. By then, the family had buried Fatima on August 15.

    The body was later exhumed and sent for an autopsy which revealed that the girl had been raped both vaginally and anally.

  • Justice Faez Isa’s first day as CJP has many milestones

    Justice Faez Isa’s first day as CJP has many milestones

    On Sunday, Justice Qazi Faez Isa took the oath of office to become the 29th Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP). Before the swearing-in began, Justice Faiz Isa also called his wife, Mrs. Sarina Isa, to the stage, where she remained until the end of the oath.

    After taking the oath, Qazi Faez Isa took multiple steps that have not been taken before.

    For the first time in judicial history, a woman has been appointed registrar of the Supreme Court when Lahore district and session judge Jazeela Aslam was appointed on the post.

    Jazeela Aslam also served as a session judge in Kasur and Sialkot.

    Jazeela Aslam completed her BA from Kinnard College Lahore and her LLB from Punjab University. She also passed the competitive judiciary exam on second-place in all of Punjab.

    Secondly, CJP Faez Isa also called a full court meeting on Monday to discuss several issues, like the live telecast of the court proceeding. On the other hand, former CJP Umar Atta Bandial didn’t hold a full court meeting in his whole tenure as CJP.

    It can also be seen for the first time in the country’s judicial history that the Supreme Court’s full court, comprising all 15 judges, will hear a set of petitions challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023, and the hearing will be live on TV.

    The CJP Faez Isa reached the apex court today in his personal car without any protocol and said to the staff of the court that “people come to the Supreme Court to solve their problems. Treat visitors like guests.”

  • ‘Laggay raho bhai’: Yet another petrol hike has celebrities completely speechless

    ‘Laggay raho bhai’: Yet another petrol hike has celebrities completely speechless

    Friday’s petrol price hike has completely shocked social media. The Ministry of Finance said on X (formerly Twitter) announced that the cost of petrol has risen by Rs 26.02 per litre, coming to Rs331.38 per litre, while high-speed diesel (HSD) saw a hike of Rs17.34 per litre, settling at Rs329.18 per litre.

    Social media users were enraged at the constant price hikes, and celebrities were no exception.

    Singer and actor Ahmed Ali Butt slammed how the public was more concerned with the price of the upcoming iPhone 15 than they were with the ongoing petrol price hike.

    “As a nation we have lost all will to fight against this inflation which is due to corruption and bad economic policies,” he shared on Instagram.

    Veteran comedian and actor Sohail Ahmed took to X, formerly Twitter, to request current government to stop implementing policies that are exploiting common folks.

    Screenwriter Khalil-ul-Rehman Qamar asked all Pakistanis to pray during these difficult times.

    Maybe is mushkil waqt mein thora humor hi chal jata hai? Rabya Kulsoom joked that before any Pakistani, it was the petrol price that reached to the moon!

  • Amir Khan, Faryal Makhdoom have taken this momentous decision about their marriage

    Amir Khan, Faryal Makhdoom have taken this momentous decision about their marriage

    British-Pakistani boxer Amir Khan shocked social media when reports of his alleged affairs emerged online after an expose by British tabloid The Sun. BBC Asian Network presenter Suzi Mann accused the boxer of sexual advances and flirting through text messages. The boxer’s wife, Faryal Makhdoom, appeared to have split from the boxer as reports emerged claiming that she was taking her time to decide whether to end the marriage or not.

    However, on a recent appearance at ‘This Morning’, Amir confirmed he had reconciled with his wife, and she was now encouraging him to go back to the gym.

    “I’m not a spring chicken. I’ve not trained for two years.”

    “My wife has started having a go at me saying to get in the gym, saying you’ve started to get a dad’s body.”

    “I used to see a gym and go in, now I see a gym and walk past it.”

    Read more: ‘I was provoked by women who slipped into my dms’: Amir Khan

    The former boxer publicly apologised to his wife in July on his Instagram account, saying he was provoked by the countless women who slipped into his dms:

    “I thank her for the help she got me. I like to apologise to those who I may have hurt. I made a mistake and I was provoked when they slip into my DMs.”

    Faryal fuelled separation rumors by posting a cryptic note on her Instagram stories on Friday: “Fall in love with someone who doesn’t make you think love is hard.”

  • Four women accuse comedian Russell Brand of rape, sexual assault

    Four women accuse comedian Russell Brand of rape, sexual assault

    In a shocking expose by the Sunday Times, four women have publicly accused comedian Russell Brand of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse during the years 2006 to 2013, when his career was on its peak. The publication said all the women had chosen to remain anonymous, and felt ready to speak after being approached by reporters.

    A joint investigation carried out by Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatch said that two of the women, Los Angeles residents, alleged being raped and sexually assaulted by the comedian, with the second woman revealing that Brand threatened to take legal action against her if she went public with her allegations.

    Another woman revealed she was 16-years-old when Brand assaulted her, at a time when hewas in his early 30s, referring to her as a “child” during their emotionally abusive and controlling relationship.

    “Russell engaged in the behaviors of a groomer, looking back, but I didn’t even know what that was then, or what that looked like,” the woman said.

    The fourth woman alleged she was assaulted by the comedian.

    A day before the allegations by The Times were to be released, Russell released a video where he slammed the “serious criminal allegations” that were about to be made against him.

    The former husband of singer Katy Perry said in the video released on X, formerly Twitter:

    “Amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute.

    “These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in the newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies, and as I’ve written about extensively in my books I was very, very promiscuous.

    “Now during that time of promiscuity the relationships I had were absolutely, always consensual.”

    In light of the rape accusations, several users have reshared a clip from a 2013 Vogue interview of Katy Perry, who married and then divorced the comedian in 2012. Brand had publicly divorced the singer with a breakup text, which was shown in the singer’s ‘Part Of Me’ documentary.

    “I felt a lot of responsibility for it ending, but then I found out the real truth, which I can’t necessarily disclose because I keep it locked in my safe for a rainy day,” the ‘Roar’ singer said. “I let go and I was like: This isn’t because of me; this is beyond me. So I have moved on from that.”

    The BBC have meanwhile responded to the allegations, saying that they were “urgently looking into the issues raised” by the allegations. Brand worked as a radio presenter for the channel in 2006 and 2008, and The Times quoted a complaint made to the organisation’s management about the comedian’s “alarming display of aggression and disrespect”.

    Channel 4 released a statement saying that they “asked the production company who produced the programmes for Channel 4 to investigate these allegations and report their findings properly and satisfactorily to us”.

    The organisation added they were conducting an internal investigation and encouraged “anyone who is aware of such behaviour to contact us directly.”