Tag: Pakistan

  • Google honours late Moin Akhtar on his 71st birth anniversary

    Google honours late Moin Akhtar on his 71st birth anniversary

    Google has honoured legendary comedian Moin Akhtar on his 71st birth anniversary with a doodle.

    The veteran artist got fame from Radio Pakistan along with names like Bushra Ansari and Anwer Maqsood. He used to work in plays for radio. Angan-Terha was one of his most popular drama. Loose Talk was a milestone in his career where he featured in over 400 hundred episodes playing different characters.

    Akhtar was awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz and Pride of Performance Award in 1996. He died from a heart attack on April 22, 2011, in Karachi.

    People on social media are also remembering the legendary artist on his birth anniversary:

  • CM Buzdar cancels overseas convention over differences with Governor Punjab

    Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Usman Buzdar has reportedly ordered to cancel the first ‘Overseas Global Convention’ of nearly 1,000 overseas Pakistanis living around the world, reports Murtaza Ali Shah for Geo News.

    The media outlet report states that CM Punjab has said that affairs related to the event were being used for the projection of a “few groups” and that many who had travelled to Pakistan were considered close to Governor Punjab Muhammad Sarwar.

    “The Punjab Chief Minister gets intelligence reports from various sources. Evidence was shown to him that many people who were invited as main guests of the event defamed Buzdar in WhatsApp groups and social media,” revealed the source.

    “They belong to a particular group which doesn’t align ideologically with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and criticises Usman Buzdar’s policies, who has the full trust of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan. The governor’s remarks in London about the International Monetary Fund (IMF) taking over Pakistan have not gone down well with the power circles.”

    However, according to the organisers, the convention which has cost tens of thousands of dollars was cancelled due to “security reasons”. On the contrary, a source close to Governor Punjab has rejected the allegations that the event is not an initiative of the Governor House and said, “The Governor House is one of the most secure places in the country, we have no idea what the security issue was. A dinner event at the Governor House will be organised for those who have travelled to Pakistan from overseas as the convention has been cancelled.”

    PM Khan’s involvement:

    According to the details in the report, PM Khan had accepted the invitation by the Overseas Pakistani Commission Punjab Vice Chairman Syed Makhdoom Tariq Ul Hassan. The premier was also expected to address the convention.

    Upon asking, whether PM Khan was aware or not that the convention had been cancelled at the last minute, the Punjab government source said that the CM takes decisions on his own and later takes the premier into confidence when needed.

  • India beats Pakistan to win bronze in Asian Champions Trophy

    India beats Pakistan to win bronze in Asian Champions Trophy

    Indian men’s hockey team won the bronze medal at Asian Champions Trophy after beating Pakistan 4-3 in third-place play-off match.

    Earlier, India suffered defeat at the hands of Japan with a 3-5 scoreline in the semifinals the previous day after having topped the round-robin stages with an unbeaten record.

    In the other semifinal, South Korea beat Pakistan 6-5.

    India will be going home with the bronze medal.

    It was India’s second win over Pakistan in the tournament after having beaten the same opponents 3-1 in the round-robin stages.

    “It is disappointing for us because we scored more field goals,” said Pakistan captain Umar Bhutta after the semi-final match, referring to his side’s four field goals while the South Koreans only got one from open play.

    “We played a good match but the two goals we conceded from penalty corners hurt us,” he said.

  • ‘I am requesting Khan Saab to see how his ministers are making money’: PTI MNA

    ‘I am requesting Khan Saab to see how his ministers are making money’: PTI MNA

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Noor Alam Khan heavily criticised his government while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’. Alam said, “I have to raise the voice for the people of Pakistan. I don’t care about the political seats, they are temporary.”

    Noor Alam Khan further said that he made certain promises to the people of Pakistan. He reiterated the party manifesto of providing sufficient gas, combating load shedding, and said that people voted for the party for the promises it had made in the past.

    Talking about competence, Noor Khan said, “You have to deliver, people will reject you if you don’t perform. The people who vote for us require good performance and if we don’t deliver, we are the ones to blame. I am sorry if it’s our incompetence, then we will blame Noor Alam, Shahzeb, or some institution for the shortcomings but not ourselves.”

    “The fault and blame will always be directed towards the government, we are the ones who make the policy. [Government] is the provider. Do not pat the ones who curse others and say you did well, pat the ones who serve your people,” said Noor Khan.

    “[PM] Imran Khan should look at the people on his right and left to know about their assets and how they grew their assets,” said the PTI MNA.

    “If he closes his eyes [and condones what is happening around him], it will not set the affairs in order. He will have to solve the problems of inflation, power outages, and gas shortage.”

    “The people around PM Khan report ‘all is good’ to him. But, all is not well today,” he stressed, urging the PM to shove away those who are corrupt.

    “Who says there is no corruption in the country at present? You can deceive [the] masses once or twice. However, when it is the third time, people will reject you,” said Noor Khan.

    “If I vote and forget the people, will I blame others? No one in the party speaks clearly. Everyone is scared.”

    “I am requesting Khan Saab to look around and see how his ministers are making money and assets. How did a person shift from car to land cruiser to later a helicopter? How did one person make additional houses and sugar mills?” questioned Noor Alam.

    Replying to a query about the party tickets, Noor Alam said the PTI did not take anyone on board for tickets and doled them out to the members of the family. “So, what happened [in the LG elections] was an evident outcome,” he said.

    Commenting on a way out for the PTI from its absolute defeat in the LG elections, the PTI leader said the PTI-led government will have to push down the prices of commodities and utilities.

  • From Atif Aslam, Abida Parveen to Momina Mustehsan: Coke Studio season 14’s artists revealed

    From Atif Aslam, Abida Parveen to Momina Mustehsan: Coke Studio season 14’s artists revealed

    The much awaited next season of Coke Studio is set to be released soon as it has announced its artist line-up this year, providing people a chance to listen and watch their favorite music icons perform.

    In a press release, the spokesperson of Coca Cola Pakistan and Afghanistan, Fahad Ashraf said: “The Coke Studio platform has evolved this season. Whereas the values are the same but we are now leaning into the future by including the GenZ sound very deliberately. It is about time that we sync our cords with what the youngsters what. Nostalgia has its place in Season 14 but so does the firepower of a sound never been heard before.”

    Te performers for this season are:

    Abdullah Siddiqui

    Abida Parveen

    Ali Sethi

    Ameer Baksh

    Arooj Aftab

    Asfar Hussain

    Atif Aslam

    Butt Brothers

    Eva B

    Faisal Kapadia

    Faris Shafi

    Hasan Raheem

    Justin Bibis

    Kaifi Khalil

    Karakoram

    Lahore Jazz Ensemble

    Meesha Shafi

    Momina Mustehsan

    Naseebo Lal

    Quratulain Baloch

    Shaegill, Soch

    Talal Qureshi

  • Gojra motorway gang-rape incident turns out to be ‘blackmailing act’

    Gojra motorway gang-rape incident turns out to be ‘blackmailing act’

    Gojra motorway gang-rape incident has turned out to be a blackmailing act as the complainant and the victim of it were actually members of the inter-district gang, reports Dawn.

    Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) revealed that the complainant dropped First Information Report (FIR) after filing it. He said that all gang members, including the victim and complainant, have been arrested and they have confessed to blackmailing a number of people.

    Shaheen Akhtar, the complainant said that her 18-year-old niece Irumun Nisa was raped by two people in a car while travelling from Gojra to Faisalabad. Moreover, she alleged that men lured her niece from Toba Tek Singh on the pretext of offering her a job.

    Initially, a person was arrested later the police discovered that Nisa was not the niece of complainant Akhtar and added that the gang members cooked up rape stories and extorted money from people.

  • Higher consumption of BBQ the reason behind smog, PDMA tells court

    Higher consumption of BBQ the reason behind smog, PDMA tells court

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday heard petitions regarding environmental issues, including smog. During the hearing, an official of the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) told the court  that increase in the consumption of grilled fish and BBQ in the winter season was one of the factors contributing to pollution and smog.

    The official also asked the court to order early closure of these (BBQ) shops. However, the suggestion was not approved by the court.

    Lahore recorded the worst air quality in four years on Wednesday (December 15).

    Read more-Lahore’s air quality reaches 981, normal air quality should be below 50

    An Air Quality Index (AQI) of 981 was recorded near the Mall Road, Samaa has reported. As per United States Environmental protection agency, the hazardous category indicates an AQI of 301–500. The ‘good’ category is 0–50, which is followed by ‘moderate’ at 51–100 while anything in the 101–301 AQI range is considered unhealthy.

    Meanwhile, in November, Provincial Minister of Punjab for Environment Protection Muhammad Rizwan claimed that there has been no smog in Punjab, including Lahore, for the last two years.

  • ‘Foreigners will come to Skardu’:PM Khan inaugurates international airport

    ‘Foreigners will come to Skardu’:PM Khan inaugurates international airport

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said that the inauguration of Skardu International Airport would benefit tourism in Pakistan and foreigners would come to this area to find jobs.

    During a day-long visit to the region on Thursday, PM Khan inaugurated the Skardu International Airport and Jaglot-Skardu road.

    He predicted that tourists, including overseas Pakistanis and domestic tourists, would arrive in large numbers after the upgrade to the airport as well as the road.

    “We can make at least $30-$40 billion from tourism just in Gilgit Baltistan,” PM claimed.

    Explaining his vision, PM said that “no country can truly develop until it elevates its poor and improves its backward and neglected areas”.

    “It is my desire that by the time our five years are complete, the life in backward areas is better and the lives of people below the poverty line are improved,”he added.

    The airport in Skardu was previously only operational for domestic flights. However, its status was elevated on December 2 when it began welcoming international flights.

    A spokesperson for the National Highway Authority (NHA) said that the 167-kilometre Jaglot-Skardu road is the “main strategic road” that connects GB with the Karakoram Highway at Jaglot.

  • ‘Pakistan is bankrupt’: Former FBR Chairman Shabbar Zaidi

    ‘Pakistan is bankrupt’: Former FBR Chairman Shabbar Zaidi

    Former FBR Chairman Shabbar Zaidi, while speaking on Pakistan’s economic condition at Hamdard University, said on Thursday that Pakistan is bankrupt at the moment and that the country was not in a state of “going concern” — an accounting terminology referring to a business that is operating and making a profit.

    “We keep saying that everything is good, the country is running well, we have achieved great success and we brought tabdeeli (change) but this is wrong,” said Zaidi.

    “It is better if you decide first that we have reached bankruptcy and we have to move forward compared to saying everything is running well and I will do this and that. These are all things to deceive the people,” Zaidi said.

    After receiving a lot of backlash, Zaidi tweeted, “My speech in Hamdard University is being misreported. There was a presentation of half & hour. Only three minutes have been cherry-picked.”

    “Yes I said that with this constant current account & fiscal deficit there are issues of bankruptcy & going concern but look at the solution,” tweeted Zaidi.

    Zaidi further wrote, “What I said was with a basis & conviction. I only want to say that whole speech is to read and listened.”

  • Isolating Afghanistan would be a great disadvantage for the world: PM Imran Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has warned the international community that repeating the mistake of segregating Afghanistan would be a great drawback for the world.

    PM Khan had a high-powered meeting with his cabinet and the Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa in which he further stressed that the international community should help Afghanistan and assured that Pakistan will be helping Afghanistan in every way.

    Pakistan has already committed to immediate relief of in-kind humanitarian assistance worth Rs5 billion to Afghanistan.

    A statement by the Prime Minister’s Office said, “Participants of the Apex Committee again expressed concerns about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and emphasised that Pakistan will not abandon Afghans in their time of need.”

    Prime Minister also instructed that “humanitarian organisations wishing to work from Pakistan to support efforts in Afghanistan should be facilitated as Pakistan has already committed to being the air and land bridge for humanitarian support to Afghanistan,” further read the statement.