Tag: Pakistan

  • ‘Said something in the heat of the moment’: Waqar Younis apologises for his remarks

    ‘Said something in the heat of the moment’: Waqar Younis apologises for his remarks

    Former Pakistan pacer and bowling coach Waqar Younis has apologised for his remarks after Pakistan’s 10-wicket win over India in the ongoing T20 World Cup in Dubai on Sunday.

    A day after the match, the former fast bowler was invited as a guest to ARY News to discuss Pakistan’s comprehensive win. During the discussion, an overexcited Younis said that it was very special for him to watch Mohammad Rizwan offer Namaz in front of Hindus during the match. Opener Rizwan was seen offering prayers during the drinks break in the India-Pakistan game.

    Waqar’s comment drew sharp reactions from the cricket fraternity and from Pakistani fans. Twitter was flooded with reactions lambasting Younis for his unsavoury remark.

    Indian cricket analyst Harsha Bhogle and Akash Chopra had also expressed their displeasure over Waqar’s comments. “For a person of Waqar Younis’ stature to say that watching Rizwan offering namaz in front of Hindus was very special to him, is one of the most disappointing things I have heard. A lot of us try hard to play such things down and talk up sport and to hear this is terrible,” Bhogle wrote.

    Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer also wrote, “Absolutely vile and disgusting comments from Waqar Younis.”

    Realising his mistake after the criticism, Waqar wrote on Twitter, “In the heat of the moment, I said something which I did not mean which has hurt the sentiments of many. I apologise for this, this was not intended at all, genuine mistake. Sports unites people regardless of race, colour or religion. #apologies.”

    Waqar also apologised in his show on A Sports, saying: “I was all excited that Pakistan won and watching Rizwan praying also made me proud. My intentions were not to harm anyone’s sentiments. I apologise if anyone got hurt by my comments.”

    https://twitter.com/furqanmk9/status/1453141796159213576?s=21

    Pakistan brought an end to India’s near-three-decade domination of them in the most convincing fashion, embarrassing their arch-rivals by 10 wickets in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup.

  • ‘Pakistan witnessing lowest positivity rate since we started measuring Covid’: Asad Umar

    Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Asad Umar took to Twitter to announce that Pakistan recorded the lowest Covid positivity ratio since the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) started measuring the statistics of the pandemic.

    “Alhamdulillah, we now have [the] lowest positivity ratio since we started measuring covid. Also, have [the] lowest patients on critical care & [the] lowest daily mortality in a year. [The] positive impact of vaccination showing but vaccination drive must continue.”

    According to the latest statistics given by NCOC, the current positivity ratio of the virus is 1.34 per cent.

  • ‘I resign from PTV’: Shoaib Akhtar, Nauman Niaz exchange hot words on air

    ‘I resign from PTV’: Shoaib Akhtar, Nauman Niaz exchange hot words on air

    On Pakistan’s state-run sports channel PTV Sports, former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and host Dr Nauman Niaz had a hot exchange of words during the live transmission of the Pakistan and New Zealand match.

    After the nail-biting T20 World Cup match between Pakistan and New Zealand, Dr Nauman asked Shoaib a question, which turned into a fight when Dr Niaz asked Akhtar to leave the show.

    The clash started off when Nauman asked Shoaib Akhtar a question. Shoaib said Hassan Ali should not have bowled in the beginning as the ball was reversing later.

    Shoaib asked Nauman about Shaheen Shah Afridi’s ball reversing. “Did you see the game?”

    Nauman replied, “Yes, I saw the match.” In response, Shoaib Akhtar said again, “Were you lost?”

    During the same conversation, Shoaib went ahead and talked about giving credit to Lahore Qalandars while talking about Haris Rauf. However, Shoaib continued by mentioning Shaheen Shah Afridi.

    https://twitter.com/RjShahbaz01/status/1453089307888136207?t=mwvH9aVoAqImO7Uhluc2Dg&s=19

    “Aqib Javed brought Shaheen Shah Afridi and made him a part of the player development program,” said Shoaib. Here, Nauman said in the middle of Shoaib’s speech that “Shaheen Afridi had played under-19 for Pakistan.” On this Shoaib said, “I am talking about Haris Rauf. Nauman Niaz reiterated that Shaheen had played for Pakistan. Shoaib Akhtar responded rather seriously, “Sir please! Somebody came to work.”

    “You are becoming rude. I didn’t mean to say this … but if you’re getting over-smart then go. I’m saying this on-air,” responded Nauman.

    The host took a break from the show. After they returned on-air, Shoaib was once again asked a question by Nauman.

    “The way I was treated on national television, I don’t think I should be sitting here. I am resigning from PTV,” said Shoaib before walking out from the studio.

    After the squabble, there were speculations that the entire fight was pre-planned. Shoaib took to Twitter and wrote, “Multiple clips are circulating on social media so I thought I should clarify. Dr Nauman was obnoxious and rude when he asked me to leave the show, it was embarrassing especially when you have legends like sir Vivian Richards and David Gower sitting on the set.”

    “I tried to save everyone from embarrassment by saying I was pulling Dr Nauman’s leg with this mutual understanding that dr noman will also politely apologise and we will move on with the show, which he refused to do. Then I had no other choice,” added Shoaib.

  • ‘Asal ghussa toh NZ par tha, India raaste mein aagaya,’ Fawad Ch on Pak win

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry expressed his happiness over New Zealand’s defeat against Pakistan. In a video message shared on social media, the minister can be heard saying, “Asal ghussa toh New Zealand par tha, yeh India raaste mein aagaya.”

    Pakistan defeated New Zealand by 5 wickets in the Super 12 fixture of the ongoing T20 World Cup in a nerve-wracking match. Pakistanis were looking forward to the match because in September, the New Zealand team had unilaterally postponed the series with Pakistan minutes before the first match was scheduled to start at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, a move that had shocked fans and officials.

  • US Senator indirectly urges President Biden to call PM Khan

    United States (US) Senator Bob Menendez said that he has asked US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to urge President Joe Biden to have a conversation with Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan in an effort to rebuild the Pak-US relationship, reports Geo News.

    While addressing a fundraising event, Menendez said, “I think it would serve us well to have such a conversation and, you know when we have these conversations, they are honest, and that means they are also transparent.”

    “Where there is an agreement, we build upon it and where there is disagreement, we talk about how do we get through that disagreement,” said Menendez.

     “I hope, I can expand on it — not just about Pakistan in the context of a military or security dimension, but much greater– talking about an incredibly large population that is very young; there is tremendous opportunity to build upon the economic dynamism that we create,” he told the members of the American-Pakistani Political Action Committee (APPAC).

    US President Joe Biden, who assumed office in January this year, has not yet telephoned PM Khan.

    Earlier this month, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R Sherman on her visit to Pakistan said, “I am sure that this contact [between President Biden and PM Khan] will take place soon, so I don’t think it should mean anything else.”

    However, in August, the premier himself commented on the situation and said he was “not waiting for a phone call from the US President”.

  • ‘Good relations’: Williamson hopes there are no grudges between Pak-NZ

    ‘Good relations’: Williamson hopes there are no grudges between Pak-NZ

    The captain of the New Zealand Cricket team, Kane Williamson, on Monday said that he hopes Pakistan cricket team will keep no grudges against New Zealand.

    Read More – ‘A real shame’: NZ captain displeased with his team’s decision

    Addressing a press conference in Sharjah, he said that Pakistan and New Zealand enjoy good relations and that the upcoming T20 World Cup match between two teams “will be played in right spirits”.

    Kane Williamson’s comments came in response to the question asked if he expects any acrimony or grudges following the last-minute pullout of the New Zealand cricket team from their Pakistan tour.

    Replying to the question, the NZ skipper said that the situation was very disappointing. “I know the team members were very much looking forward to the occasion and playing cricket in Pakistan, and it was ‘a real shame’ that it wasn’t able to go ahead,” he said on the eve of the match.

    “The focus now is here at the T20 World Cup and no doubt after last night’s performance, Pakistan have some momentum and are feeling pretty good about their cricket,” he said.

    “But there are also a lot of good relations within the two teams. Over the years, they have played a lot against each other, and several players have played with each other, as well. I am sure it will be played in the right spirit,” Williamson said.

    Williamson praised the spectacular performance of Pakistan against India. “It was a fantastic performance. I think Pakistan has come to the T20 World Cup full of confidence, having played in these conditions more than most.”

    “They certainly put it on the show last night and showed why they are one of the favorites in the competition,” he said shedding light on Pakistan’s performance against India.

    “Tomorrow, I am sure they’ll be very strong again, so, for us, it is focusing on the cricket that we want to play and trying to adjust to conditions,” he added.

    Pakistan is set to play New Zealand in their second match of Super 12s today (Tuesday).

  • Federal Shariat Court declares ‘compensation marriages’ to resolve disputes un-Islamic

    A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Noor Mohammad Meskenzai, observed that the tradition of giving away a minor girl to settle disputes was against the teachings of Islam, Malik Asad reports for Dawn.

    Taking up a petition filed by Sakeena Bibi, the bench held that Ulema had come to an agreement that vani, or swara, was against the teachings of Islam.

    Swara is a tradition where girls, often minors, are given for marriage or servitude to a distressed family as compensation to solve disputes, often murder. It is a punishment decided by a jirga (group of tribal elders).

    The petitioner challenged the custom of vani for many reasons. According to the petition, the tradition which is being practiced in jirgas and panchayats seizes the fundamental rights of a woman or minor girl. The petitioner requested the court to declare this custom as illegal.

    Dr Mohammad Aslam Khaki, Jurist Consult at FSC, said vani violated at least four basic rights. According to him, since the girl is offered by the accused family, she in most of the cases is not provided with even basic facilities, hence subjected to discrimination.

    Secondly, she is wedded to a man without her consent. Thirdly, she is not entitled to dower, and fourthly, she cannot file legal suit for khula — dissolution of marriage.

    According to Dr Khaki, the legitimate way to settle a murder is payment of diyat or blood money, which is allowed in Islam. However, traditional forums especially in rural areas consider vani or swara as a legitimate way to settle disputes. But Ulema do not accept the practice as Islamic.

  • Pakistan breaks 70-year inflation record in three years: report

    Pakistan breaks 70-year inflation record in three years: report

    Inflation in Pakistan has broken a 70-year record in the last three years, with food prices doubling, while the prices of ghee, oil, sugar, flour, and poultry have reached historic levels, reports The News.

    According to the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) report, electricity rates have increased by 57 per cent from Rs 4.06 per unit to at least Rs 6.38 per unit, from October 2018 to October 2021.

    “By the first quarter of October, the price of an 11.67 kg cylinder of LPG had gone up by 51 per cent from Rs1,536 to Rs 2,322. Similarly, the price of petrol had gone up by 49 per cent in three years from Rs 93.80 per litre to Rs138.73 per litre,” says the report.

    “The price of edible ghee increased by 108 per cent to Rs 356 per kg.”

    “Sugar has increased by 83 per cent in three years and the price of sugar sold at Rs 54 per kg exceeded Rs100,” according to the report.

    “The price of a 20 kg bag of flour has gone up by 52 per cent to Rs1,196 in three years.”

    “The price of chicken remained at Rs 252 per kg from October 2018 to October 2021, however, chicken meat is being sold at Rs 400 per kg in the markets.”

    “The cost of chicken eggs has also increased by 47 per cent to Rs170 per dozen.”

  • Black day to be observed tomorrow in solidarity with Kashmir

    Black day to be observed tomorrow in solidarity with Kashmir

    Pakistan will observe a black day tomorrow (October 27), to express solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

    Shehryar Afridi, the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir, presided over an in-camera meeting to discuss preparations for the observance of the Black Day on October 27. Pakistan will protest the Indian security forces’ forceful and illegal occupation of the valley.

    Each year, October 27th is observed as a ‘Kashmir Black Day’ to mark the protest and resentment of Kashmiris around the world in commemorating the forced occupation by Indian security forces of the Jammu & Kashmir valley.

    Read more- PM Imran Khan to address UNGA on Kashmir, Afghanistan issues today

    An analytical report released by Kashmir Media Service said that October 27 is the darkest day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. Radio Pakistan has reported.that on this day in 1947 India forcibly occupied the territory by landing its troops in Srinagar against the will of the Kashmiri people.

  • Indian actor apologises for comparing Pak team to street cricketers

    Indian film critic and actor Kamal Rashid Khan, also known as KRK, apologised for comparing the Pakistani team with street cricketers after Pakistan’s super win in T20 World Cup last night.

    KRK took to Twitter and wrote, “Today, I watched Pakistan team playing after 5-6 years, So I didn’t know that it’s so good. So I am really sorry for comparing it with the Juhu Gali team. #IndvsPak #ICCT20WorldCup2021”

    Read More: Pakistan crushes India: All the memes you cannot miss

    In another tweet, he praised Pakistani captain Babar Azam and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi.

    “I never know that Pakistan’s captain #BabarAzam is 2nd rank ICC T20 player in the world. And 21 years only #ShaheenAfridi is so dangerous bowler. Matlab Babar Is bigger player than #viratkholi. Unbelievable!,” he tweeted.