Shoaib Akhtar recently praised an Indian artist for drawing a hyper-realistic ballpoint sketch of the former cricketer.
Chitrakar, a freelance artist from New Delhi had posted his art on Instagram. The sketch shows two expressions of the fast bowler, one in black ink and the other in red.
Taking to Twitter, the cricketer wrote, “I can’t thank you guys enough who make these illustrations by giving so much time & dedication.”
Pakistan has maintained a strong momentum in workers’ remittance for the sixth consecutive month in November with over $2 billion, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has reported.
Workers’ remittance increased 28.4% year-on-year in November 2020, pushing the cumulative flows to $11.8 billion during the July-November FY21 with a rise of 26.9% compared to same period last year.
“This significant growth reflects continued government and SBP efforts to formalise remittances under Pakistan Remittances Initiative (PRI), growing use of digital channels amid limited international travel, orderly exchange market conditions and improved global economic activity,” said the central bank.
The top four countries that contributed to the highest inflows are Saudi Arabia ($3.3 billion), United Arab Emirates ($2.4 billion), United Kingdom ($1.6 billion) and the United States ($1 billion).
A Pakistani doctor based in Toronto has launched an instant COVID-19 diagnostic test using a smartphone.
Pakistan High Commissioner to Canada Raza Bashir Tarar has congratulated Dr Naqeeb Khalid for his achievement.
Dr Naqeeb Khalid has graduated from King Edward Medical University in 1983 and has experience in the invention of medical devices and systems. The doctor told High Commissioner for Pakistan to Canada Raza Bashir Tarar that his invention will be used with the help of a digital platform that shows the result promptly on any smartphone. It can also communicate or save the results along with time and GPS information.
He said that instant, precise and low-cost testing that does not rely on laboratory is vital in handling the pandemic. “Together with vaccines, we can control the COVID-19 outbreak and bring our lives and economies to normal.”
In a video conversation with Dr Khalid, the high commissioner said the idea of a Covid test being displayed and communicated by the smartphone is admirable.
He hoped such a quick, hassle-free, accessible and affordable invention would be of huge help to humanity in overcoming the current pandemic.
Tarar says that clinical trials of the innovation would prove its efficacy for the COVID-19 test and make the way for necessary approvals before put to use at the mass level.
The smartphone application would soon be available to download from the AppStore.
The EU DisinfoLab, a Brussels-based NGO that focuses on researching and tackling sophisticated disinformation campaigns targeting the European Union (EU), its member states, core institutions, and core values, has uncovered a 15-year-old operation by India.
Titled ‘Indian Chronicles: deep dive into a 15-year operation targeting the EU and UN to serve Indian interests’, the DisinfoLab termed this as the “largest network” of disinformation they have exposed so far. According to their research, India used hundreds of fake media outlets and the identity of a dead professor to target Pakistan.
According to the BBC, the researchers uncovered 265 pro-Indian sites operating across 65 countries and traced them back to a Delhi-based Indian holding company, the Srivastava Group (SG). BBC says that the content produced on fake media outlets is amplified with the help of Asian News International (ANI) – India’s largest wire service and a key focus of the investigation.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Saturday rejected the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ “attempt to deny responsibility for the elaborate and reprehensible” disinformation campaign against Pakistan. Indian MEA had earlier said that “India does not practice disinformation campaigns”, a denial that falls flat on its face when you go through the DisinfoLab’s in-depth research.
It was no secret that India was involved in such disinformation operations globally to discredit Pakistan but the extent of the way these networks has been used is quite eye-opening. In 2017, Geo News reported that “the Indian mission in Geneva is controlling anti-Pakistan activities and the local Swiss administration has been paid heavy amounts in commercial deals for these campaigns across its public transport, road networks, and private business venues” after an expensive multi-faceted campaign in Geneva targeting Pakistan was highlighted when the 36th session of the UNHRC was underway.
India thinks of itself as a regional superpower in South Asia and leaves no stone unturned to malign Pakistan and has used extensive paid propaganda campaign to achieve its nefarious designs. Last month, Pakistan handed over a dossier on India’s terror campaign to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, urging him to prevail on New Delhi to desist from its illegal and aggressive activities. In light of the new report by EU DisinfoLab, the international community must investigate how the EU and UN were duped by India’s disinformation campaign, including a controversial visit of European parliamentarians (MEPs) to Indian-Occupied Kashmir last year.
It is pertinent to note that the world continues to ignore the atrocities being committed in Occupied Kashmir by the Indian forces. Global human rights organisations and the international media highlighted Indian atrocities but the international community has largely turned a blind eye to grave human rights violations because of the Indian economic market. It is unfortunate that the world community, due to vested interests tied to the Indian market, has taken no action against India.
Pakistan must keep highlighting this new report, which was unearthed by a neutral NGO that has nothing to do with Pakistan. The world must wake up to India’s disinformation campaign.
City managers have decided to restore a historic mosque near Lotus Lake in Shakarparian.
According to details, the mosque is believed to be over 100 years old. It was a worship place for villagers of Pairan, who migrated from the area in the 1960s during Islamabad’s development.
Like Pairan, many villagers from Islamabad moved to Rawalpindi and other parts of the capital after getting compensation from Capital Development Authority (CDA) for their homes and land.
“During construction of Lotus Lake, when we carried out cleanliness operation and removed bushes etc., we found an abandoned mosque,” said Environment Director Irfan Niazi, adding construction material of the mosque suggested that it was built over 100 years ago. The banyan tree located in the mosque’s courtyard is believed to be 500 years old.
CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed said that the authority will restore this historical mosque. “I have already directed my team to take steps for restoration of this mosque, which is also our heritage,” he said.
He further said that the construction of the lake is in its last stage and will soon be a new facility for tourists.
There was a natural lotus lake in the area which diminished during the construction of a cultural complex between 2004-5. CDA is now constructing the lake at a new place near the Natural History Museum. The new Lotus Lake is 100ft long and 68ft wide.
The district authority of South has decided to turn Karachi’s Burns Road famous for its food variety into a food street.
As per reports, the Deputy Commissioner for the South district has created a team of nine members to supervise the transformation of the spot.
The buildings constructed in the pre-partition era will be restored for their aesthetics, while furniture and signboards, inside and outside the cafes and restaurants will be designed to enhance the look.
The established team will present its suggestions and ideas on the cleanliness, sewerage and how to beautify Burns Road.
The food street will be lit with ornate lights after road repair work is completed with new tiles.
The management plans to make the food street made traffic-free in the evening and will divert the general traffic and pedestrians passing by.
The home department of Sindh government has released new COVID-related instructions allowing take-aways and deliveries of restaurants till 1 am.
The notification reads that the restaurants can provide dine out service until 10 pm while they can facilitate customers for take-away services for up to an hour into the midnight.
Previously, the restaurants were only allowed to operate till 10 pm for dine-out, take-aways and deliveries.
The notification is valid until January 31.
Engin Altan Düzyatan, who is popularly referred to as Ertuğrul after the role he plays in the hit Turkish series Diriliş: Ertuğrul arrived in Lahore on Thursday for a short visit.
According to details, the actor is in Pakistan “at the invitation of a private business company”.
Turkey’s Anadolu Agency reported that Engin will sign an agreement with Lahore-based Chaudhary group of industries as a brand ambassador.
However, due to a surge in coronavirus cases in the country, he may not be able to meet his fans.
Often described as the Turkish Game of Thrones, Diriliş: Ertuğrul is being aired on the recommendation of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Set in 13th century Anatolia and based on the struggle of Ertuğrul Gazi, father of Osman I – the founder of the Ottoman dynasty, Diriliş: Ertuğrul has been trending in the country ever since its first episode aired on the first of Ramzan.
In an exclusive interview with The Current, Senator Faisal Javed Khan had revealed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had gifted the drama series to Pakistan as a goodwill gesture.
In August, the Turkish actor met three terminally ill Pakistani children via video link. The event was arranged by the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi and was attended by the Turkish consul general and prominent Pakistani actors including Humayun Saeed and Ayesha Omar.
Earlier in September, Cavit Çetin Güner, who plays Dogan Alp the series also visited Pakistan and spent a few days in Islamabad.
The cabin crew of the all-new local Pakistani airline, AirSial, will be wearing the uniforms designed by Nomi Ansari.
Ansari, who is renowned for his aesthetically-pleasing designs, took to Instagram to announce the news.
“We are delighted to announce our affiliation with AirSial,” wrote the designer. “As the airline is set to spread its wings, we have designed a range of sleek yet stylish uniforms for its crew members.”
AirSial also made the announcement about their affiliation with the designer on its Twitter account.
“It is with immense pleasure AirSial announces, that Pakistan’s topmost performing designer in the fashion industry known for his exceptional and astounding dresses, having bagged countless awards has designed uniforms for us and it is none other than Nomi Ansari the styling icon of Pakistan,” read the post.
“We would like to thank Nomi Ansari for his tremendous and tireless effort in shaping our uniforms to the international standards giving them the most modest image matching our culture and traditions,” it further added.
The airline, which is expected to start its operations from mid-December, was inaugurated today (Wednesday) by Prime Minister Imran Khan in Sialkot.
The Indus Valley Capital has announced the launch of a dedicated programme for returning Pakistani, known as Wapistani, at 021Disrupt 2020, an online conference by Nest I/O.
This announcement was made by Aatif Awan, the Founder & Managing Partner at the Indus Valley Capital.
Indus Valley Capital is an early stage venture capital fund investing in Pakistani startups. This fund has a well-established network that is deployed to help early stage startups build products that can be scaled to hundreds of millions.
Awan explained that the Wapistani programme aims to make the move to Pakistan easier for Pakistanis who are returning to the country.
Indus Valley Capital plans to bring back 200 Wapistanis within the next 2 years through this programme.
Wapistani will help returning Pakistani in three main areas:
1- Career: This program will help returning Pakistanis in making the right career decisions through personalized intros and connections with top startups looking for senior or specialized talent.
2- Concierge: There will be dedicated resources to help returning Pakistanis with important life choices related to housing, children’s schooling and medical care.
3- Community: This programme will build a network of Wapistanis, who are moving back to the country at the same time.
Indus Valley Capital is targeting people in tech, who plan on moving back in the next 6 months.