Tag: Pakistan

  • Man arrested for performing Umrah on behalf of Queen Elizabeth

    Man arrested for performing Umrah on behalf of Queen Elizabeth

    Saudi police have arrested a man who claimed to have travelled to Mecca to perform an Umrah pilgrimage on behalf of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

    On Monday, the man, a Yemeni national, posted a video recording of himself at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, in which he was holding a banner that read, “Umrah for the soul of Queen Elizabeth II, we ask God to accept her in heaven and among the righteous.”

    A statement issued by the state of Saudi Arabia said the police have arrested a resident of Yemeni nationality who appeared in a video clip carrying a banner inside the Grand Mosque, violating the regulations and instructions for umrah.

    “He was arrested, legal measures were taken against him and he was referred to public prosecution,” the statement added.

    Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, breathed her last on Thursday in Balmoral Castle, United Kingdom (UK) at the age of 96. The Queen was the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, the mother church of the worldwide Anglican communion.

  • Papaya juice doesn’t cure Dengue fever: Busting 5 dengue fever myths

    Papaya juice doesn’t cure Dengue fever: Busting 5 dengue fever myths

    With the rise of Dengue cases in the country, myths related to the disease are also re-surfacing. Dengue is a potentially fatal fever, with a severe version of the disease called dengue hemorrhagic fever causing internal bleeding which could lead to death.

    Many ambiguous misconceptions surround our understanding of Dengue fever. Let’s debunk some of the most common beliefs about this disease:

    Myth 1: Low platelets mean you have dengue

    A low platelet count can be an indication of dengue, however, that is not always the case. Not every dengue patient has a drop in platelets, and not every patient with a low platelet count has dengue.
    Other factors can cause a decrease in platelet count. Platelet counts can drop as a result of other viral infections as part of the body’s immunological response.

    Myth 2: Any mosquito can cause dengue

    Not every mosquito can cause dengue. Dengue is transmitted exclusively by the Aedes Egypti mosquito, which thrives in densely-populated tropical climates and breeds in stagnant pools of water. The mosquitoes pick up the virus from infected humans and pass it along through bites.

    Myth 3: You can get infected only once in a lifetime

    Many individuals assume that once infected with the dengue virus, they cannot be infected again. This is possibly the most damaging fallacy about dengue, as it raises the likelihood of more people falling victim to the disease. While our immune system is capable of combating dengue, it does not develop immunity to the virus.

    Myth 4: Drinking papaya juice can cure dengue

    Dengue fever cannot be cured with papaya leaf extract. According to research, papaya leaf extract may aid in platelet synthesis. However, platelet counts are not the only issue to be concerned about when it comes to dengue, and not every patient will have low platelet counts.

    Myth 5: Dengue is contagious

    No, dengue is not contagious. It does not transmit from person to person. It is only transmitted when an infected Aedes mosquito bites a person, who then develops dengue and symptoms appear 4 to 5 days after being bitten. Infected patients are usually kept in mosquito nets so that they are not bit by more mosquitoes which can then carry the virus and infect others.

  • Pakistan is out of danger, there is no risk of the country going bankrupt: Miftah Ismail

    Pakistan is out of danger, there is no risk of the country going bankrupt: Miftah Ismail

    The present coalition government has lifted Pakistan out of danger, according to Federal Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, as there is no chance of the nation becoming bankrupt.

    In an interview during Geo News show “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath” on Monday, the minister stated that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan had put the country at risk of default. However, he said, Pakistan is not currently in danger of going bankrupt.

    The economic crisis were made worse by flash floods. But we’ll run the economy effectively. The country’s economy won’t be in danger, he continued.

    The finance minister added that the government would implement measures to stabilise the currency market within the following four to five days.

    He claimed that certain banks offered overpriced dollars as a result of the circumstance. The minister stated that the Prime Minister has taken strict notice of these banks and has requested a report from the Governor State Bank within two days.

    Eight banks have also received letters regarding this and will also face penalties.

  • ‘Six months’: Murad Ali Shah gives estimate on when flood waters will drain

    Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah said that the government is working on rehabilitating people and the province’s drainage, irrigation network. According to him, it will take “three to six months” to drain the water from flood-affected areas of the province as in “some areas, there is at least eight to 10 feet of water”.

    While speaking to the media in Karachi, the chief minister talked about the damages and loss of assets. He said that “12.5 million people are affected by the disaster and around 350 billion rupees’ losses to the farmers are being reported in the province.”

    He revealed that even in places where the floodwater is receding, “the situation is not such that people can return”, highlighting that Pakistan had received unprecedented rainfall this year.

    It is pertinent to mention that Sindh is the worst-hit province so far after biblical floods wreaked havoc across the country. Sindh had the most deaths and injuries. Out of the 1,396 fatalities countrywide, 578 people have died in Sindh province alone.

    Moreover, CM Shah said that the province is facing a shortage of tents and medicines and he had raised the issue with the United Nations (UN) chief Antonio Guterres during his recent visit to Sindh.

    “The whole world has to come together to combat climate change,” he said, adding that Guterres had also called on the world to “pitch in” to help Pakistan navigate the crisis.

    Earlier, the UN chief on his visit to Pakistan’s flood-affected areas said that he has “never seen climate carnage on this scale”.

    At a press conference in Karachi on Saturday after witnessing the worst of the damage in southern Pakistan, he said, “I have seen many humanitarian disasters in the world, but I have never seen climate carnage on this scale.”

    Guterres also strongly urged international creditors to introduce a new mechanism ‘Debt Swap’ for flood-devastated Pakistan.

  • Indian PM Modi to attend regional summit along with PM Shehbaz

    Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and Pakistani Premier Shehbaz Sharif will take part in Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit which is due to take place on September 15 and 16 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

    New Delhi has not yet specified whether Modi would hold bilateral talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Russian President Vladimir Putin or Chinese President Xi Jinping.

    Earlier, in the SCO foreign ministers’ meeting, all of the ministers reiterated that the heads of SCO states would attend the summit.

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto, who had attended the meeting in Tashkent, said that a bilateral meeting between the Pakistani and Indian leaders is not scheduled.

    “There are no plans of any meetings between Indian and Pakistani prime ministers in September”, Bilawal revealed, adding that both India and Pakistan are part of the SCO and the two countries are only engaged in the context of the broad-based activities of the organisation.

    The foreign minister had said: “India is our neighbouring country. While one can decide on a lot of things, one cannot choose its neighbours, therefore, we should get used to living with them.”

    Other than this, it has been reported that Russian Putin and Chinese Xi would meet at the summit. China has refused to condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and has ramped up purchases of Russian oil.

  • Pakistani qaum, yeh cricket hai bhei, racism check mein rakho

    Pakistani qaum, yeh cricket hai bhei, racism check mein rakho

    Sports brings pride and recognition to a country and for Pakistan, cricket is one of the most celebrated games. It brings both joy and heartache to millions of Pakistanis. With Pakistan and Sri Lanka playing the final of Asia Cup 2022, we wish both teams luck but we obviously want Pakistan to win! Pakistanis all around the world will be rooting for our boys in green. Cricket and our men in green are a source of continuous pride for the country but what we witnessed from the audience stands in the match between Pakistan and Afghanistan was nothing but disappointing at so many levels. The Afghanistan-Pakistan cricket rivalry is fast crossing the acceptable margins, even surpassing the age-old rivalry between India and Pakistan.

    Afghanistan and Pakistan faced each other in an important Asia Cup fixture in the Super Four round, where the stakes were too high. Afghanistan needed a win to keep their chances alive, while Pakistan needed to clinch this win to be in the final. Afghanistan was close to victory but the Pakistani team bounced back at the last minute, stealing the game away. The event witnessed some heated moments between Afghan and Pakistani players, charging up the spectators on both sides. Afghan fans purportedly indulged in verbal abuse and later ended up throwing seats at the Pakistani fans, prompting many observers to say the spirit of the game has been ‘tainted’. Sports fabs across the world sometimes show uncouth behaviour, be it cricket or football or any other game. It is always difficult to see one’s own side lose but it does not mean that fans of the winning team should be subjected to violence.

    While the cricketing rivalry between Afghanistan and Pakistan may be in its infancy, it has got all the ingredients for a heated contest courtesy the political history both countries share. After the disappointing scenes between the fans, there was an immense backlash against the Afghans. But the reaction of many Pakistanis was quite disappointing and downright racist. Pakistanis calling Afghans ‘namak haram’ — racist term often used to address Afghan refugees living in Pakistan — was not just uncalled for but also wrong. No one should have to bear verbal abuses and being called ungrateful or other names. Refugees deserve to be treated with dignity. This is what we also demand from western nations when it comes to Muslim refugees so why display racism against refugees in our own country? Also, to taunt an entire nation and another country because of the shenanigans of a few fans is just wrong. It is a game and one needs to accept both win and defeat with grace.

    We just hope that the teams and supporters watching the Asia Cup final today show resolve and grace. May the best team win.

  • ‘Matter of justice’: UN chief appeals to the world to support Pakistan

    ‘Matter of justice’: UN chief appeals to the world to support Pakistan

    United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday, September 10, urged the international community to support disaster-hit Pakistan as the country needed massive financial help to overcome post-flood crises.

    “It is not a matter of generosity, but a matter of justice,” he said reiterating the United Nation’s commitment, strong support, and solidarity with the flood-affected populace of Pakistan.

    Guterres said that huge damages and losses were caused to human lives and properties. The Secretary General further said that the UN absolutely supported Pakistan and requested richer nations to generously help the country so that it could face the future challenges of climatic changes and save its people.

    He stressed that the international community must realize the serious impacts of greenhouse emissions as nature was striking back in the form of natural calamities.

    He continued that greenhouse gases had accelerated climatic changes and that nations with larger greenhouse emission footprints must understand these issues. Citing scientific estimates, the UN secretary-general emphasized that now was the right time to reduce greenhouse emissions.

    He said it was also a fact that they were living in a climatic changing era and have to make efforts to rebuild communities and to enable countries to resist and face future disasters that could be wrought by the natural calamities.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, provincial ministers, and the relevant authorities were present on the occasion.

    Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah gave a detailed briefing on the damages and loss of lives in the province.

    He said during the current monsoon season, different districts of the province had received unusual rainfall never witnessed in the past.

    He said that 30 districts of the province were affected, displacing about 12 million, adding that a total of 578 people lost their lives. A total of 3 million houses were destroyed and crops grown on an area of about 3.3 million acres were damaged while 500,000 livestock had been swept away.

    Earlier, the prime minister along with the UN secretary general and the federal ministers took an aerial review of the flood-affected areas of the Sindh province.

  • UN Chief António says climate change has attacked wrong targets

    UN Chief António says climate change has attacked wrong targets

    United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has said that Pakistan was one of the countries most severely affected by climate change despite its minimal contribution to the phenomenon.

    “Pakistan has had little contribution to climate change but [it] is one of the most dramatically impacted by the consequences of climate change,” Guterres said.

    Guterres during a briefing at the National Flood Response Coordination Centre (NFRCC) alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Secretary General said that there was “no memory of anything similar to what has happened with the impact of climate change in Pakistan”.

    Pakistan needs massive financial support

    “The numbers are appalling. But beyond the numbers, I see the families that have lost their loved ones, houses, crops, jobs and are living in desperate conditions,” he expressed.

    “Pakistan needs massive financial support to respond to this crisis as according to initial estimates the losses are around $30 billion,” observed Guterres.

    “Effective solidarity and justice is shown by mobilising massive support,” the UN chief said.

    Nature has attacked the wrong targets

    “It is like nature has attacked the wrong targets. Those that are more responsible for climate change should have to face these kind of challenges,” he stated.

    Guterres stressed that it is the international community’s obligation to drastically reduce emissions and support countries that need to invest in resilience and recovery.

    “My voice is entirely at the service of Pakistan and its people. We know our contribution is limited […] but we are totally committed.”

    Challenge is absolutely beyond human capacities, yet humans have to handle it and we are

    Speaking at the briefing, PM Shehbaz Sharif said that the UN chief’s empathy and support was great encouragement for Pakistan, as he expressed gratitude towards the visiting dignitary.

    “The government of Pakistan, along with the provincial governments and all stakeholders […] are working together to provide relief and rescue to millions,” the premier said.

    PM Shehbaz said that efforts were underway and flood affectees were being moved to safer areas while also being provided food and shelter. “The challenge is absolutely beyond human capacity, yet humans have to handle it and so we are.”

    UN chief in Pakistan on solidarity visit after catastrophic flooding

    The prime minister had welcomed the UN secretary general as he arrived at the PM House along with his delegation.

    Guterres arrived in the capital during the early hours of Friday. The secretary general had announced his plan for a solidarity trip to Pakistan soon after the launch of the $160 million UN Flash Appeal for helping the people most affected by the floods caused by what he had called “monsoon on steroids”.

    He will be back in New York on September 11 where the 77th session of the UN General Assembly is starting on September 13.

  • ‘Kaptaan dar gaya, bhaag gaya’: Bilawal takes jibe at IK over PTI member withdrawal from by-election

    ‘Kaptaan dar gaya, bhaag gaya’: Bilawal takes jibe at IK over PTI member withdrawal from by-election

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson and the incumbent Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari took a jibe at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

    Reacting to the PTI candidate Shakoor Shad’s resignation for NA-246, the PPP chairperson said, “IK running away from by-elections. Kaptaan dar gaya, Kaptaan bhagaya”. (Imran Khan is scared, he has run away.)

    Bhutto took to Twitter and termed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) postponement act as “special treatment” for Khan.

    In his tweet, Bilawal asked, “How long will Khan remain a favourite”, adding that PPP candidates from Multan and Karachi are frustrated by the sudden postponement of the by-elections in constituencies of Sindh and Punjab.

    Replying to him, PTI’s Meher Bano Qureshi accused Bhutto’s party of the postponement.

    “We aren’t the ones running away. Let’s go to the polls on the 11th as scheduled. Your government put in a request for the postponement. Maybe check with the allies before tweeting”, she said. Qureshi is contesting the by-elections from NA-157, Multan.

    PPP’s Syed Ali Musa Gillani also took to Twitter to express his reservation over the postponement. He said, “We are all set for the election on Sunday. This decision of ECP will not be acceptable. It is against the constitution. The people of the constituency must not be deprived of their representation. Polling staff has been nominated stations finalised.”

    “We will challenge if any notification is issued in this regard, delaying the election last minute”, he added.

    Gillani, son of former Prime Minister (PM) Yousaf Raza Gillani, is contesting against Meher Bano Qureshi, the daughter of former Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on NA-157 in Multan.

    Earlier, the ECP announced its decision to postpone the by-election in 13 constituencies. The by-elections were set to be held on September 11, September 25, and October 2.

    By-elections on nine seats of the National Assembly were scheduled to be held on September 25, with Imran Khan contesting on all of them as PTI’s candidate.

    ECP has said that the decision to postpone the by-elections had been taken after getting feedback from the Ministry of Interior according to which Pakistan Army, Rangers, and the Frontier Corps are engaged in relief work for the flood-affected people, maintaining internal security, and thwarting out terrorist activities in the country.

  • Famous Pakistanis who met Queen Elizabeth

    Famous Pakistanis who met Queen Elizabeth

    Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, breathed her last on Thursday in Balmoral Castle, United Kingdom (UK) at the age of 96.

    In 1961, Queen Elizabeth visited Pakistan. She was accompanied by her husband, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip. She visited Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Lahore, and other areas of the country.

    The Queen next visited Pakistan 36 years later in 1997 when the country was celebrating 50 years of independence. She was again accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip.

    Here is the list of the Pakistanis who met Queen Elizabeth II during her lifetime.

    In 1974, Queen Elizabeth met Imran Khan, who was a cricketer back then. In the picture, she can be seen shaking hands with Khan.

    In 1997, Queen Elizabeth met former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif (who was in power at the time) when she visited Pakistan for the second time. During her visit, knighthood was given to Sharif by the British monarch.

    The Queen also met former PM Benazir Bhutto.

    In 2013, the Queen and Prince Philip invited Pakistan’s young activist Malala Yousafzai to a reception at the Buckingham Palace, where they met and chatted for a short time.

    Malala, who was accompanied by her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, presented the Queen with a copy of her newly published memoir, titled “I am Malala”.

    Before the start of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) World Cup 2019, all team captains met The Queen. At the time, Pakistani cricket team captain Sarfraz Ahmed also met her at the Buckingham Palace.