Former prime minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said on Sunday that he didn’t ever seen former Army Chief General (R) Qamar Javed Bajwa and former Director General (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. General (R) Faiz Hameed breach the constitution.
Any wrongdoing should be addressed in a proper way, the former Prime Minister said on Samaa TV’s show “ Do Tok with Kiran Naz. He also talked about different domestic issues and Pakistan’s relationship with other countries.
Abbasi criticised the debate about Muhammad Aurangzeb’s selection as Finance Minister in the federal cabinet, emphasising the significance of competence rather than just party membership.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also advocated for accountability and said that the establishment of a truth commission is necessary to keep the facts transparent.
Abbasi also emphasised that the Prime Minister should chair the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) to ensure quick and effective decision-making in economic affairs.
The screening of four Pashto films on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr is all set to dazzle the cinemas with hopes to revive the ailing regional film industry through providing a spice of entertainment and a blend of emotions to the cinegoers.
“The much anticipated movies with quality production, dialogues, casts, locations and soulful music will mesmerise the audience, multiplying their joy of the festive occasion”, renowned film director and film star Arbaaz Khan said. The film directors and producers have pinned hopes on the production quality, dialogues delivery, casts, locations and strength of music of the films.
The movies to be screened included Yaar Dushman, which is directed by Arbaaz while the film cast comprises of the actor himself, Ajab Gull, Jahangir Jaani, Asif Khan and Jameel Babar. Talking to APP, Arbaaz said that Pashto films had high-profit potential. He hoped that the release of new movies will help revive the film industry on this Eid-ul-Fitr.
He further said that Pashto film producers and artists remained resilient and kept cinema houses functional even in the most difficult times to provide entertainment to people.
Another movie which was ready for release on Eid-ul-Fitr was Bandiwan, directed by Shahid Usman, for which the cast includes Arbaaz, Shahid Khan and Jahangir Jani. Pekhawar Zama De is another Pashto offering whose release coincides with Eid-ul-Fitr, directed by Shanzeb Khan and starring Arbaaz, Asghar Cheema and Mehek Noor. Charta Khaney Charta Faqeeray, helmed by Arshad Khan, is the fourth Pashto film that is slated for an Eid release, sporting Shahid Khan and Jahangir Jaani among its cast.
Breaking away from the usual single songs and EPs, Faisal Kapadia has chosen to release a complete album, showing a big change in how he expresses his art. His album, ‘Zindagi Jahaan Le Jaaye,’ is out on his own record label, Twenty Nine Records. It’s like a summary of Faisal Kapadia’s ideas and how he’s grown since Strings ended. The album has eight songs, each made with a lot of care to make people feel different emotions and connect with them deeply.
Yaadein One of the special songs on the album is ‘Yaadein,’ which is all about remembering happy times from the past. It’s a song that makes people feel emotional and reminds them of how time passes and memories stay with us.
Jaadu Meanwhile, the song ‘Jaadu’ captures people’s hearts with its beautiful mix of heartfelt singing and captivating music. Faisal Kapadia worked with well-known artists like Zoha Zuberi on songs like ‘Dheema Dheema’ and ‘Kabhi’. Faisal Kapadia also posted a heartfelt video on his Instagram account, expressing how happy thankful he is for the album’s release. He invited fans to join him on the musical journey and stressed how important it is to listen to the whole album in order. He encouraged everyone to listen to each song in order for a more complete and enjoyable experience.
Ankh Mori ‘Ankh Mori’ is a special song from Faisal Kapadia’s first solo album, ‘Zindagi Jahaan Le Jaaye.’ It mixes eastern and western music styles smoothly. Faisal Kapadia’s heartfelt singing is matched perfectly with Amna Rai’s captivating chorus and Zohan’s lively rap part. The song is produced skillfully by Ahsan Pervaiz Mehdi. This mix of different music styles makes the song really interesting to listen to. It shows how Faisal Kapadia can adapt and bring new ideas as a solo artist in today’s music world.
La Takhoun ‘La Takhoun’ is a special song created by Faisal Kapadia and Arab singer Krystel Dib. It’s one of the best songs in Faisal Kapadia’s solo collection. In this song, Faisal Kapadia shows how he can easily adapt and bring new ideas to different kinds of music. Krystel Dib’s beautiful singing in Arabic adds something magical to the song. Her voice mixes perfectly with Faisal Kapadia’s unique voice. What makes ‘La Takhoun’ different is its interesting music chords. Instead of the usual four-chord pattern, it takes inspiration from modern Arabic pop music. This mix of music styles makes the song really catchy and unforgettable. It stands out as one of the best songs on Faisal Kapadia’s first solo album, ‘Zindagi Jahaan Le Jaaye.’
A longer Eid holiday this year across Pakistan may just be on the cards. As per meteorological forecasts, Eid-ul-Fitr is expected to fall on Wednesday, April 10th..
Ramadan is set to comprise 29 days, as per the predictions of the Meteorological Department. Consequently, the celebration of Eid is expected on April 10th, leading possibly to six holidays.
Traditionally, Eid holidays start a day earlier to the actual celebration, allowing for a period of preparation and festivity. In light of Eid falling on a Wednesday, the government has announced a four-day holiday, extending from Tuesday till Friday. Adding the ensuing weekend, it will turn out to be a six-day long break.
The government of Pakistan has started preparing the second phase of a controversial repatriation drive, sending Afghans back to their homeland. District and police authorities have been tasked to map and collect all the relevant data of their locations across the country.
Dawn has reported that authorities have been advised to expedite the mapping of Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders. “We have already started the mapping process,” said Abid Majeed, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s additional chief secretary. “It will pick up pace after Ramazan and we hope to complete the survey before April 30,” he said.
As of yet no date has been formally announced, however, an official told Dawn that it could begin in early to mid-summer, following approval from the federal government.
Amnesty International has called on Pakistan to immediately stop and reverse its decision of sending back Afghan people back to their country.
Pakistan began the repatriation process of “undocumented aliens” in November last year. The repatriation of Afghan refugees, which was part of the National Action Plan, has also now found its way into Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s 100-day working plan.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has stated that Pakistan will think about re-establishing trade relations with India, suspended since August 2019, when the Narendra Modi-led government ended the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
“Pakistani businessmen want trade with India to resume,” the foreign minister said while addressing the media at the Pakistan High Commission in London at the end of his visit to the UK and Europe on Saturday.
In August 2019, the Modi-led government unilaterally changed the special status of the occupied valley, causing Pakistan to downgrade its ties with India.
In February 2021, despite the strained relationship between the two neighbours, Pakistan and India both agreed to renew the 2003 ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan has connected its choice to improve relations with India to the reinstatement of the special status of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Recently, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on becoming of prime minister of Pakistan.
“Congratulations to [Shehbaz Sharif] on being sworn in as the prime minister of Pakistan,” Modi wrote in a brief message on X, formerly Twitter.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been denied permission by district authorities to hold a protest on March 30 in Islamabad. The party had reached out to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to get permission for holding a rally on March 30 after the district administration of Islamabad did not respond to the party’s request. However, the capital’s administration on Sunday finally refused to allow PTI to hold a public rally against alleged poll rigging in 2024 general elections, citing security concerns.
The reply from the administration came after the deadline given to them by the IHC to take a decision on PTI’s request to stage a protest in the capital city.
PTI’s regional president Aaamir Masood Mughal opined that his party would again approach the courts. “If you can’t provide security even in the capital, then you have no right to stay in the government,” he added.
PTI also planned to hold a press briefing about the upcoming International Monetary Fund (IMF) package, its consequences on the public and the economy on March 25.
A video of a professor being beaten by a student is doing the rounds on both mainstream and social media and has invited a myriad of views and interpretations. The details around the incident are more appalling than disconcerting, including allegations that the alleged harasser Dr Mehboob is being backed by the administration, more so by the Head of the Department, Dr Sajjad Ali Khan.
The video that went viral on March 20 featured a woman throwing hard-bound thesis books, among other things, at the professor who is trying to avoid them. Other girls in the office can be heard expressing their shock. The victim, who was later identified as Zaliha Javaid, remained unfazed, hurling abuses towards him while pulling his hair.
University records laid out that Zaliha is an alumni-a graduate of the Biotechnology Department back in 2016. Owing to the standard education policy, in the first two years of the four-year programme, all the students have to study four courses of Compulsory English throughout the degree. This connects the dots. Many publications painted it as a case of on-campus harassment but it is evident that she was a former student.
As the video came out, many ex-students start posting about his problematic behaviour. Mariam Naqvi on Twitter posted a screenshot of a student who recalled incidents quoted by some seniors about the manipulative behaviour of Dr Mehboob and how he “promised marriage and sought sexual favours from students and then abandoned them saying his family did not agree.” Marium shared that, “being a student of this person I know.” She shared how people like him exploit young students using their power.
Shireen aka BadmaashKhatoon posted in a story on Instagram the allegation that the professor has been a harasser from the beginning and many from the literature department and the debating society knew that. “It took a woman to ruin her life to expose his vile behaviour,” she stated.
An audio clip of another former female student is also making rounds accusing that “a network of harassers” has been operating inside the university which force students to get involved in explicit activities.
Students talked to The Current on the condition of anonymity, sharing how the professor lacked decency and was rude with them. “He does not even know how to talk properly. He fail students in bulk and exploits them. He is the reason our degrees are getting delayed,” a female student elaborated.
Former lecturer at the English Department and currently a news anchor Saad ul Hassan related, “Individuals like Mehboob Ahmed…exploit university grading systems to bolster their perceived power and proceed to harass and abuse students, causing severe mental, physical and emotional harm.”
Saad went on to allege that this is because of facilitators like Dr Sajjad, the Head of the English Department, that harassers like Mehboob Ahmed abuse students without fear of repercussions. Dr Sajjad will use his leverage “to influence students into providing statements in support of Mehboob,” according to Saad.
HOD Dr Sajjad’s statement refers to Zaliha as “the assailant” who was “accompanied by an accomplice”. In his message to his colleagues he laid out the timing of the incident and how Dr. Mehboob was subjected to a harrowing attack. He implored the faculty to join him ‘in support and solidarity to Dr Mehboob”.
The statement by the university director also lays out how violent Zaliha was. It is important to mention that he avoids taking the name of the professor but appreciates him for his professionalism. He further stated that an investigation has started.
The partiality hinted clearly in the statements coming out from inside the university raise questions and has been widely criticised.
Former student and students’ rights activist, Haider Butt from the platform of Progressive Student’s Collective wrote that, “We call for a fair investigation into the matter. The investigation should be conducted by an independent committee.”
Mohiba Ahmed, a former graduate and a prominent women’s rights activist, posted on X, “It is unfortunate to witness an important issue of sexual harassment at Government College University Lahore being reduced to dirty university politics.” She recounted how Mehboob Ahmed was notorious for his sexual exploits. “Yet he was never held accountable for his actions,” she lamented. She held HOD Dr Sajjad complicit and stressed that “he should not be allowed near this investigation.”
The investigation into the matter is the key yet the efficacy makes it questionable as the statement from Progressive Students Collective Lahore explains that, “the student body of GCU Lahore has been dealing with the administration’s ineffective anti-harassment committees and the biased result of such committees.”
Reinstating professors allegedly involved in harassment
The bottom line is this dilemma which promotes the predatory behaviour rampant in the educational institutions. In 2018 a student from the batch of 2017-2021 took up the case of a professor from the history department, Saeed Butt, who was accused of passing innuendos and sexual harassment. It took months for the investigation to start, only when the new Vice Chancellor took charge. After a number of students presented their testimonies, the result was not favourable as the professor continued working meanwhile, and even though expelled afterwards, he has resumed working with the change of the administration. This is one example. Lecturer Javaid Bajwa from Physical Education Deaprtment ousted for the allegations of sexual harassment is reinstated as well. It is a proof that the university is at their side.
This one individual has exposed more than what was already out: harassment, manipulation of students, department politics and how the university administration plays party to this perverse behaviour by not condemning the action and the doer.
UN chief Antonio Guterres, on a visit to the doorstep of Gaza, on Saturday said the world has seen enough of the war’s horrors and appealed for a ceasefire to allow in more aid.
‘Palestinians in Gaza—children, women, men—remain stuck in a non-stop nightmare,’ he said on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing where truckloads of aid trickle into Gaza but the population is stalked by ‘hunger and starvation’.
This handout pictured released by the United Nations press office shows UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres meeting with a Palestinian child evacuated from the Gaza Strip receiving treatment at the general hospital in El-Arish in Egypt’s northeastern North Sinai province on March 23, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict in the Palestinian territory between Israel and the militant group Hamas. (Photo by Mark GARTEN / UNITED NATIONS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / UNITED NATIONS – MARK GARTEN” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS – RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / UNITED NATIONS – Mark Garten” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS /
‘I carry the voices of the vast majority of the world who have seen enough,’ Guterres said, deploring ‘communities obliterated, homes demolished, entire families and generations wiped out’.
He reiterated that ‘nothing justifies the horrific attacks by Hamas’ against Israel, triggering the war on October 7.
‘And nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people,’ the United Nations secretary-general said.
Guterres, speaking at a lectern in front of the imposing gates to the Gaza side of Rafah, through which aid trucks pass, said the ‘heartbreak and heartlessness of it all’ were clear.
‘A long line of blocked relief trucks on one side of the gates. The long shadow of starvation on the other,’ which he called ‘a moral outrage.’
Guterres emphasised ‘it is more than time for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire’ and appealed to Israel for ‘total, unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza.’
The UN chief, who makes an annual ‘solidarity mission’ to distressed Muslim communities during their holy fasting month, said that ‘in the Ramadan spirit of compassion, it is also time for the immediate release of all hostages’ captured in the October attacks and still held by militants in Gaza.
Response from Israel
Israel’s foreign minister said Saturday the United Nations had become an ‘anti-Israeli body’ under Antonio Guterres, after the UN chief called for a ceasefire on a visit to Gaza’s border.
International outrage over the heavy civilian toll and humanitarian crisis in Gaza has further worsened the long strained ties between Israel and the world body.
‘Under his (Guterres’s) leadership, the UN has become an anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli body that shelters and emboldens terror,’ Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on social media platform X.
The top Israeli diplomat criticised Guterres, who Katz said ‘stood today on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing and blamed Israel for the humanitarian situation in Gaza’, claiming instead that Hamas militants ‘plunder’ aid.
Katz, whose government has accused staff at the UN agency for Palestinian refugees of involvement in Hamas’s October 7 attack that triggered the war, also said Guterres spoke ‘without calling for the immediate, unconditional release of all Israeli hostages’.
Vote at Security Council
Meanwhile, a vote at the UN Security Council on a new text calling for an ‘immediate’ ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war was postponed to Monday, diplomatic sources told AFP, after a separate, US-lead draft resolution was vetoed.
The United States, Israel’s main ally and military backer, had put forward a resolution mentioning ‘the imperative of an immediate and sustained ceasefire’ and condemning the October 7 attack by Hamas.
Russia and China on Friday vetoed that resolution, which was also opposed by Arab states for stopping short of explicitly demanding Israel immediately end its campaign in Gaza.
The new ceasefire text was meant to go to a vote on Saturday, but was pushed back to allow further discussions, the diplomatic sources said.
The new, tougher draft resolution, seen by AFP, ‘demands an immediate ceasefire’ for the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramadan that leads ‘to a permanent sustainable ceasefire’ respected by all sides.
Eight of the council’s 10 non-permanent members have been working on the draft, which also calls for the ‘immediate and unconditional’ release of hostages seized by Hamas and the lifting of ‘all barriers’ to humanitarian aid flowing into the besieged Gaza Strip.
‘We as (the) Arab Group unanimously endorse and support the draft resolution,’ said Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour, who had denounced the US-led text as biased.
But US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield indicated opposition, saying the resolution would jeopardize ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure the release of hostages—the same reason the United States gave before vetoing previous ceasefire resolutions.
‘In its current form, that text fails to support sensitive diplomacy in the region. Worse, it could actually give Hamas an excuse to walk away from the deal on the table,’ she said.
Friday’s text did not explicitly use the word ‘call,’ but simply stated that a ceasefire was imperative, and linked to ongoing talks, led by Qatar with support from the United States and Egypt, to halt fighting in return for Hamas releasing hostages.
‘If the US is serious about a ceasefire, then please vote in favor of the other draft resolution, clearly calling for a ceasefire,’ China’s representative, Zhang Jun, said.
Veteran actor Mahmood Aslam has shared that he was asked to play Nauman Ijaz’s father, but he turned it down. Recently, Aslam participated in a ‘Life Green Hai’ show Ramazan transmission in which he discussed contemporary dramas and raised objections to the casting of actors. The host asked the actor, “How do you feel when you’re asked to play the dad of actors who are just a few years younger than you?” Aslam said, “I was recently offered the role of Nauman Ijaz’s father, even though he’s just a bit younger than me. So, I refused to take that part.” At the same time, he said to Nadia Khan in a humorous manner, “Look Nadia, please take a stand on these kinds of roles.”
