Tag: Pakistan

  • Chief Justice sacrificed judiciary’s reputation for mother-in-law, says Maryam Nawaz

    While harshly criticizing the judges’ remarks in the audio leaks case, Maryam Nawaz said that the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJ) Umar Atta Bandial has sacrificed the judiciary’s reputation for his mother-in-law.

    Taking to X ( formerly Twitter) on Friday, Maryam Nawaz wrote, “Umar Atta Bandial Sahib and like-minded people sacrificed the reputation of the judiciary for the sake of mother-in-law. Sorry”

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan has rejected the objections of the former Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government against a five-member bench hearing the alleged audio leaks case.

    The five-member larger bench, led by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Umar Atta Bandial, and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsen, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi, and Justice Shahid Waheed, was formed earlier this year, in May.

    The PDM government had filed a civil miscellaneous application (CMA) to the top court, requesting that CJP Bandial, Justice Ahsan, and Justice Akhtar bow out from the five-member larger bench hearing the case.

    The short verdict announced by Justice Ahsan on Friday said that the objections of the PDM government against the judges were the same as an “attack on the independence of the judiciary”.

    The SC reserved its decision on the PDM government’s petition of June 6.

    The government, in its CMA, said: “Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and Justice Munib Akhtar should not listen to the audio leak case,” the petition appealed, adding that the “three respected judges should refuse to sit in the five-member larger bench.”

    “In the circumstances, till the next date of hearing, the operation of the impugned notification No.SRO.596(I)/2023 dated 19.05.2023 issued by the Federal Government is suspended as is the order dated 22.05.2023 made by the Commission and in consequence thereof proceedings of the Commission are stayed”, Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial had announced in a short order.

  • ‘Fairy Tale’ stars Hamza Sohail, Sehar Khan enthrall social media with sultry photoshoot

    ‘Fairy Tale’ stars Hamza Sohail, Sehar Khan enthrall social media with sultry photoshoot

    Looks like this isn’t the last of how ‘Fairy Tale’ actors Hamza Sohail and Sehar Khan will keep astonishing us, as the two’s recent photoshoot with Hello Pakistan has set social media on fire. The magazine describes the duo as ‘Gen Z powerhouses’, who quickly sky-rocketed to fame, garnering Indian and Bangladeshi fans for their roles as the enemies-to-lovers duo in the drama.

    Since the photoshoot went viral, social media users and celebs like Amar Khan and Mahira Khan were praising the stars.

    We can safely say none of know how to deal with this much hotness in one picture.

  • Fawad says PPP, JUI-F, ANP ‘hypocritical’ for blaming PML-N for inflation

    Fawad says PPP, JUI-F, ANP ‘hypocritical’ for blaming PML-N for inflation

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has a surprising ally as far as allegations of responsibility for inflation go. Fawad Chaudhry has said that PML-N’s former coalition partners Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Awami National Party (ANP) are being “extremely hypocritical” by blaming PML-N for inflation.

    “I am a severe critic of PMLn but to be fair the way PPP,ANP and now JUI are shifting everything on PMLn and Shahbaz Sharif is extremely hypocritical, they all were partners in crime how can they absolve themselves from what they all did to people of Pak in a partnership,” Fawad wrote in a tweet on Friday.

    The post came in response to an interview in which JUI-F’s Maulana Amjad Khan told Express Tribune that his party should not be blamed for inflation as the main ministries and the Prime Minister seat in the coalition government were with PML-N. However, he did add that global commodity prices were rising, emphasizing that this was not a phenomenon solely limited to Pakistan.

    Earlier in the week, JUI-F emir and head of the former ruling coalition of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Maulana Fazlur Rehman, blamed PPP for delay in elections.

    Talking to journalists in Lahore, Fazl said that all the parties in PDM had agreed to hold elections early last year. However, Fazl said, PPP went back on its promise, thus the tabling of the Vote of No Confidence.

    Fazlur Rehman also predicted that elections will be held by the end of February next year, but cautioned that an uptick in terrorism related incidents in former FATA regions could make campaigning there extremely difficult.

  • Actress Faryal Mehmood once broke a girl’s ribs

    Actress Faryal Mehmood once broke a girl’s ribs

    Faryal Mehmood was a guest on Momin Saqib’s show ‘Had Kar Di’ where the actor opened up how as a child, she was kicked out of several schools before reaching 12th grade because of her aggressive nature.

    “I used to hit people a lot’, recalled Faryal. “One time I broke a girl’s ribs.”

    “I was very young and I knew how to fight. So I just fought and it went to another level. I kicked her here and I broke her ribs and then I got suspended.”

    The ‘Laal Ishq’ actress also revealed what career would she pick if she wasn’t an actress, and her choice was either becoming a dancer or a thief!

    “I think I can accomplish huge heists’, joked the actress. “Because I’m a good actor…So I can manipulate anyone and use them.”

  • Another ‘unusual’ huddle in Aiwan-e-Sadr sets rumour mill in overdrive

    Another ‘unusual’ huddle in Aiwan-e-Sadr sets rumour mill in overdrive

    A few days after an unexpected meeting among three important people at the President House, another ‘unusual’ meeting took place on Sep 8 (today).
    Former information minister Muhammad Ali Durrani met President Arif Alvi on the completion of the president’s constitutional term.

    Muhammad Ali Durrani is the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League Functional (PML-F). He also served as information minister in the era of late military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. In 2021, during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, he proposed starting a dialogue between stakeholders.

    In 2020, the former information minister met former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Kot Lakhpat jail during Imran Khan’s tenure to convey an “important message”. 

    According to Geo News, the former information minister called on President Alvi at Aiwan-e-Sadr. However, no official statement has been issued about the huddle.

    “Political pundits are terming the meeting unusual, as Durrani was inactive in politics for a long time and played a key role in the backdoor meeting,” the publication said.

    Earlier, sources told The News that two important personalities met President Alvi in Aiwan-e-Sadr. The meeting was held on the fourth floor of the Aiwan-e-Sadr, with the premises being off-limits for everyone, including staff.

  • Woman arrested in Tandlianwala for false blasphemy accusations against neighbours

    Woman arrested in Tandlianwala for false blasphemy accusations against neighbours

    A woman has been arrested by the Tandlianwala City Police in Toba Tek Singh after she threatened to falsely accuse neighbours of desecrating the Quran.

    Under the First Information Report (FIR) filed under Section 211 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 16 of the Punjab Maintenance of the Public Order Ordinance 1960 , 21 complaints claimed the woman was a drug dealer. According to Dawn, when the culprit was confronted by local residents about her alleged activities, she threatened to desecrate the Holy Quran and blame the neighbors and ignite violence within the community.

    According to witnesses, the woman threatened to falsely implicate her neighbours in the Quran desecration case in the Jaranwala incident that took place on August 16.

    Police have arrested the woman and shifted her to the Faisalabad district jail.

  • NAB grills Bushra Bibi for over two and a half hours

    NAB grills Bushra Bibi for over two and a half hours

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) grilled former First Lady, Bushra Bibi, for over two and a half hours during the investigation of the Toshakhana case.

    Bushra Bibi has been accused of keeping a bracelet, earrings, a chain, a pendant and two rings from state gifts while her husband Imran Khan was the Prime Minister. She has also been charged with keeping a watch and gold and diamond jewellery during the same time period, not getting their value assessed fairly or submitting them to the Toshakhana.

    Bushra Bibi appeared before NAB Rawalpindi office where a team questioned her for over two and a half hours.

    Bushra Bibi is currently on bail in the Toshakhana case, after Judge Abul Hasnat of an accountability court granted her bail in the Toshakhana case till September 12, in exchange of surety bonds worth Rs5 lacs.

  • TW: FIR registered against landlord for raping maid, forcing her to get abortion

    TW: FIR registered against landlord for raping maid, forcing her to get abortion

    Trigger warning: rape, sexual violence

    A case has been registered against feudal lord, Ali Raza Arain by the Model Town police in Burewala, Punjab, for raping his maid for several months, then forcing her to get an abortion when she got pregnant. According to Express Tribune, Arain raped his maid on gunpoint, recording a video of the act. He allegedly continued to rape her for several months, blackmailing her by threatening to upload the video on social media.

    In the First Information Report (FIR), the survivor said she got pregnant after several months of repeated sexual torture. She was then forced to get an abortion. The survivor filed a case with the Model Town police after which an FIR was registered against Arain.

    The news follows a string of cases of househelpers being abused and tortured by their employees. On July 25, Rizwana, a child domestic helper was beaten by Somia Asim, the wife of a civil judge. In her official statement given to the police on August 18, the survivor recounted how she was beaten with sticks, iron rods and other objects.

    READ MORE: ‘Judge’s wife tortured me daily’: Rizwana speaks up

    In Sindh, the case of a 10-year-old domestic maid, Fatima, grabbed headlines when the child was found dead at the home of a spiritual pir. An autopsy conducted after exhumation of the child’s body showed extensive proof of rape and beatings. Pir Asad Ali Shah, the main suspect, remains in police custody.

    READ MORE: TW: Post mortem report shows 10-year-old Fatima was raped vaginally, anally allegedly by Pir

  • Khalifa nan-khatai lover, US Ambassador Donald Blome wants more women in the Pakistani workforce

    Khalifa nan-khatai lover, US Ambassador Donald Blome wants more women in the Pakistani workforce

    US Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome, visited Lahore from September 4-6 and The Current got the opportunity to sit down with him and have a little chat.

    And yes, you read it correctly. The ambassador is a lover of Khalifa nan-khatai. He told us that he discovered the biscuits last year when he came to Lahore. Later, during his February trip, he even stopped by Khalifa Bakers in the Walled City.

    Visit to Lahore
    Over the course of his latest tour, Ambassador Blome visited PepsiCo’s FritoLay Snack plant and NetSol Technologies Ltd. While the focus of the ambassador’s trip was to foster the economic ties between the United States (US) and Pakistan, special emphasis was placed upon the importance of human rights and inclusive workspaces — particularly in regards to women.

    “It is not just a matter of simply hiring — there are things you have to change, and ensure a welcoming environment for women with different needs and different requirements to excel in the workforce,” he pointed out.

    Playing a leading role in corporate social responsibility, American-based companies have not only created employability in Pakistan, but they endeavour to cater to the local communities through initiatives that actively work towards women’s empowerment as well as education, health, disaster relief, and skills development.

    Ambassador Blome cited a USAID programme in partnership with PepsiCo that aims its attention on women farmers of Pakistan who are working in one of the more difficult areas, toiling under a strenuous work environment.

    Cultural Barriers
    Taking into consideration the socio-domestic constraints that often restrict women from growing in their careers, Ambassador Blome believes that practical initiatives can make workplaces more inviting for women in Pakistan.

    “It is the simple things; like having child care facilities, providing safe transportation — beyond that is developing a culture that ensures that equal chance is given to women to advance within their jobs and careers, and that they are valued in the same way every other employee is valued.”

    He further stated that he hopes American firms like PepsiCo, which has advanced gender parity in managerial roles globally, are exemplary models providing a leadership structure for the local businesses.

    “A lot of things work through to get there. But many Pakistani companies are also trying to head in that direction,” Ambassador Blome acknowledged.

    Success stories
    While a number of US businesses have actively countered gender inequality, Ambassador Blome particularly highlighted the digital sector as a success. He mentioned that not only more women are being employed by IT firms but certain institutes have been accommodating by providing opportunities for flexible work like allowing to work partly at home, partly in office.

    NetSol Technologies, an American software company, is known for being an “equal opportunity employer with the largest concentration of female employees in Lahore”.

    This year, they took an initiative to encourage women back into workspaces — women who are married or left the job after having a baby. This was carried out by creating women-exclusive jobs which catered them through on-office facilities.

    Ambassador Blome, however, also hailed a number of “impressive” Pakistani women-led organisations that are in the lead when it comes to facilitating women.

    “It is a whole constellation of different issues that come together,” he underlined.

    “If companies are able to make that work [i.e. create inclusive workspaces], it would be incredibly effective because it brings unique talents and energy, and it is something badly needed for Pakistan. The participation of women in force is too low here and it hurts the country in many ways — to forgo this incredible resource the country has.”

  • IMF approves relief plan for 4 million consumers with monthly power usage below 200 units

    IMF approves relief plan for 4 million consumers with monthly power usage below 200 units

    After extensive negotiations prompted by widespread protests against soaring electricity bills, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reportedly granted approval to a relief proposal targeting consumers with monthly electricity consumption of up to 200 units, allowing authorities to implement an installment-based billing system, according to sources cited by Geo News.

    Sources indicated that the final authorisation for implementing the installment billing system will require approval from the federal cabinet. 

    Approximately 4 million electricity consumers are expected to benefit temporarily from this initiative.

    Regrettably, the interim government’s proposal to extend relief to consumers using up to 400 units of electricity per month was rejected by the IMF. This decision means that approximately 32 million consumers would have benefited if the proposal had been accepted.

    Additionally, sources disclosed that the IMF stressed the importance of combating electricity and gas theft while also focusing on improving revenue collection.

    Furthermore, the sources revealed that the IMF had requested an increase of 45 to 50 per cent in gas tariffs, effective from July 1. However, the approval of this tariff hike remains contingent upon federal cabinet approval.

    In response to persistent protests by citizens and traders who have taken to the streets to denounce the steep increases in power bills and additional taxes, the caretaker government led by Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar in Islamabad has been actively engaging with the IMF to secure immediate relief for electricity consumers in the economically challenged nation, where the populace is grappling with soaring inflation.

    It is crucial to note that Pakistan is currently operating under an IMF programme, making any relief or subsidy subject to IMF approval.