Tag: life-stories

  • Air purifiers that are effective and available

    Air purifiers that are effective and available

    As smog levels rise across Pakistan and Lahore reaches hazardous levels, air purifiers are selling out across the country. The biggest debate: do they actually work?

    According to research, air purifiers do work and have benefits. The demand for air purifiers is increasing worldwide and in 2022, there will be a 10.2 billion dollar global market for air purifiers.

    Air purifiers filter out harmful particles, kill germs and removes volatile organic compounds that can harm the lungs, liver or kidneys.

    In Pakistan, most air purifiers are now out of stock as Karachi and Lahore are facing the brunt of the air pollution. The Current brings you a daily smog level check at 7AM on Instagram and Facebook for your city and what’s really worrying is that Lahore has hit hazardous levels and Karachi is at very unhealthy – and about to get worse.

    Wearing smog masks can help protect you against air pollution and air purifiers are also a great investment. They aren’t cheap but worth it in the long run.

    Here are three air purifiers that are currently in stock on Pakistani websites and have been tried and tested by customers

    1. Smart Air Cannon Air Purifier

    Available here this small but powerful air purifier is effective for a room sized 323 square feet. It was effective in removing pollution particles and comes with a one year warranty. It is cheapest air purifier that is currently available, at 18,000 rupees.

    2. Beurer LR 200 Air Purifier

    Available here Beurer is a tried and tested company, with a popular humidifier range. The air purifier is sleek but according to reviews, it’s difficult to clean the filter. It is for 27,500 rupees and also has a one year warranty.

    3. Hextio Air Purifier

    At 60,000 Rupees the Hextio is available here. It has automatic settings where it detects air pollution and increases the level of the fan. It also has a two year warranty.

  • Sialkot’s historic Hindu temple celebrates Diwali after 72 years

    Sialkot’s historic Hindu temple celebrates Diwali after 72 years

    Sialkot’s ancient Hindu temple witnessed Diwali celebrations after a long hiatus of almost 72 years.

    The Shawala Teja Singh Temple closed since Partition was opened for worshippers earlier this year on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Members of the Hindu community had long been demanding for the temple to be opened.

    According to reports, the historic temple which is believed to be more than 1,000 years old was illuminated by the Hindu devotees to mark the festival. Local Hindu leaders also cut Diwali cake and lit clay lamps at the temple.

    The devotees started Diwali celebrations with worship and rituals and prayed for the unity, peace and integrity of Pakistan.

    Tight security arrangements were in place to ensure that no untoward incident takes place.

    Made of granite and sandstone, the temple sits high on a sand dune in a congested, residential neighborhood. Over the years, the temple has fallen prey to neglect as a result of which the intricate carvings on the thick outside pillars have long faded or been scrubbed off by drug addicts. The sacred idols of Lord Shiva in the building have also been stolen or destroyed. However, work on the restoration of the temple is currently underway and officials say that it will be restored to its former glory.

  • Khaadi’s Kanteen bursts with positive energy

    Khaadi’s Kanteen bursts with positive energy

    Nestled happily on the first floor of Khaadi at Bilawal Chowrangi, Kanteen is a sight for sore eyes with its bohemian look, comfy sofas, lovely woodwork and lots of green plants. The whole place is bursting with positive energy.

    This is a place where you would want to go with your friends for a happy evening or dinner with your family. And yes this place welcomes children of all ages. I finally made it to Kanteen after hearing good reviews from friends and I’m happy to report that I wasn’t disappointed.

    Kanteen’s menu is pretty elaborate and is dominated by a desi palette – you’ll find butter chicken, mutton karahi, palak paneer etc on the menu. The best part is that it is not very heavy on the pocket. The cafe is run by Meher, who started off as a home-based party planner. She did my bridal shower almost 5 years back and had impressed me with her services back then also.

    We started off with some crunchy Meethi Puri and Paani Puri and thoroughly enjoyed it – just what you want on a rainy day. We also tried some desi dynamite prawns which were different but delicious.

    • Paani Puri
    • Meethi Puri
    Desi dynamite prawns

    Next, we had the mini chapli kebabs on small parathas which were just perfect with just the right amount of spices.

    What’s life without a plate of good old daal chawal. Kanteen’s daal chawal was elaborate and was served with fried bhindi, paapar, aalo, qeema kabab, achaar and raita. It was a wholesome dish on its own and one of my personal favourites.

    We also tried Kanteen’s tawa chicken and that was also tantalising to the taste buds.

    For a sweet ending to a lovely evening, we ordered the Rabri & Jalebi and Caramel Bread Pudding. Both the desserts were delectable and absolutely delicious. One thing I particularly liked was that the sweet was nicely balanced and did not send you into a sugar coma.

    Rabri & Jalebi
    Caramel Bread Pudding

    Khaadi’s Kanteen lived up it to its expectations and hype and I will definitely be venturing there again soon to treat myself to some delightful desi food.

  • ‘Gone but never forgotten’: Wasim Akram pens emotional note for late wife

    ‘Gone but never forgotten’: Wasim Akram pens emotional note for late wife

    Former captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team Wasim Akram, on the 10th anniversary of his late wife Huma Mufti Akram, penned an emotional note in her memory.

    Sharing a collage of their two sons, Tahmoor (23) and Akbar (19), Akram wrote on Instagram, “You will never be forgotten, you gave me the biggest gifts of all and they continue to grow and carry on your spirit.”

    “Gone but never forgotten, you are always in our hearts,” wrote the 53-year-old former cricketer.

    We’re not crying, you are.

    Huma Mufti was Wasim’s first wife. The two tied the knot in 1995 and were married for fifteen years before Huma’s untimely death in October 2009. She died of multiple organ failure at Apollo Hospital in Chennai, India. They had two sons together.

    In August 2013, Akram got married to Shaniera Thompson, whom he had met on a visit to Melbourne in 2011 while participating in a Poker tournament at Crown Casino. Wasim and Shaniera, who are one of the country’s leading power couples, have a daughter, Aiyla together.

  • Senior State Life official ‘jumps off’ Karachi building

    Senior State Life official ‘jumps off’ Karachi building

    A senior official of State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan (SLIC), allegedly committed suicide by jumping from the 11th floor of a multi-storey building on Karachi’s I.I. Chundrigar Road on Wednesday, Dawn has reported.

    According to the details, Zafar Iqbal, age 55, was serving as the deputy manager administration at SLIC and was reportedly facing an inquiry over some “personal activities”.

    However, the family of the deceased has disputed the claim that Iqbal had committed suicide and suggested that his death was a murder.

    But City Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Muquddus Haider has said that initial investigation and eye-witness accounts showed that Iqbal, the father of four children, did commit suicide.

    SSP Haider also said that a guard deployed at the SLIC office tried to persuade Iqbal not to jump from the building, but the latter proceeded to do so anyway.

    “Further investigation into the incident is underway because the family had disputed the police version”, the police official added.

    The deceased official’s body was shifted to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi for autopsy and Mithadar Station House Officer Rizwan Patel has said that they were waiting for a doctors’ report to know more about the death.

  • [GRAPHIC VIDEO] Sindh youngster live streams suicide on Facebook

    [GRAPHIC VIDEO] Sindh youngster live streams suicide on Facebook

    A young man from northern Sindh’s Ghotki town has committed suicide while streaming it live on Facebook, a video doing rounds over the internet, revealed on Tuesday.

    In the six-minute stream, the youngster repeatedly announces that he was going to kill himself after his relationship did not work out. He then gives a message to his family and friends in Sindhi.

    “I can’t bring myself to do this,” he can be heard as saying while weeping and adding that he could not see a way out of his pain.

    “Friends, if I have made any mistakes, please forgive me” are his last words.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    The deceased’s body was shifted to Mirpur Mathelo District Headquarters Hospital by the police.

    While Facebook is yet to take the video down, the case is the first of its kind in the country.

    FACEBOOK LIVE & VIOLENCE:

    The live video streaming feature on Facebook became publicly available in January 2016 and anyone with a Facebook account can access it at the top of their news feed, simply by selecting “Live Video” from the dropdown menu.

    A three-second countdown begins before the user can begin filming live, and anyone can watch if they have selected the audience as public and not just for connected friends. Facebook Live broadcasts can last up to four hours.

    To report a Facebook Live video as inappropriate, you can click the scroll down menu in the top right of the post and then click “Report Post” or “Report Photo” and follow the instructions.

    Earlier this year, the company was forced to scrub more than 1.5 million videos of the New Zealand mosque massacre, which was live-streamed by the shooter.

    Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had vowed in April 2018 that the company would work toward thwarting the spread of violent content; however, it has continued to struggle to monitor instances of bloodshed and self-harm.

  • Lahore traffic cops form special squads for crackdown against e-challan defaulters

    Lahore traffic cops form special squads for crackdown against e-challan defaulters

    The City Traffic Police (CTP) Lahore has constituted seventeen special squads to go after the e-challans defaulters, a private news outlet has reported.

    According to the details, under the recent crackdown, 34 traffic wardens will be appointed across the city to recover challan payments. These special teams will strictly monitor such vehicles across Lahore.

    Since the e-challan system delivers the ticket to the address of the vehicle owner, the CTP teams can also raid their houses to confiscate the vehicles.

    Such vehicles will only be released after payment of the e-challan. However, no further penalty will be added to the delayed submission.

    The traffic police in the initial phase will go after the defaulter with hefty unpaid challans and the crackdown will continue until the clearance of the backlog.

    CTP last year in September had launched the electronic challan system in Lahore, in collaboration with Punjab Safe City Authority (PSCA). Since then, it has been an effective tool to control traffic violations in the provincial capital.

    If you want to check that your vehicle has been charged with a violation or not, follow the instruction given in this article.

  • EXCLUSIVE: What did Mehwish Hayat & Prince William talk about and other inside details from the grand royal reception

    EXCLUSIVE: What did Mehwish Hayat & Prince William talk about and other inside details from the grand royal reception

    Prince William and Kate Middleton may have bid goodbye to Pakistan for now but that doesn’t mean us Pakistanis are getting over the royal visit anytime soon. The couple’s maiden trip was the first royal trip in almost 13 years and frankly speaking one we very much needed as we try to build ourselves up after years of being labelled a terrorist and backward country.

    The first full day of the Royals tour wrapped up with a grand reception hosted in their honour at the Pakistan Monument in Islamabad. The reception saw who’s who of Pakistan in attendance and it was without a doubt one of the most lit nights in recent times as the royals mingled with celebrities, sportspersons, politicians, humanitarians, business tycoons and entrepreneurs.

    While Kate glittered in a gown by Jenny Packham, Prince William donned a teal sherwani by Karachi-based designer Nauman Afreen becoming the first-ever Royal to do so.

    I secretly wished that I had attended the event and my Insta and Twitter stalking throughout the event I was glued to my phone getting excited over every update. Lucky for me, I managed to speak to a few people who attended the event and gave me all the inside details including what was on the menu and how it was like meeting William and Kate.

    First things first. Everyone who attended the event literally had the same thing to say about the Duke and Duchess. They described the couple as extremely pleasant, down to earth and very friendly. They said that they paid great attention to whoever they were talking to and had lots of positive things to say about Pakistan and it’s people.

    Mehwish Hayat, in a Whatsapp conversation, said that Willam “was genuinely very happy to visit Pakistan and getting the chance to meet ‘amazing people’ and receiving so much love and warmth.”

    “No wonder my mother loved coming here,” he said to Mehwish.

    Mehwish also shared that she spoke to him about running the London Marathon next year for girl’s education in Pakistan and her work with the Ministry of Human Rights for girl’s rights in the country, something the Prince was very delighted to know about.

    “He shared their experience of visiting the kids at the school earlier during the day and how the kids were so keen to get an education,” Mehwish revealed.

    The event was invite-based only. Cars were parked a little bit away from the venue, and rickshaws were in place to take everyone from the parking to the main event. The decorations were beautifully done and the ambiance was very nice.

    Initially, the guests mingled among themselves. There were two sections – one section for the VVIPS and one for all the others who were invited. When the royal couple arrived, they went there directly to the VVIP section where they made rounds and spoke to people before Prince William delivered his first speech.

    During his keynote speech, Prince William highlighted the relationship between the UK and Pakistan – and also referred to when his grandmother the Queen visited more than fifty years ago, saying: “Stood here with this magnificent monument behind me, I am struck by the great strides Pakistan has made since its birth seventy-two years ago.”

    “And with successive visits by my mother and my father, this view has continued to change, with the city constantly growing and with it my family’s affection for Pakistan.”

    William also spoke of the “unique bonds” between the two countries and that Pakistan can “rely on the UK to keep playing an important role as a key partner and [a] friend”.

    The most important part of any event is the food so we did some research on what was served to the guests. As per our sources, the menu had a variety of options available. There was paneer tikka, savoury tarts, small quiche bites, lemon tarts and macarons.

    It was a royal night indeed and everyone seemed to have had a ball. Kate and William’s maiden visit will go down in history and will definitely be one to remember for times to come.

  • To brunch or not to brunch at Thanda Garam?

    To brunch or not to brunch at Thanda Garam?

    Finding a decent place to brunch in Lahore is quite a feat considering most of the good brunches are buffets. And those that aren’t, aren’t really all that great. You have them once and you don’t want to visit again.

    Thanda Garam had been on my list for quite a while and last weekend, I finally got the chance to brunch there. We went to the Gulberg branch, which is located off MM Alam Road. The interior of the place was done in pastels and it was bright and lit. The staff was also welcoming and very friendly which added brownie points to the overall experience.

    The restaurant/cafe had a simple brunch menu with only a handful of options to choose from. Most of their brunch dishes are perfect for those who are health conscious since they consist of eggs and fresh vegetables. The waiter who took our order recommended us the Hugo based upon our preferences and so we ordered that.

    Hugo Bowl

    When our order arrived, it looked very appealing. The breakfast bowl had eggs, spinach, grilled chicken, carrots, mushrooms and rocket leaves. Two small pieces of multi-grain bread accompanied it. The taste of it, however, wasn’t all that great – there was too much creamy spinach which overpowered the rest of things in the bowl. The scrambled eggs were fluffy but lacked flavour. The best part of the entire dish was the bread – it was absolutely delicious.

    French Toast

    After the overdose of spinach, we needed something to tantalise our tastebuds so we ordered their French Toast and oh God, those were divine. They were crispy from the outside and fluffy from the inside. The cream that accompanied was so delectable that I had to stop myself from licking clean the plate. The only thing I disliked about the dish was that there was too much Nutella – but then again those who love Nutella will absolutely love this. I’d recommend the restaurant to make Nutella optional and add a jam option as well – Strawberry or Apple Jam with these french toast would be delightful.

    Last but not least, I also tried their Mocca Mocca Frappuccino and didn’t like it much. The taste of the coffee was too strong because of which the frappe ended up tasting bitter. The perfect Mocha Frappe strikes the perfect balance between chocolate and coffee and this one sadly missed the mark.

    Though the food was well presented and I quite enjoyed the ambience of the place, Thanda Garam’s brunch failed to impress. The only thing I’ll be going back for is the french toast.

  • ‘It’s been fantastic’: Kate Middleton on Pakistan tour

    ‘It’s been fantastic’: Kate Middleton on Pakistan tour

    The Royals may have bid goodbye to Pakistan for now but we’re not getting over their visit anytime soon. And even more, after Duchess Kate told CNN that her trip to the country has “been fantastic.”

    In an exclusive news interview, apparently her first-ever ever since she became a royal, Kate Middleton said: “It’s been fantastic, we’ve seen a lot of Pakistan, a huge variety, it’s amazing seeing some of the geography but then to see some of the community activities like this [SOS Village] has been really special.”

    Kate was speaking CNN’s Max Foster after visiting an SOS children’s village in Lahore during the royal tour on Thursday.

    The Duchess, who set up an Early Years initiative last year, said: “I think William and I really wanted to come and see a SOS children’s village like this. There are so many vulnerable women here but they’ve really used their positivity and the support that the village here provides them really to support and protect the next generation, the children in their care and give them the best possible start to their future lives.”

    At the SOS village, a charitable organisation that provides orphaned children with a home and family structure, Kate and William interacted with the children and even celebrated the birthdays of three children.

    Kate also delivered the first speech of her tour there and impressed the gathered crowd by delivering the opening remarks of her speech in Urdu.

    The Duke and Duchess were so moved by the visit that they reportedly made a second trip to the village the next day after stormy weather caused a change in their plans and forced them to spend the night in Lahore.