Tag: Pakistan

  • Pastor attacked near Jaranwala

    Pastor attacked near Jaranwala

    Pastor Alizer Sidhu of the Presbyterian Church survived a targeted attack in Khunwana, Faisalabad.

    The incident occurred when Pastor Sidhu was returning to his home following a prayer sermon. He was stopped by armed men who shot at him. He was then taken to the nearest hospital, where he was said to be out of danger.

    While being taken to the hospital, Pastor Sidhu recorded a video statement in which he said that armed men had stopped him and asked him to recite the Kalma, and when he refused to comply, one of the armed men chanted a slogan and opened fire at him.

    According to The Friday Times, the Pastor is a father of three.

    It is worth mentioning that on August 28, unidentified men spray painted slogans of Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) on the boundary walls of the Presbyterian Church in Rehmat Town Khunwana, Faisalabad. This is the church where Pastor Alizer has been serving for the last four years.

    After the incident was picked up by the media, the slogans were removed in the presence of senior police officers.

    Last month, the Christian community in Jaranwala was attacked by a large mob of 7,000 Muslims who destroyed their houses and set fire to their churches.

    According to The Friday Times, while the Christian religious and political leadership condemned the attack on the pastor, they also demanded justice, urging for a transparent investigation into the incident.

    Additionally, they also advised the pastors and minority rights activists to remain alert and abstain from travelling unnecessarily considering the sensitive and aggravating atmosphere of Faisalabad.

  • IMF’s ‘yes or no’ decision nears on relief for electricity bills

    IMF’s ‘yes or no’ decision nears on relief for electricity bills

    In the midst of extensive protests regarding soaring electricity charges, the interim government has reportedly devised a strategy aimed at alleviating the financial burden on electricity consumers in the country.  

    According to Geo News, the interim government is preparing a relief package that will grant up to Rs3,000 in relief to customers who use up to 300 units of electricity in their October bills. Furthermore, those facing electricity bills between Rs60,000 and Rs70,000 stand to benefit from a significant reduction of Rs13,000. 

    Simultaneously, discussions between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the interim government are ongoing, focusing on providing relief to electricity consumers. 

    In a separate report by The News, it’s revealed that the IMF, headquartered in Washington, has requested additional data from the Power Division to inform its decision regarding various proposals to address the impact of high bills in August and September. 

    “We have shared the required data with the Fund people hoping that IMF may today (Monday) come up with its response with a yes or no to the assertions of the Finance and Power Divisions, seeking permission for relief to inflation-stricken people in electricity bills,” shared sources involved in discussions with the IMF. 

    Currently, officials from both the Power and Finance divisions are engaged in intensive discussions with IMF representatives, considering the data associated with proposed measures to alleviate power tariffs and their potential effects on circular debt, cash flow, and potential delays in Independent Power Producers (IPPs) payments, ensuring the stability of the power sector. 

    In response to continuous protests by citizens and traders against soaring power bills and added taxes, the government is actively seeking to convince the global lender to grant immediate relief to electricity consumers in a nation already grappling with severe inflation. 

  • Judge hearing Imran’s plea in cipher case goes on leave

    Judge hearing Imran’s plea in cipher case goes on leave

    Special Court Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, who’s hearing the cipher case against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has gone on leave until September 8.

    PTI’s lawyers, Babar Awan, Salman Safdar, and Naeem Haider Panjotha, reached the courtroom on Monday where staff told them that the Judge was on leave as his wife is unwell.

    Attorney Salman Safdar requested court staff to fix the next hearing for Thursday.

    However, the PTI’s legal team reached the courtroom of Judge Raja Javad and requested him to hear the case.

    Judge Raja Javad replied that he could not hear the bail plea as he is not a duty judge.

    “There is no notification of the duty judge under the Official Secrets Act. If the Islamabad High Court can mark it, only then I can hear it,” Judge Abbas remarked. “I can hear cases of 24 courts as a duty judge but not to the extent of the Official Secrets Act.”

  • Which celebrity paid Rs100,000 electricity bill? Celebs share details of inflation affecting their budgets

    Which celebrity paid Rs100,000 electricity bill? Celebs share details of inflation affecting their budgets

    After protests and demonstrations broke out across Pakistan as petrol and electricity bill hikes took effect, celebrities are amplifying voices calling for the government to provide relief packages to the masses. Many big names of the industry are sharing how their expenses are spiking because of the excessive rates. A-listers like Maya Ali condemned rising prices and demanded for people in power to step out and help the underprivileged ones who couldn’t afford basic necessities.

    Actress and television host Nadia Khan shocked audiences when in a recent video, she asked prominent celebrities like Nida Yasir, Fiza Ali and Sadia Imam about how their household expenses are being recalculated with the on-going price hikes, and the results are astounding.

    Actress Sadia Imam said her previous electricity bill was RS 75,000, after which she decided to install a solar system at her house. The result, the actress elaborated, was that her bill was Rs 19,000 but after adding Rs 5000 tax it was Rs 26,000.

    Nida Yasir had the most shocking revelation in the video. She confessed that despite the fact that for half of the month their family was out of the country, her electricity bill was Rs 1 lac.

    Fizza Ali said her electricity bill this month was Rs 67,000, adding that in the previous month her electricity bill was even higher, but during this time the actress was on vacation in Dubai.

    Nadia Khan then revealed to her audience that last month during the time she was away from her home in Karachi and was in Thailand, her bill Rs 75,000.

    ‘It’s horrifying to think that we weren’t in our homes, and our bill was Rs 75,000. So what would be the amount this month?” the actress said.

    Watch the complete video here

  • Love online: Yet another foreign woman marries Pakistani man

    Love online: Yet another foreign woman marries Pakistani man

    It looks like sirf KPK kay paani mein kuch khaas nahi hai, Sindh main bhee potent paani hai.

    Yet again, foreign women are meeting Pakistani men on social media apps and marrying them a year later. Humein bhi kuch samajh nahi araha. A Filipino woman named Mikona, has married a Larkana man, Oshaq, via video call, after meeting him on Facebook where they became close friends. According to ARY, the nikah ceremony took place at a local hotel where friends and family members were present.

    Speaking to the media, Oshaq said he will secure a visa and fly out to Philippines to be with his wife.

    The wedding follows a string of online romances where foreign women flew to Pakistan to marry men they formed connections with online. KPK was leading the race with more marriages held in the month of July than all the December shaadi seasons compiled. On 30 July, Rosa flew from Mexico to Buner, KPK, to marry Izaz Ali, whom she had met on Facebook.

    Read more: Ye KP mein kya ho raha hai: Mexican woman flies to Pakistan to marry Facebook lover

    Previously, a woman from Chile developed a relationship on Tiktok with Ikramullah from KP, and then flew to the province in July to marry him.

    Read more: Humaray paani mein kuch hai? In third love story this month, Chile woman flies to marry Pakistani lover

  • TikToker Hareem Shah’s husband abducted

    TikToker Hareem Shah’s husband abducted

    TikToker Hareem Shah’s husband, Bilal Hussain Shah, has gone missing in Karachi. Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) of the incident.

    As reported by ARY News, police officials have said that the FIR was registered in Defense police station by his mother as the complainant.

    Shah said that her husband was reportedly taken away by unidentified people in plain clothes while he was on a visit from London.

    Shah put up a video a week after efforts of finding her husband went in vain. She believes that the police is being constrained by unknown entities.

    https://twitter.com/_Hareem_Shah/status/1698372128134045795?s=20

    Hareem Shah has also filed a petition in court.

    She stated that her husband has no record of criminal activity and that his kidnapping is “disrespect for rule of law.”

    Stating that the family is in distress a result, she urged intelligence agencies to ensure her husband’s return and requested her followers to pray for his recovery.
    Previously, on January 28, Hareem Shah’s bank accounts were frozen by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) after she was filmed in a video with bundles of cash of foreign exchange.

    FIA had also written a letter to the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency to probe into money-laundering.

  • Trade with India not possible without solving Kashmir issue, says PM Kakar

    Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said that trade between Pakistan and India is not possible without solving the Kashmir issue, adding that Pakistan would act as a “willing partner” in case India initiates resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

    Relations between India and Pakistan have become tense since the Dehli administration divided Kashmir into two federally administered territories in August 2019, ending the special status the occupied region enjoyed.

    The Himalayan region, where Muslims are in the majority, has been a cause of conflict between Pakistan and India since the liberation of both countries from British rule. Both neighbouring countries rule parts of the Himalayan territory, fighting two wars to occupy the whole region.

    Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said while talking to Geo’s Saleem Safi that under the current situation, trade is not possible between Delhi and Islamabad.

    “Kashmir is at the core, but when we say Kashmir is at the core, it does not mean that we want to keep fighting with India all the time,” the Pakistan prime minister said.

  • IBA, AAA Associates collaborate to financially aid students

    IBA, AAA Associates collaborate to financially aid students

    The Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi and a real estate organisation, AAA Associates, have collaborated to introduce a scholarship endowment fund: AAA Associates Scholarship Endowment.

    A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Executive Director, IBA, Dr S Akbar Zaidi and Managing Director, AAA Associates, Shahzad Ali Kiani, at the main campus. According to the press release, the motive of this initiative is to push forward the university’s financial assistance programme for meritorious students with the aid of the AAA.

    Dawn News has reported that IBA supports approximately 30% of its student body every year through its financial assistance program.

  • Urvashi Rautela is still crushing on Naseem Shah and here’s proof

    Urvashi Rautela is still crushing on Naseem Shah and here’s proof

    Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela knows that a crush on Pakistani cricketer Naseem Shah isn’t just a phase, but an everlong commitment. The actress shared a post on her Instagram stories about the exhilarating Asia Cup 2023 match between Pakistan and India yesterday, and guess who was in the picture? None other than Naseem Shah.

    There have been rumors about Naseem and the ex beauty pageant winner having a thing for each other. The actress once shared a clip on her Instagram stories of two merged clips showing herself and the 19-year-old cricket player.

    Then speculation was rife once more when Urvashi wished Naseem happy birthday underneath an Instagram post where he was sending good wishes to Shadab Khan for his wedding.

    However in April Naseem let people know that no such relationship existed, when the rising cricket star was asked about the viral edited video showing him proposing to the Indian model, Naseem had refuted rumors saying he didn’t know the actress.

  • DC Peshawar issues detention orders of 11 PTM activists

    DC Peshawar issues detention orders of 11 PTM activists

    The district administration of Peshawar has issued orders to detain 11 activists of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), on allegations of provoking the public against the government’s policies and the armed forces of the country.

    According to the detention order, SSP operations wrote a letter to the deputy commissioner stating that the Gulberg police station SHO provided a list of the PTM activists who provoked the public against the Pakistan Army and other institutions of Pakistan.

    The latter, issued by the SSP operations, informed the district administration that the individuals on the list pose a risk to the stability and peace of the country. They violated the writ of the government and the law and order situation in the area. 

    “The activities of the said individuals are against the law, and there is apprehension that they may continue their activities in the future,” the detention orders issued by the deputy commissioner said, adding that the administration considered the activities prejudicial to public safety and might create a law and order situation in the district.