Tag: Top News

  • AJK protests come to end after demands met by government

    AJK protests come to end after demands met by government

    Azad Jammu & Kashmir Joint Action Committee has announced the end of protests according to a notification circulating on social media.

    In its statement, the joint action committee has called on the government to form a judicial commission to investigate the fatalities that took place during the protests.

    On Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved an urgent grant of Rs 23 billion in a bid to resolve the issues of people in Azad and Jammu Kashmir (AJK) as three people were shot dead and six sustained injuries due to firing and teargas shelling by the paramilitary Rangers in Muzaffarabad.

    The Government also announced reduced rates of 40kg flour bags to Rs 2,000, down from Rs 3,100, and electricity tariff was reduced to Rs3, Rs5 and Rs6 per unit for up to 100, 300, and more than 300 units, respectively.

    Rangers were also called in to maintain law and order in the state as violent clashes erupted between the police and the protestors

  • Khan wants General Asim Munir to apologise to him

    Khan wants General Asim Munir to apologise to him

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder chairman Imran Khan said in a post on X that “My abduction on the morning of May 9 was part of the London plan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir should apologise to me.”

    Imran Khan further said in the same post that “DG ISPR and the army chief are making political statements in a threating tone, which is affecting the army’s image.”

    “When political statements and press conferences are made, political parties have the right to respond,”  he added.

    The former Prime Minister also said that he will write a letter to COAS General Asim Munir about the economic and political situation of the money-strained country, Geo News has reported.

    While talking to journalists in Adiala jail on Monday, the former Premier said, “I will write a letter to the army chief on the [prevailing] situation in the country.”

    The remarks came about a few days after he assigned an “important responsibility” to former president Arif Alvi, who is continuously trying for better relations between PTI and the establishment.

    PTI founder assigned the responsibility of talks with the establishment to Alvi after declining the military’s demand to apologise for the May 9 violent protests. 

    On a question regarding the £190 million settlement case, the PTI founder said that Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) had confiscated money, finding it “suspicious transactions” but not “money laundering.”

  • PM Shehbaz resigns as party president, paving way for Nawaz

    PM Shehbaz resigns as party president, paving way for Nawaz

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has resigned as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president, Geo News reported on Monday.

    The development comes after president PML-N Punjab chapter Rana Sanaullah announced that party supremo Nawaz Sharif will lead the party.

    PML-N’s central committee will meet on May 18 in Lahore at 11:30am.

    PML-N secretary general Ahsan Iqbal sent notices to the central committee about the meeting under Article 15 of the party constitution.

    Nawaz Sharif stepped down as prime minister in 2017 when the Supreme Court (SC) disqualified him for life for not declaring his receivable salary.

    The apex court also disqualified Nawaz Sharif in 2018 as PML-N president in the Panama Papers case.

    The top court said in its verdict that a person can’t lead a political party who is disqualified under Articles 62 and 63.

    On January 8, 2024, the top court abolished bans on people with criminal charges from taking part in polls.

  • Hiba Bukhari has nothing but praise for one actor

    Hiba Bukhari has nothing but praise for one actor

    Actress Hiba Bukhari is all praise for one actor that she has worked with.

    She talked about acting alongside Sheheryar Munawar for the first time in ‘Radd’.
    In a behind-the-scenes video from the sets, Bukhari shared her thoughts on working with Munawar for the first time. She said, “I was actually surprised by how positive he is. He brings a lot of positivity.”

    Bukhari added, “Even though he’s been in the movies for a while now, I thought it might take some time to get used to working with him, but he’s really nice, sweet, and cooperative. He’s great at discussing scenes and rehearsing dialogues with me to make our on-screen chemistry work.”
    “Many actors don’t prepare like this, even though it’s a basic requirement in our field. Usually, actors don’t like it,” said the ‘Radd’ actor.
    “But Sheheryar does, and it lets us talk about changes before telling the director,” she finished.

  • AJK protests continue as PM Shehbaz approves Rs23 billion grant for Azad Kashmir

    AJK protests continue as PM Shehbaz approves Rs23 billion grant for Azad Kashmir

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday approved an urgent grant of Rs 23 Billion to resolve the issues of people in Azad and Jammu Kashmir (AJK).

    The development came after violent protests erupted in the AJK on the Awami Action Committee’s (AAC) call against high electricity bills and taxes.

    PM Shehbaz presided over a meeting on Azad Kashmir’s protests in which the grant was approved.

    However, AAC leader Shaukat Nawaz said that he refuses to end the protest until they receive a notification affirming that their demands have been accepted.

    “Promises have been made in the past as well to dissolve protests. (This time) we will not return believing the political promises,” he said, adding that the government’s seriousness would be trusted when a notification regarding the resolution of their demands would reach them.

    The AAC called for a shutter down and wheel-jam strike across the state to protest the electricity price hike and taxes.

  • Who will play Quaid-e-Azam, Fatima Jinnah in Indian partition series?

    Who will play Quaid-e-Azam, Fatima Jinnah in Indian partition series?

    SonyLIV, an Indian streaming service, is producing a series on the partition of the subcontinent, and the casting choices are a bit surprising. Adapted from the book of the same name, ‘Freedom at Midnight’ is about India’s fight for freedom from British rule. It will also talk about the time when India and Pakistan became separate countries in 1947. The show plans to tell stories that haven’t been heard before and show important events from the tumultuous time.

    The focus is on Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Pakistan’s founder. Actor Arif Zakaria, who played Nehru in the ZEE5 show ‘Hutatma,’ will play Jinnah. “In preparing to portray Mohammed Ali Jinnah, I realized how important it was to depict him as a flawed and complicated human being rather than an untouchable hero,” he said. “I want to explore Jinnah’s character deeply, showing his complexity and the reasons behind his actions. By doing this, I aim to present a more real and complete picture of Jinnah.” Well, in the hands of the extremist right-wing wave in Bollywood, that just sounds like he wants to villainize the founder of Pakistan.

    Ira Dubey, known for her role in the Netflix show ‘Scoop,’ will play Fatima Jinnah, Mohammed Ali Jinnah’s younger sister and close aide. Dubey emphasized how important Fatima Jinnah was in her brother’s life, highlighting their close relationship. After Pakistan was formed, Fatima Jinnah helped start the Pakistan Women’s Association, which was crucial for women who migrated.

    Mohammed Ali Jinnah led the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until Pakistan was created, and he became its first governor-general until he passed away in 1948. His sister Fatima played a big role by his side during his political journey, helping the new nation grow.
    The series is based on a famous book from 1975 by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre. It aims to show the complexities of the independence movement, giving viewers a rich story filled with history. It promises to be exciting as it explores important historical figures and their stories during India’s fight for freedom.

  • PM Shehbaz to meet IMF mission for new loan deal

    PM Shehbaz to meet IMF mission for new loan deal

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to meet the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission next week to talk about a new loan programme, ARY News reported on Monday. 

    Sources in ARY claimed that the prime minister is expected to talk about getting more money from lenders, and reassure the Fund about meeting targets in the new loan programme.

    They will discuss continuing stringent economic policies in the budget for the upcoming year.

    Pakistan is seeking a $6 to $8 billion bailout package from the international lender for three to four years to address its financial woes.

  • Khan says Marwat kept violating party policy

    Khan says Marwat kept violating party policy

    Founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan held talks with journalists in Adiala Jail on Monday in which he stated that maverick party leader Sher Afzal Marwat did great work for the party but kept violating party policy despite warnings.

    On Saturday, PTI served a show-cause notice to Marwat for allegedly breaching the party’s code of conduct and undermining its interests with his recent remarks targeting senior party leaders and Saudi Arabia.

    Marwat was also expelled from the party’s core and political committees, as directed by party founder Imran Khan.

    Journalist Zubair Ali Khan took to X (formerly Twitter) to share details of what Imran said. “Sher Afzal Marwat was told many times not to violate party policy. He used to attack some party leader or the other every day. On the occasion of the visit of the [Saudi] delegation, Sher Afzal Marwat made a controversial statement.”

    Khan also remarked that there is no issue with Marwat if he still follows the party policy.

  • University students walk out on Jerry Seinfeld speech in protest on Palestine

    University students walk out on Jerry Seinfeld speech in protest on Palestine

    Many students of the esteemed Duke University left their graduation ceremony on Sunday, some of them shouting “Free Palestine” when guest speaker, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, started giving a speech.

    Seinfeld is a known Zionist who has shown support for Israel during the Gaza genocide and according to media reports, sent money to the violent counter-agitators who attacked pro-Palestine student protestors at UCLA. A video on social media shows students in graduation robes and hats leaving the ceremony. Some were holding Palestinian flags. The ceremony was held in the university’s football stadium in North Carolina. Reuters confirmed the date and place of the video.

    One person wore a keffiyeh, a scarf often used to show support for Palestinians. Some others cheered “Jerry! Jerry!” when Seinfeld got an honorary degree. Seinfeld gave his speech without big interruptions.

    Many of you are probably thinking, ‘I can’t believe they asked him to come.’ But it’s too late,” he said, promising to “defend” the idea of privilege. “I believe you should use your privilege. I grew up as a Jewish kid from New York. That’s a privilege if you want to be a comedian,” he added.
    “We know that people feel strongly in our community, and just like we’ve done all year, we support everyone’s right at Duke to share their opinions peacefully. But we also want graduates and their families to enjoy their special day,” said Duke spokesperson Frank Tramble in a statement.

    Seinfeld has been to Israel and openly supported it since October 7, when Israel started the genocide in Gaza. This action led to more than 35,000 deaths including 15,000 children, as reported by health officials.
    The White House mentioned on Tuesday that President Joe Biden is okay with peaceful protests during college graduation ceremonies where he and other officials will speak. The walkout at Duke University’s graduation is the latest example of protests happening on US campuses. Students are asking universities to stop investing in companies that profit from war and to give amnesty to students and staff who have faced consequences for protesting.

    At Emerson College in Boston, there were interruptions during the president’s speech at their graduation ceremony on Sunday. Some students walked across the stage holding signs supporting Palestinians. One woman even unfurled a Palestinian flag.
    Because of these protests, some universities like Columbia in New York and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, have canceled their graduation ceremonies this month. Others have changed the location or format of their ceremonies.

  • Government report identifies multiple PTI leaders for May 9 protests

    Government report identifies multiple PTI leaders for May 9 protests

    The May 9 report from the caretaker government doesn’t just talk about the role of incarcerated Prime Minister Imran Khan in the riots but also reveals how multiple Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) leaders encouraged party workers to participate in violent protests. 

    The report revealed that on May 9, protests flared up at 300 locations in the country, going on to describe the role of every individual in the entire event.

    “Upon Mr Khan’s arrest, PTI leaders promptly took to social media to spread lies about Mr Khan’s custody and encourage people to violence. It was widely alleged that Mr Khan was being tortured and that he was likely to be assassinated. The language employed was sensationalist, inflammatory and it consistently encouraged violence,” said the report presented before the present cabinet a few days back.

    “Some instances of lies and incitement to violence by PTI leaders on that day are as follows. Hammad Azhar tweeted at 1437 hours to allege that Mr Khan was being tortured. Ms Zartaj expressed fear at 1510 hours that Mr Khan would be killed in custody. Murad Saeed tweeted at 1437 hours, 1444 hours and 1620 hours in which he, respectively, called PTI workers to gather at designated spots, not to let authorities torture and kill Mr Khan, and to make earth hell for those who consider themselves powerful. Farrukh Habib tweeted at 1651 hours asking people to lay down their lives but not let the police torture Mr Khan. Ali Amin Gandapur tweeted at 1712 hours telling workers it was now or never and to protect Khan with their lives. Ali Zaidi tweeted at 1623 hours and asked his workers to shut down the province (Sindh). Ms Anam Sheikh, Ms Shandana Gulzar Khan, Ms Kanwal Shauzab tweeted within a short span of each other encouraging people to protest at GHQ Rawalpindi. Senator Ejaz Chaudhary tweeted at 1428 hours calling all party workers to shut down the whole country. Faisal Javed tweeted at 1448 hours alleging Mr Khan was being tortured. Shahryar Afridi tweeted at 1536 hours implying that the traitors who had arrested Mr Khan had attacked the nation. Omar Malik tweeted a video message at 1555 hours encouraging people to march towards the residence of Corps Commander, Lahore.”

    “Shortly after Mr Khan’s arrest, certain foreign based vloggers uploaded video messages making unsubstantiated allegations of torture and encouraged people to attack state institutions. Many of these vloggers incited general public to attack military installations. Most alarmingly, they tried to incite rebellion amongst armed forces and encouraged army officers and jawans to revolt against their command. These vloggers included Adil Raja, Haider Mehdi, Wajahat Khan, Moeed Pirzada and Shaheen Sehbai. Adil Raja and Haider Mehdi encouraged army officers to revolt,” said the report.