Tag: Karachi

  • Karachi gets country’s largest COVID-19 vaccination centre

    Karachi gets country’s largest COVID-19 vaccination centre

    Pakistan’s largest COVID-19 vaccination center has been set up in Karachi’s Expo Centre. The facility can accommodate up to 30,000 people on a daily basis.

    As per reports, the Sindh government has established the mega vaccination center at Karachi’s Expo Centre in order to speed up the COVID-19 vaccination process.

    The mega vaccination centre will be operational from May 9 (Sunday) where 30,000 people could get COVID-19 shots in a single day.

    The vaccination centre will directly be supervised by Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah and the vaccination process will take place 24 hours a day.

    The provincial government has also notified that the staff of the private hospital will be on duty while the vaccination centres will remain open sans three eid days as the country faces the rising third wave of the global pandemic.

    According to the notification issued by the Sindh government, except for the three gazetted Eid days, from May 13-15, the vaccination centres will be functional on all federally announced holidays.

    Earlier, the Sindh government also launched free COVID-19 vaccination home service to facilitate elderly citizens.

    The mobile helplines for at-home vaccination are 9123 and 1025. Those calling from a landline phone can dial 021-111-119-123.

    The province has reported 290,756 cases reporting 1,110 in the last 24 hours.

  • ECP accepts Miftah Ismail’s plea for a vote recount

    ECP accepts Miftah Ismail’s plea for a vote recount

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday reserved the verdict on PML-N’s Miftah Ismail’s plea for a vote recount in the NA-249 by-poll. The ECP accepted Ismail’s request for a vote recount . All parties have been summoned to the RO’s office on May 6 for a vote recount.

    Ismail had written a letter to Chief Election Commissioner, seeking a vote recount in NA-249 after he lost the poll by 683 votes. PPP’s Mandokhel had won the NA-249 By-Election.

    A four-member commission of the ECP headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja heard the plea.

    PML-N’s counsel Salman Akram Raja in his argument stated that a large number of Form 45 were not duly signed by the presiding officers, while agents of PML-N were also not given Form 46. Raja demanded the ECP to initiate an inquiry on the irregularities surfaced in the Karachi by-poll.

    The PPP’s counsel Latif Khosa opposed the re-polling in the constituency and said that it is not enough to say that irregularities were made. “You should highlight where irregularities were reported,” Khosa added.

    After hearing from both sides, the chief election commissioner announced the judgement.

  • Hira Mani robbed at gunpoint

    Hira Mani robbed at gunpoint

    Hira Mani has reportedly been robbed at gunpoint outside her house in Karachi.

    In a video, circulating on social media, two gunmen could be seen snatching something from Mani, who was in the driving seat of her car. It is believed that the actor was mugged outside her house.

    Both of Hira’s sons were also present at the scene of the crime and can be seen in the video. Both the robbers, who were on two bikes, left soon after snatching. The good thing was that no one wast hurt.

    Read more – Karachi shop owner shares CCTV footage of robbery with police, gets robbed again

    Meanwhile, Hira has not yet responded to the incident or commented on it.

  • Against surveys: PML-N’s Miftah leads Karachi by-poll, PTI far behind

    Contrary to what surveys suggested, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Miftah Ismail is leading the race for Karachi’s NA-249 constituency, unofficial results from 54 of 276 polling stations show.

    While the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) are trailing behind, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for now rests at the bottom of the table.

    Earlier, the polling process continued rather peacefully with no untoward incident taking place.

    Voter turnout, despite strict security arrangements, was reported to be low, mainly owing to Ramzan, scorching heat and the fact that the election was conducted on a business day.

    CONTRARY TO SURVEYS:

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and his PTI were the most popular in embattled NA-249 constituency of Karachi until earlier today.

    According to surveys by Ipsos, Pulse Consultant and Gallup Pakistan, PTI was likely to retain the seat that had fallen vacant after its Faisal Vawda stepped down; however, rival PML-N could give it a tought time.

    The Karachi West-II seat of the National Assembly lies in Baldia Town neighbourhood of the metropolis.

    It was won by PTI’s Vawda in the 2018 general election after beating PML-N chief Shehbaz Sharif.

    As many as 276 polling stations comprising 796 polling booths had been established in the constituency.

    The constituency, with 339,591 registered voters, had emerged to be a highly contested seat with candidates belonging to almost every major political party fighting for it.

    Prominent candidates in the run were Miftah Ismail of PML-N, Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) chief Syed Mustafa Kamal, Amjad Afridi of PTI, Qadir Khan Mandokhail of PPP, Mohammad Mursaleen of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Mufti Nazeer Ahmed Kamalvi of TLP.

    With results still pouring in, a sudden turn of events hasn’t been ruled out by pundits.

  • NA-249 by-election: Imran Khan, his PTI most popular, suggest surveys amid polling

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are the most popular in embattled NA-249 constituency of Karachi where a by-poll is currently being held.

    According to surveys by Ipsos, Pulse Consultant and Gallup Pakistan, PTI is likely to retain the seat that had fallen vacant after its Faisal Vawda stepped down; however, rival Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) could give it a tough time.

    The Karachi West-II seat of the National Assembly lies in Baldia Town neighbourhood of the metropolis.

    It was won by PTI’s Vawda in the 2018 general election after beating PML-N chief Shehbaz Sharif.

    As many as 276 polling stations comprising 796 polling booths have been established in the constituency. The voting process on Thursday began at 8 am and will continue till 5 pm without any pause.

    The constituency, with 339,591 registered voters, has emerged to be a highly contested seat with candidates belonging to almost every major political party fighting for it.

    Prominent candidates in the run are Miftah Ismail of PML-N, Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) chief Syed Mustafa Kamal, Amjad Afridi of PTI, Qadir Khan Mandokhail of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Mohammad Mursaleen of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Mufti Nazeer Ahmed Kamalvi of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

    TLP which was banned earlier this month over violent nationwide protests is contesting the seat after the Ministry of Interior said it could contest elections until such time that it stood dissolved as a political party registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

    Candidates and their supporters have acknowledged a lacklustre ambience reflecting a certain sense of detachment among the voters belonging to the constituency, however, expressed hope that they would come out of their homes by noon.

  • Andre Russell, Martin Guptill among lead names joining PSL6 in June

    Andre Russell, Martin Guptill among lead names joining PSL6 in June

    Andre Russell and Martin Guptill are leading the names among others signed by Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises for the competition’s resumption in June.

    In an online session held last evening, franchise representatives submitted names of the players they picked as replacements of those unavailable to feature in the upcoming matches.

    West Indies allrounder Russell will join Quetta Gladiators in the absence of England international batsman Tom Banton. New Zealand’s Martin Guptill has been picked by Karachi Kings, while Bangladesh allrounder Shakib al Hasan was selected by Lahore Qalandars. Australia’s Usman Khawaja was Islamabad’s pick to replace Alex Hales. Another fascinating pick by IU is South African player Janneman Malan.

    According to details, a total of 19 overseas players were chosen in the replacement draft, with three teams – Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta and Islamabad United reserving one further selection each, to be used at a later date.

    Most of the overseas players, who were around for the first set of games before the postponement, are missing for one reason or another. The English players are going to be busy with the Vitality Blast T20 tournament. Some others are on national duty. As a result, there was a mini draft, where the teams had to pick from 134 players, from Australia (10), New Zealand (12), South Africa (18), Bangladesh (7), West Indies (25), Sri Lanka (24), Zimbabwe (6), Afghanistan (16), Ireland (5), UAE (5), Scotland (4), Nepal (1) and Oman (1)

    https://twitter.com/HBLPSL6Official/status/1387315812059525121?s=19

    The PSL 6 was postponed after 14 matches on March 4 this year after a Covid-19 outbreak was reported in the tournament’s bio-secure bubble. The remaining 20 matches of the sixth edition will now be played at Karachi’s National Stadium from June 1-20.

    Read more – PCB books 300-room hotel in Karachi for PSL6

    FULL LIST OF PSL 2021 REPLACEMENT DRAFT PICKS

    Islamabad United: Usman Khawaja replaces Alex Hales, Janneman Malan replaces Lewis Gregory

    Karachi Kings: Martin Guptill replaces Colin Ingram, Thisara Perera replaces Mohammad Nabi, Najeebullah Zadran replaces Dan Christian, Litton Das replaces Joe Clarke

    Lahore Qalandars: Shakib al Hasan replaces Rashid Khan, James Faulkner replaces David Wiese, Joe Burns replaces Samit Patel, Callum Ferguson replaces Tom Abell, Seekkuge Prasana replaces Joe Denly

    Multan Sultans: Mahmudullah replaces Chris Lynn, Rahmanullah Gurbaz replaces James Vince, George Linde replaces Adam Lyth, Obed McCoy replaces Carlos Brathwaite

    Peshawar Zalmi: Fabian Allen replaces Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rovman Powell replaces Liam Livingstone, Fidel Edwards replaces Saqib Mahmood

    Quetta Gladiators: Andre Russell replaces Tom Banton

    Meanwhile, Malan found out what ‘Janneman’ means in Urdu – sweetheart – and he aspires to become a janneman to all Pakistanis with his performances.

    “Excited to join Islamabad United. Heard so many great things about the franchise,” said Malan. “I just found out what Janneman means in Urdu. I wish to be janneman to all Pakistanis with my performances in the PSL.”

    Usman Khawaja, who was born in Pakistan, also expressed his excitement, saying: “Pretty excited to be joining Islamabad United. I have played everywhere in the subcontinent except where I was actually born. So for me, this means a little bit more.”

    “Can’t wait,” he added.

    Commenting under his tweet, England player Sam Billings encouraged the cricketer, saying: “Great franchise, go well brother.”

  • Karachi woman buys 208 burgers using 26 bank cards

    Karachi woman buys 208 burgers using 26 bank cards

    A woman in Karachi availed a Ramzan offer and bought 208 burgers using 26 bank cards from a well-known international food chain.

    As per details, the  international food chain had introduced a special Ramzan offer for Karachi customers having a certain bank’s card. The deal offered four burgers for Rs550, and the deal can be availed twice within 24 hours for each debit/credit card.

    When the woman got to know about the offer, she rushed to the franchise’s outlet located on Khayaban-e-Shahbaz with 26 bank cards.

    Read more – Delivery boy robbed of burgers in Gujranwala

    Talking to the media, the food chain manager said: “We had no choice but to entertain the lady’s request because the company had introduced the deal.”

    “What’s more interesting, is that she either remembered the PIN codes of all the cards or must have had them saved on her phone because not one code was wrong,” he added.

    The manager said that the lady was handed a bill of Rs28,600 and walked away with a whopping 208 burgers.

  • PCB books 300-room hotel in Karachi for PSL6

    PCB books 300-room hotel in Karachi for PSL6

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has booked a complete hotel for the remaining matches of Pakistan Super League (PSL 6). The 300-room hotel will accommodate all six teams, officials and commentators.

    According to details, all rooms, halls, conference rooms and restaurants will be fully managed by the PCB. Hotels, transport, ground staff and broadcasters will remain inside the bubble under COVID-19 protocols.

    PCB has also settled a deal with a British company to maintain the bio-secure bubble for PSL. The Board has prepared the agreement documents and has sent them to a UK-Based company named Restrata.

    After seeing the company’s performance in the PSL, talks will be held with the company for the country’s next cricket season.

    The bio-bubble protocols of the competition will be decided by Restrata. It will be their responsibility to fully implement the protocols, monitor and manage the bio-secure and have a response and reaction to positive tests.

    The board will formally announce the company’s deployment after they sign the agreement.

    It must be noted here that PSL 6 was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the bio-secure bubble. As many as six cricketers and a staff member had tested COVID-19 positive.

    PCB announced last week that the remaining matches of the competition will be held from June 1-20 at the National Stadium in Karachi. All participants will be required to observe a seven-day quarantine period, which will commence from May 22 in one hotel. Following three days of training sessions, HBL PSL 6 matches will resume on June 1 with the final scheduled for June 20.

  • Sarah Khan back home from the hospital

    Sarah Khan back home from the hospital

    Sarah Khan has shared that she has returned home from the hospital and is doing better. The actor had recently been admitted to the hospital after contracting typhoid.

    The actor shared a short clip with the caption “Ramzan Mubarak. Karachi 2021” to update her fans on her health. In the clip, Sarah can be seen lying down with her husband Falak Shabbir’s hand on her face.

    Khan had earlier been hospitalised due to ill health. Her manager had confirmed to The Current that the actor has contracted typhoid due to which she had to be admitted to the hospital.

    Sarah’s husband, Falak Shabbir was the first to share the news of his wife’s ill-health, posting a picture of Sarah lying on a hospital bed on Wednesday.

    “She is unwell,” Falak had said in the caption.

  • Karachi shop owner shares CCTV footage of robbery with police, gets robbed again

    Karachi shop owner shares CCTV footage of robbery with police, gets robbed again

    A shop owner in Karachi was robbed by the same robber after the owner released his CCTV footage.

    As per reports, a man who robbed half a dozen shops on University Road in Karachi over the course of a few days was captured on CCTV footage during a robbery at a juice centre the other day. He then robbed the same shop again after the owner released the CCTV footage of the incident.

    “You shared the CCTV footage of robbery with police that’s why I am here again to loot [your] shop for the second time,” the robber told the shop owner.

    A man camouflaged as a cop was recorded on camera robbing a juice center owner on Tuesday.

    In the CCTV footage, an armed man wearing a police trouser along with using the number plate of the Sindh police can be seen looting numerous shops on the city’s University Road.

    One of the video clips shows him entering the shop and threatening the cashier with a gun as the latter hands him the money.