Tag: Pakistan

  • Lahore barber uses broken glass, hammer and butcher’s knife to cut and style hair

    Lahore barber uses broken glass, hammer and butcher’s knife to cut and style hair

    A barber from Lahore Ali Abbas has gone viral on social media for his unique method of styling and cutting hair. He uses different tools such as broken glass, hammer and butcher’s knife to cut his customer’s hair. Abbas sometimes also uses fire to style the customer’s hair.

    Talking about his unique way of styling hair, Abbas told ARY News that he wants to invent unusual techniques in his profession.

    “Meri koshish hoti hai ki har din main kuch naya se naya try karun. Today, I cut his hair with glass and styled it in layers. Kaam dil se karein toh kaamyaabi milegi zaroor (I try to do something new every day. Today, I styled his hair in layers with cut glass).”

    For one of his female customers, Ali used a butcher’s knife and she was happy with the styling.

    “I am really satisfied. During the process, I was slightly scared but it’s really good,” said the woman.

  • PIA staffer wins hearts for calming baby on flight

    PIA staffer wins hearts for calming baby on flight

    A picture of a crew member of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) calming a restless baby during a flight recently went viral on social media.  

    Fakhr-e-Alam shared a picture of the head purser on an Islamabad-Karachi flight holding a baby in his arms. 

    The singer shared that the PIA official had come to help an exhausted mother and soothe the crying baby to give her a break.

    “A friend onboard [a] PIA Islamabad to Karachi early morning flight yesterday shared this. A baby was crying non-stop, the mother was exhausted and stressed, she couldn’t comfort the child,” shared Alam.

    “So the head purser Mr Tauheed helped the child sleep. Now that truly is GREAT people to fly with,” added the singer.

    Soon after the singer’s post, social media users started praising the act of kindness.

    People also shared their experience of traveling with PIA.

    https://twitter.com/SSGPA1/status/1370475257849610241?s=20

    Later, in an interview with ARY’s Morning Show Bakhabar Sawera, the officer, Tauheed said that he had no idea he would go viral.

    “I had no idea someone is recording me. I don’t know who took my pictures or made me viral,” said Tauheed, adding: “It is a part of our duty to take care of our passengers. It is a part of our training to ensure their safety on a flight, and take care of their needs.”

  • 400-year-old tunnel discovered during restoration at Lahore Fort

    400-year-old tunnel discovered during restoration at Lahore Fort

    According to The Express Tribune, the tunnel discovered at the opulently designed Mughal fort — that already houses over 20 key monuments — is still firmly in place.

    The 625-feet tunnel is well ventilated and lighted, and consists of niches that have been made for lighting lamps.

    The excavation of the tunnel

    As per the opinion of experts, the tunnel was used as drainage and secret passage.

    While modern machinery and equipment are used for the restoration of historical monuments, the archaeology team has done it successfully in the traditional fashion.

    “Snakes and scorpions were also found during the excavation,” experts said, adding that traces of it were found during excavation on another restoration project.

  • Russia’s Sputnik V to be available privately in Pakistan

    The first shipment of the Russian Sputnik-V has arrived in Pakistan becoming the first privately-imported vaccine available in the country. Pakistan is the 22nd country to approve the Sputnik V vaccine.

    “Sputnik has received EUA (emergency use authorisation),” Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan said while talking about the vaccine.

    As per details, Sputnik V is to be administered in two shots, three weeks apart, has a six-month shelf life and is stored at -18 Celsius.

    While a price has not yet been announced, Dr Omer Chughtai of Chughtai Labs said the “government will hopefully decide and announce the price soon.”

    “We are in process of getting our vaccination centers registered,” he added.

    COVID-19 vaccination for seniors aged 70 and above began on March 10. According to the National Command Operation Center (NCOC) registered senior citizens aged 70 and above can get vaccinated from any health centre. Meanwhile, NCOC head Asad Umar on Wednesday announced that over 41 thousand people were vaccinated the previous day marking the highest daily vaccination rate.

    Pakistan launched its vaccination drive in early February with 500,000 doses of Sinopharm donated by longtime ally China, giving shots to frontline health workers as a priority.

  • Army chief cites unresolved disputes as reasons behind regional debt, poverty

    Army chief cites unresolved disputes as reasons behind regional debt, poverty

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday said unresolved disputes in South Asia were dragging the entire region into debt and poverty, in a veiled reference to the Kashmir issue.

    Addressing a gathering on the final day of the Islamabad Security Dialogue, COAS Bajwa said the national security encompassed more than just matters and affairs related to strengthening the country’s security forces.

    “It included development and human security as well,” he said.

    “We feel it is time to bury the past and move forward,” he said, adding that the onus for meaningful dialogue rested with India.

    “Our neighbour will have to create a conducive environment, particularly in occupied Kashmir.”

    “The world has seen the ravages of the world wars and the Cold War, wherein polarisation and neglect of virtues blighted the future and brought catastrophic consequences for humanity,” he said.

    “Today the leading drivers of change in the world are demography, economy and technology. However, one issue that remains central to this concept is economic security and cooperation. Frayed relations between various powers centres of the globe and boomeranging of competing alliances can bring nothing but another stint of Cold War.”

    Congratulating the National Security Division on organising the dialogue, Gen Bajwa stated that the contemporary concept of national security was not just about protecting countries from an external and internal threat.

    It is also about providing a conducive environment for ensuring human security, national progress and development, he said.

    The army chief’s comments come a a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan said that India would have to make the first move to normalise ties with Pakistan.

    “We are trying, but India would have to take the first step and unless it does that we cannot move ahead,” the prime minister had said while inaugurating the Islamabad Security Dialogue.

  • ‘India has to take the first step’: PM Imran at Islamabad Security Dialogue

    ‘India has to take the first step’: PM Imran at Islamabad Security Dialogue

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday launched the first Policy Advisory Portal at the inaugural session of the Islamabad Security Dialogue. The portal has been developed by the National Security Division (NSD) to engage over hundred think tanks and academia in policy making, said the Prime Minister’s Office.

    PM Khan said that when his government came to power, he tried to resolve issues with India.

    “We just have one issue, which is Kashmir,” said the premier, adding that August 5 happened, which “led to a total breakdown between both countries.”

    PM Khan said he hopes that the right of self-determination given to the Kashmiris as per UN Security Council resolution would be given to the Kashmiris.

    “It would benefit India if there is a resolution on the Kashmir issue. If we achieve peace through dialogue, it will change the entire landscape of the region. There is a lot of poverty in India. Our trading and economic ties should be strong, which will increase regional connectivity. It will help India that it can have regional connectivity up to Central Asia. India has to take the first step after August 5, otherwise, we cannot move forward.”

    While inaugurating the Advisory Portal, Prime Imran Khan appreciated the initiative and said that Pakistan has immense young talent in this country.  “This is a step in the right direction”, he said.

    The advisory portal will be a dedicated and integrated platform through which major think tanks and universities working on the subject of comprehensive national security will be able to share policy recommendations directly with the national leadership.

    “The aim of the portal is to bridge the gap between intellectuals and policymakers,” said SAPM on National Security Division and Strategic Policy Planning Dr Moeed Yusuf who conceived the portal. 

    Islamabad Security Dialogue is a two-day international conference. Two sessions of the Islamabad Security Dialogue were held on Wednesday, while three sessions will take place on Thursday. Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa will inaugurate the second day. 

    Being held mostly in a virtual format, the Dialogue is being attended by officials, global and regional experts and media. The main theme of the Islamabad Security Dialogue is Comprehensive Security Framework that will enable the country to unfold its untapped potential in becoming a hub of global and regional development.

    The NSD plans to make the Islamabad Security Dialogue an annual event to parallel the world’s leading security dialogues.

  • ‘Islamabad police receives 2,700 fake calls daily’

    ‘Islamabad police receives 2,700 fake calls daily’

    The Islamabad police receives approximately 2,700 fake calls daily because of which the police response system is being badly affected, Inspector-General Qazi Jamil ur Rehman has said.

    The police chief appealed to the masses to avoid making hoax calls as it may put someone’s life in danger.

    “If we are sent to a hoax call, it means we’re not available when someone really needs our help. It could be a matter of life or death,” said the IG in a statement.

    He said that police emergency department 15 plays an important role in receiving and transmitting calls from the public.

    However, the fake calls not only waste the time of the operator but may cause a delay in responding to an emergency situation.

    The IG directed 15 authorities to book frequent callers and proceed with legal action against them.

    SMS alert service launched

    Meanwhile, the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has taken several initiatives like issuance of smart driving licenses, online appointment system, SMS alert service for the convenience of motorists, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Farrukh Rashid announced.

    The ITP also revealed that over Rs20 million fine was collected from drivers by issuing as many as 73,609 challans over various traffic violations during the ongoing year. Some 1,420 were ticketed against over-speeding, 2,767 for tinted glasses, 566 for illegal lights, 2,590 for lane violation, 8,816 for not using a helmet and 3,150 for not fastening their seat belt. Similarly, 1,831 people were fined for using mobile phones while driving, 737 over wrong parking and 3,136 were charged for using fancy number plates.

    Earlier, PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan had also shared a picture of himself getting fined by the police for not wearing a seatbelt.

  • Momin Saqib receives Commonwealth Youth COVID-19 Hero award

    The Commonwealth has named British-Pakistani student Momin Saqib as its Youth COVID-19 Hero. The award ceremony was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was streamed live on Facebook.

    “In March 2020, Momin launched ‘One Million Meals,” an emergency response to the COVID-19 crisis,” read an official statement. “Led by volunteers, the programme has provided over 100,000 meals and beverages in over 200 locations to frontline key workers, NHS staff, homeless people and vulnerable families affected by the pandemic, including through 47 hospitals, trusts and food banks.”

    The Commonwealth Youth Awards “have brought innovative, scalable and replicable projects of young people to the forefront of global leadership and have kicked local projects into the international arena for nearly two decades.”

    Momin shot to fame after a video of him expressing his disappointment over Pakistan’s poor performance during the ICC World Cup 2019 went viral on social media. Saqib has also ventured into television and is currently part of two Hum TV productions: Raqs-e-Bismil and Be Adab. He will also be part of Adnan Siddiqui’s upcoming production Dam Mastam.

  • Bride in Mardan asks for Rs 100,000 worth of books as ‘Haq Mehr’

    Bride in Mardan asks for Rs 100,000 worth of books as ‘Haq Mehr’

    A bride in Mardan has asked her husband to give her Rs 100,000 worth of books as Haq Mehr.

    According to details, Naila Shamal Safi is a writer and says that she wanted books to highlight their importance in our daily lives. Naila is a resident of Tangi area of ​​North Safi Charsadda while her husband Dr Sajjad Jwandun is a resident of Bhai Khan area of ​​Mardan. Dr Jwandun has completed his Ph.D in Pashto while Naila is currently pursuing her Ph.D.

    https://twitter.com/syedazmatjmc/status/1371132721687322626?s=20

    Haq Mehr is the obligatory gift or dower given to the wife by the husband at the time of nikkah.

    Talking to BBC Urdu, Dr Sajjad said that he was happy to hear about his fiancee’s demand and hopes that this step will pave the way to end the practice of asking a big amount in Haq Mahr.

    “In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, boys are often asked for Rs 10 to 20 lacs in Haq Mehr, while different demands are made for dowry,” said Dr Sajjad, adding: “People criticise when the first step is taken against the norm but our work is appreciated by all so far and I think the world has come a long way so we must move forward.”

    Naila said that she is now in a relationship with not only her husband but also with the books.

    “I have a lot of books in my bedroom and other rooms in my house. We have put some books in the cupboards but many are still in cartons. I will set those up after my wedding rituals,” she shared.

  • President Dr Arif Alvi, First Lady receive COVID-19 vaccine

    President Dr Arif Alvi, First Lady receive COVID-19 vaccine

    President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi and his wife Samina Arif Alvi have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Islamabad on Monday.

    As per details, President Alvi and Mrs Samina Alvi got their COVID-19 vaccination administered after they registered themselves for the vaccine. They received the confirmation message on Sunday along with the designated vaccination centre.

    Speaking to the media after getting vaccinated, Dr Alvi said: “Elites around the world broke the line for the vaccination. The vaccine is being administered to senior citizens in Pakistan as per age categories.”

    The President added that he registered himself on the 1166 helpline and got the shots “as per my turn”.

    Dr Alvi further said: “The government has introduced an easy and the best mechanism to avoid long queues.”

    The President also advised those who have received the vaccine to exercise precaution and follow the SOPs even after getting the shot.

    Read more – Samina Peerzada gets vaccinated, praises government

    “In wake of third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, people should continue wearing face masks, wash their hand frequently and maintain social distancing.”

    He also lauded the PTI regime’s efforts and strategies in light of the pandemic, saying the government’s smart lockdown policy “reduced economic losses”.