Tag: The Current

  • Iranian President Raisi killed in helicopter crash

    Iranian President Raisi killed in helicopter crash

    Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, and his foreign minister Hossein Amr-Abdollahian, have been killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday night in the north of the country near the border with Azerbaijan, State Television has confirmed.

    Rescue teams finally reached the site of the helicopter crash where dense fog and adverse weather conditions impeded rescue and recovery efforts.

    “Upon finding the helicopter, there was no sign of the helicopter passengers being alive as of yet,” state TV reported. The helicopter carrying the head of the state crashed during President Raisi’s return flight to Tabriz after he and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev inaugurated the Qiz Qalasi Dam on the border.

    Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged calm and assured his people that there would be no disruption in the country’s governance.

    Vice President Mohammad Mokhbar is expected to become the new President now, Al Jazeera has reported.

    Raisi became president in 2021.

  • Writing letter to army chief in nation’s interest, says Imran Khan

    Writing letter to army chief in nation’s interest, says Imran Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan said on Friday that he will write a letter to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir not for his personal benefits but for the sake of the country.

    Talking to journalists at Adiala jail during the hearing of the £190 million case, Imran praised Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, calling him a courageous person.

    Khan also questioned why the petitions of PTI workers regarding May 9 are not being heard.

  • Ali Muhammad Khan will move IHC against Adiala jail officials

    Ali Muhammad Khan will move IHC against Adiala jail officials

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Muhammad Khan said on Friday that he will file a plea against the Adiala jail administration in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for not allowing him to meet incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    “I am going to the high court against the jail administration. We were not allowed to meet Imran Khan during the previous appearance, and we are not allowed to meet now,” the politician said, expressing displeasure.

    The senior PTI leader stated while talking to journalists outside Adiala jail that he will file a contempt of court petition against Adiala jail officials.

    He recalled that when he was imprisoned in Adiala, jail officials treated him badly. He also said that they are doing the same thing again by not allowing him to meet former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    However, the politician expressed confidence in the country’s security agencies to ensure Khan’s safety during his appearances in cases at the Supreme Court.

  • Punjab government announces summer vacations for schools

    Punjab government announces summer vacations for schools

    The Punjab government has announced the dates of annual summer vacations in public and private schools in the province, Geo reported on Friday.

    As per the notification issued by the government, vacations will be observed from June 1 to August 14 in the entire province.

    Similarly, Punjab government has also reduced school timings due to scorching temperature in multiple cities of the country.

    According to the new timings, schools will open at 7am and close at 11:30am from Monday to Thursday; however, on Friday school will open at 7am to close at 10:30am.

    The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that a heatwave is expected to hit most parts of the country, especially Punjab and Sindh, starting May 21, due to high pressure in the upper atmosphere.

  • Speaker National Assembly suspends Tariq Bashir Cheema for misbehaving with Zartaj Gul

    Speaker National Assembly suspends Tariq Bashir Cheema for misbehaving with Zartaj Gul

    The National Assembly (NA) session on Thursday, chaired by speaker NA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, ended with heated arguments and important parliamentary decisions.

    Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, suspended Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) leader Tariq Bashir Cheema for today’s parliamentary session after a heated argument took place between him and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Zartaj Gul.

    The decision to suspend Cheema was taken to keep decorum and maintain parliamentary standards. 

    However, the House accepted the question raised by the NA speaker in this regard.

    Earlier, the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) claimed that Tariq Bahir Cheema used abusive words against Zartaj Gul during the parliamentary session.

    Ayaz Sadiq also banned YouTubers, TikTokers, and media personnel from making videos in the corridors of the parliament to keep the environment peaceful.

  • NAB chairman apologises to victims for Bureau’s past wrongdoings

    NAB chairman apologises to victims for Bureau’s past wrongdoings

    In a welcome turn of events, present National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Lt Gen (R) Nazir Butt has started approarching those who were victimised by the watchdog to apologise for the past misdeeds of widely criticised anti-corruption institution of Pakistan.

    The NAB chairman decided to sooth the pain of the victims by meeting them personally to apologise for how the top anti-corruption body maltreated them in the past. Multiple politicians, bureaucrats, and businessmen are on the list of NAB victims.

    Nazir Butt visited family members of the NAB victim who died a few years ago due to the torment of the institution’s officials.

    NAB’s new policy is completely different from what it was doing with multiple individuals a few years ago, The News reported on Friday.

    NAB is known for what is perceived as misuse of its power. The top anti-corruption body harassed multiple individuals, including politicians, bureaucrats, and businessmen, by keeping them behind bars for several years without any solid evidence.

    Several individuals lost their lives under NAB’s harassment.

    A few years ago, a NAB victim, Brigadier Asad Munir was found dead in his home in Islamabad. A handwritten note was discovered near his body. The note read, “I request you, the honourable chief justice, to take notice of NAB’s officials conduct so that other government officials are not convicted for the crimes they have not committed.”

  • ‘Wife owns properties not only in Dubai but in UK as well,’ reveals Mohsin Naqvi

    ‘Wife owns properties not only in Dubai but in UK as well,’ reveals Mohsin Naqvi

    Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said on Thursday that he and his wife declared their properties a decade ago. Naqvi, a media baron who became Punjab’s caretaker Chief Minister and now also holds the coveted position of Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), stressed that there is nothing new in the “Dubai unlocked” project. 

    Naqvi revealed that his wife not only owns properties in Dubai but also in the United Kingdom (UK).

    He gave a detailed response to the Dubai leaks in a press conference in Lahore after the leaked property records named several prominent personalities in Pakistan, including government officials, politicians, military generals, and other individuals.

    He also said that it is necessary for the national media to report about major developments, but portraying that someone owned property with illegal means is wrong.
    The former caretaker chief minister of Punjab also stated that he was not in any official position 10 to 12 years ago, but he had properties at that time as well.

  • Who leaked Khan’s image from Supreme Court?

    Who leaked Khan’s image from Supreme Court?

    The Supreme Court (SC) has started an investigation after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) released an image of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from today’s hearing in the National Accountability Bruea (NAB) amendments case.

    The picture appears to have been snapped during today’s hearing when the former Prime Minister appeared before SC via video link in the case related to changes in NAB laws.

    The bench comprises Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi.

    Imran Khan is currently in Adiala jail on multiple sentences.

    The photo is the first image taken after Imran’s arrest from Zaman Park in Toshakhana reference last year.

    The image released by PTI showed that Imran Khan is sitting on the chair wearing a blue shirt with the sleeves folded.

  • ‘I will become prime minister or president if people vote for me’, says Fazlur Rehman

    Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman refused the allegations that he was offered the seat of the Prime Minister of the country. He stated that he will become PM only with the votes of people.

    “I will become the prime minister or president if the people vote for me,” Fazl said while speaking to journalists in Multan, adding that he was never presented with such an offer.

    He was surprised by the fact that someone will offer him the top position.

    The senior politician who was the head of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) formed against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, said that Pakistan will continuously move towards “slavery” if citizens don’t safeguard their votes.

    He also said that the current government is fragile, as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is part of the government but not  part of Shehbaz’s cabinet.

  • Poet Ahmad Farhad abducted from his residence

    Poet Ahmad Farhad abducted from his residence

    Well-known poet and media personality Ahmad Farhad has been abducted by unknown men on Wednesday from his house in Islamabad, his wife Ain Naqvi confirmed on X (formerly Twitter).

    Farhad’s wife wrote on X, “They broke the CCTV cameras of the house and took away the digital video recorder (DVR).”

    In another post on X, Ain Naqvi wrote that the police didn’t register  First Information Report (FIR) against her husband’s abduction.

    “My husband, Syed Farhad Ali Shah, was abducted from his house tonight at 1:03 am by unidentified men without warrants.”

    “These men broke into the house, damaged CCTV cameras, and took the DVR along with them. The unidentified men dragged him to a vehicle. There is no clue as to where he is taken,” Naqvi mentioned in her complaint.

    Naqvi also filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against Farhad’s enforced disappearance.