Tag: Pakistan

  • Bear cub rescued by Pakistan at LOC goes back in Kashmir wild

    Bear cub rescued by Pakistan at LOC goes back in Kashmir wild

    When poachers shot and killed a black bear mother, her baby, Daboo was too young to open his eyes. The poachers put it in a sack and were about to sell it to baiters when the baby bear was rescued and taken to an animal sanctuary in Islamabad.

    “He was a little baby bear that was stolen from his mother; in fact, his mother was murdered,” said Rina Satti, chairperson at Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), where he is being nursed back to health.

    Though banned, bear-baiting persists in some parts of Pakistan and, at the time of his rescue, two-month-old Daboo was half-starving and suffering from scabies and a serious ear infection.

    Picture via Reuters

    Now, two months on filled out and with a glossy black coat, he plays in his wooded sanctuary, taking baths and nibbling at the fruit and vegetables scattered among shrubs as his carers try to teach him how to fend for himself.

    Read More: Heartwarming video shows Punjab cop buying food for stray dogs, feeding them

    According to details, the authorities hope to release him, microchipped, back into the wild when he turns one, near the Line of Control in Kashmir that separates Pakistan and India, where he was caught.

    “We will take him to his habitat, but we will not just leave him there,” said IWMB caretaker Anees Hussain. “We will have to keep monitoring him for some time to ensure that he can survive there.”

  • Pet dogs that attacked Karachi lawyer euthanised

    Pet dogs that attacked Karachi lawyer euthanised

    The two pet dogs that attacked a Karachi lawyer have been euthanised as per the conditions of the compromise agreement reached between the dogs’ owner and the victim, confirmed the police.

    As per reports, the dogs were euthanised at a veterinary clinic. The owner of the dogs informed the police about it.

    Last month, two pet dogs attacked and injured a resident of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) in Karachi.

    The video that did rounds on social media showed the two dogs rushed towards the resident and injured him. The pet-sitter at first tried to pull off the dogs from the man but upon seeing the dogs out of control, he ran away from the scene leaving the victim to defend himself.

    The victim, Mirza Akhtar Ali, later registered a complaint with Darakshan Police Station. However, an agreement was reached between the Mirza Akhtar Ali, and the dogs’ owner, Humayun Ali Khan, on July 6.

    “The two dogs involved in the incident will be euthanised/put down by a veterinarian immediately. Any other such dogs that Humayun Khan has, he shall give them away,” stated one of the conditions of the agreement.

    The other conditions of the agreement are:

    • Humayun Khan tenders unconditional apology to Mirza Akhtar Ali for the hurt and injury caused to him.

    • Humayun Khan and family shall not keep at their home any dangerous or ferocious dogs as pets. Any other dogs kept as pets shall be registered with the Clifton Cantonment Board and shall not venture out on the streets without a properly trained handler and shall be muzzled and leashed at all times they are outside.

    • Humayun Khan shall make a donation of Rs1,000,000 to the Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation — ACF Animal Rescue.

    While Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation (ACF) has refused to take the donations

  • Gujranwala bride goes to hospital to marry ‘wounded groom’

    Gujranwala bride goes to hospital to marry ‘wounded groom’

    A bride in Gujranwala went to a hospital to marry the man who got injured in a traffic accident one day before the wedding ceremony.

    As per reports, Rizwan, a resident of Dhaunkal town of Punjab’s Gujranwala district, and Maria planned to tie the knot on July 9 but unfortunately, the groom met with a road accident and got his leg fractured on July 8.

    The couple did not postpone the wedding as the bride went to the private hospital in a traditional dress along with her family where the nikah was held after getting permission from the hospital’s administration.

    Read More: Groom carries bride on shoulders across a flooded river

    The video of the ceremony went viral on social media that showed the bride sitting near a table while the groom was sitting at the hospital’s bed with his mother. After the nikkah, the newly-wed couple posed for the photoshoot inside the hospital.

    Rizwan and Maria became friends via Facebook five years ago and he came to Pakistan from Italy to marry her.

  • Karakoram Highway ranked among world’s most beautiful roads

    Pakistan’s Karakoram Highway has been ranked among the 15 most beautiful roads in the world for its scenic beauty.

    Wikicampers, a website providing tourist services in different parts of the world, called the KKH an “ideal setting for a most dizzying road trip!”

    “Let’s gain altitude again by taking the second highest asphalt road in the world,” the website wrote, explaining the features of the road.

    The KKH connects China to Pakistan while crossing the Karakoram mountain range and running alongside certain peaks over 7,000 meters in height.

    The highway is about 1,300 km long, spreading from Hasan Abdal to the Khunjrab Pass in Gilgit-Baltistan, where it crosses into China.

    Read More: Faisal Mosque is the 16th most beautiful building in the world: Research

    In its documentary, the BBC had also called the KKH one of the highest paved roads on earth and a major trade route between Pakistan and China. It also said the road was completely developed, smooth and safe.

  • Bilawal not going to Washington during his visit to US

    Bilawal not going to Washington during his visit to US

    Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will not visit Washington during his seven-day trip to the United States (US), clarified a top party leader on Monday. According to Geo News, Bilawal arrived in New York today after he departed for the US on Sunday. The news of his visit gave rise to the allegations from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that the PPP leader was seeking a “backdoor deal” from Washington. 

    However, the PPP said that “puppet rulers” are afraid of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s upcoming visit to the US and as a result, were spreading unnecessary rumours.

    After landing in New York, the PPP chairperson refused to speak to the media, saying he is on a “personal visit” to the US. 

    “When I come here next, in September, I will then speak to the press,” he said. 

    “Bilawal Bhutto will not go to Washington during his visit,” clarified PPP-USA President Khalid Awan. 

    Earlier this month, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan, Dr Shahbaz Gill, said that Bilawal Bhutto will be taking his curriculum vitae (CV) to Washington.

    “He [Bilawal Bhutto] will say we are ready to do anything to come into power,” said Gill at a press conference in Karachi. “We will not allow such a deal and will not let Bilawal go the United States with any petitions.”

  • ‘Pakistan cannot dictate to us’: Afghan Taliban spokesperson

    ‘Pakistan cannot dictate to us’: Afghan Taliban spokesperson

    The spokesperson for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan Suhail Shaheen, while talking on Geo News’ programme ‘Jirga’ said that Pakistan “cannot dictate to us or impose its views on us”.

    Shaheen gave these remarks to senior journalist Saleem Safi. He further added that Pakistan is welcome to help the Taliban arrive at a settlement in Afghanistan.

    In the context of reports that the Afghan Taliban are not willing to listen to Pakistan, the spokesperson said: “We want brotherly relations. They are neighbours, a Muslim country, and we have shared values — historical, religious and cultural.”

    “They can help us in the peace process but can’t dictate to us or impose their views. And this is against international principles,” he added.

    Speaking of the Taliban’s demand for an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Shaheen said that having an emirate is “a legitimate right of the people of Afghanistan”.

    “We say nothing about other governments. They should not impose their view,” he said, reiterating, “This is not in accordance with international principles either.”

    On whether the Taliban accept the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or consider them opponents after the TTP emir swore loyalty to Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Haibatullah Akhunzada, Shaheen said: “I do not know of the TTP emir swearing allegiance [to our leader] but I will tell you the policy of the Islamic Emirate.”

    “We will not allow the use of Afghan soil, neither by an individual nor by any group. I have said this in many interviews and I think our position is clear and known to all.”

  • Giant pandas no longer endangered, says China

    Giant pandas no longer endangered, says China

    Giant pandas are no longer endangered, but they are still vulnerable, Chinese officials have said after years of conservation efforts as their number in the wild has reached 1,800.

    As per reports, the country succeeded in saving its iconic animal through its long-term conservation efforts, including the expansion of habitats.

    The latest classification upgrade “reflects their improved living conditions and China’s efforts in keeping their habitats integrated”, said Cui Shuhong, head of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment’s Department of Nature and Ecology Conservation at a news conference.

    The news comes years after the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had already removed the animal from its endangered species list and re-labeled it as “vulnerable” in 2016.

    However, Chinese officials at that time did not consider the progress, saying that it could make people believe that conservation efforts could be relaxed.

    This week’s announcement by China’s environmental ministry is the first time the animal’s status was changed on its endangered species list.

    Experts have said that the success is mainly due to Chinese efforts to recreate and repopulate bamboo forests. Bamboo makes up 99 per cent of their diet, without which they are likely to starve.

    Zoos have also attempted to increase numbers via captive breeding methods.

  • Owner agrees to euthanise dogs who attacked lawyer in Karachi

    Owner agrees to euthanise dogs who attacked lawyer in Karachi

    The two German Shepherds that attacked a lawyer in Karachi last month will be “euthanized”, according to a compromise agreement between the dogs’ owner and the victim.

    Rights activists call the agreement between Humayun Khan and Mirza Akhtar Ali Advocate preposterous.

    As per reports, Khan’s dogs attacked the lawyer when he was out on a morning walk. The CCTV footage of the incident showed the two dogs attacking the Mirza Akhtar as he helplessly attempted to defend himself.

    Mirza Akhtar “agreed for the sake of Allah [to] forgive Humayun Khan”, reads the agreement between the two parties.

    “The two dogs involved in the incident will be euthanised/put down by a veterinarian immediately. Any other such dogs that Humayun Khan has, he shall give them away,” states one of the conditions of the agreement.

    The agreement between the two parties further states that Humayun will tender an “unconditional apology” to Mirza Akhtar for the “hurt and injury caused to him”.

    Another condition states that the dog owner will register any other dogs with the Clifton Cantonment Board (CBC) and not allow them to come on the street unless they are with a “properly trained handler.”

    The agreement concludes on a clause that Humayun will donate Rs1 million to a local animal shelter, ACF Animal Rescue.

    The case was registered at the Darakhshan police station and Humayun was granted a bail before arrest while his employess were in police custody.

  • Woman stripped to pay for husband’s ‘love affair’

    Woman stripped to pay for husband’s ‘love affair’

    Three men allegedly stripped a woman in Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) to take revenge for her husband’s alleged affair with their sister.

    As per reports, the incident happened on June 6 when the victim was coming back from a wedding ceremony. Armed men captured her, assaulted her in a “revenge attack” and ran away, leaving the woman naked in the middle of a street.

    A local resident told The Express Tribune that they attacked the victim after rumours of the alleged affair between the victim’s husband, Imdad Hussain, and the sister of the accused “spread like a wildfire in the village enraging the girl’s family”.

    However, the resident said the police at first did not file an FIR, but relented a day later, registering the case under Section 354 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) without mentioning stripping.

    Read More: ‘Girl had come to take her exams’: SSP Islamabad on the Usman Mirza case

    Police claim that the woman was not stripped, contradicting the statement of the local residents.

    “The woman had not been stripped but her clothes were torn apart by the accused who managed to escape and even threatened her of dire consequences,” police official Saddar Muhammad Adnan told The Express Tribune.

    DPO DI Khan Najamul Hasnain confirmed that an FIR has been registered against the three men but one of the accused managed to secure pre-arrest bail from the court. The DPO added that he was personally looking into the matter.

  • Pakistan’s coronavirus positivity rate back up at 3 per cent

    Pakistan’s coronavirus positivity rate passed the three per cent mark Wednesday morning for the first time in the last 20 days. 

    The country recorded a positivity rate of 3.27 per cent. The last time the positivity rate was 3 per cent was in June.

    According to the latest statistics by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 46,287 Covid-19 tests were conducted across the country in the last 24 hours, out of which 1,517 people tested positive for the virus.

    The NCOC had warned of strict restrictions as it has observed violation of coronavirus SOPs in several sectors following the relaxation of curbs.