Tag: Top News

  • Ayesha Omar shines in ‘Dhai Chaal’; Brace yourself for an exciting espionage thriller

    Ayesha Omar shines in ‘Dhai Chaal’; Brace yourself for an exciting espionage thriller

    Ayesha Omar is all set to sparkle in the film ‘Dhai Chaal’ where she’s taking on the role of a high-profile journalist unraveling the story of Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav’s conviction in Pakistan. Ayesha’s versatility and enthusiasm for the project shine through while she got to experience working in Quetta.

    The film’s producer, Dr. Irfan, played a crucial role in convincing Ayesha to embrace the character, and she saw working with a new team as an exhilarating adventure.

    On X (formerly Twitter) there is a tweet urging Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar to watch ‘Dhai Chaal’ as it counters Indian-sponsored terrorism in Balochistan. It’s great to see independent productions shedding light on untold stories.

  • Rao Anwar targets Asif Zardari in new interview

    Rao Anwar targets Asif Zardari in new interview

    The controversial former Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir, Rao Anwar, has targeted former President and co-chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari in an interview, offering details of alleged corruption within the Sindh government.

    Talking to SAMAA, Rao Anwar claimed that Asif Ali Zardari was involved in corruption of RS 700 billion, stating, “Asif Ali Zardari is the king of the system mafia. In the last five years, 700 billion rupees have been laundered outside Pakistan.”

    He also disclosed that after 2013, Sindh police had also been involved in seizing individuals’ land. He criticised the Sindh government, saying that instead of controlling crimes in Karachi and interior Sindh, they were busy doing other activities.

    Rao, one of the most contentious police officers in Karachi, retired in 2019, mired in allegations of extra judicial murder among other serious charges. He had been charged with carrying out fake encounters and involvement in corrupt practices, including orchestrating the murder of Naqeebullah Mehsud, an aspiring model from Waziristan. Later, an anti-terrorism court acquitted the former SSP.

  • 100 million to be spent on upgradation of 84 police stations in Lahore

    100 million to be spent on upgradation of 84 police stations in Lahore

    Lahore police has released a huge sum of Rs 100 million out of a total of 190 million allocated for the establishment of the Special Initiative Police Stations(SIPs) in the Lahore region.

    To eradicate ‘thana culture’, the department has planned to introduce modern technology and smart idea-based model police stations to provide citizens quick relief and increase trust levels between the public and the police.

    The Police department has announced establishing division-wise committees under the supervision of the respective SPs of the operations wing, making the sub-divisional police officers (SDPOs), station house officers (SHOs), and the muharrars their respective members. This will ensure transparency in the utilisation of the funds released by the Punjab government for the upgrade of all 84 Lahore police stations.

    The project, the brainchild of Punjab Police IG Dr Usman Anwar, will involve converting all 735 police stations of the province, including 84 in Lahore, into the Special Initiative Police Stations. Caretaker setup in Punjab allocated Rs1.9 billion, including Rs190 million (19 crore) for Lahore SIPs. Out of the total allocated amount, Rs60 million (6 crore) will go to the taxes while the rest amount of Rs30 million (3 crore) will also be released in the weeks to come.

    According to the scheme, Two LCDs each will be installed in the lobby (the space for the citizens) and in the offices of the SHOs. the cameras will be installed outside the bars to monitor the activities of the suspects, in the office of the SHOs, and at the front desks of the police stations.
    Each police station will house a control room and Qmatic system to facilitate the citizens.

    Out of the total of 84 police stations, the buildings of the three police stations — Mozang, Hanjarwal and the Civil Lines — have been completed and inaugurated.

    The 70 percent of the total civil work of the rest of the buildings of the police stations is near completion, the official said.

    Talking to Dawn, Lahore Operations DIG Ali Nasir Rizvi suggested that the Lahore police department would submit a request to the Punjab government through the IG office to provide Rs70 million additional amount to meet expenses.

  • Much-awaited wintery winds about to hit Karachi

    Much-awaited wintery winds about to hit Karachi

    Karachi experienced the coldest night of the season so far after the temperature dropped to 13.5°C in the port city on December 8. The temperature is likely to drop further in the coming days as a new wave of cold winds will enter the country from December 15, reports Geo.

    According to weather analyst Owais Haider, the minimum temperature is expected to remain at 12 to 14°C during the next ten days in Karachi. Winds blowing in from the Northeast will worsen air quality. However, there is no chance of rain in the next 10 days, while humidity levels will remain between 50 to 60 percent during the day, he said.

    According to the monthly report issued by the Meteorological Department, normal to slightly above rainfall (snowfall over the high mountain) is likely to happen in most parts of the country, particularly the central parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during the current month.

    It said nearly normal precipitation is likely over most parts of the country particularly Sindh during January.

    “In February 2024, normal to slightly above normal precipitation is expected over most parts of the country particularly the upper Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the report said.

  • IPP will provide a list of constituencies to PML-N for seat adjustments today

    IPP will provide a list of constituencies to PML-N for seat adjustments today

    The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) has made a list of constituencies of national and provincial assembly seats where it wants seat settlement with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), as per a report in The News.

    A source revealed to The News that the IPP committee, in which Ishaq Khakwani, Awn Chaudhry, and Nauman Langrial are included, has made a list of candidates which will be provided to PML-N on Monday.

    As the country gears up for general elections, political parties are making alliances with multiple political stakeholders to win the forthcoming polls on February 8 next year.

    PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif met with the IPP’s patron chief, Jahangir Tareen in Lahore a few weeks ago, to discuss the issue of seat adjustment in the upcoming general elections, which are going to be held on February 8, 2024.

    According to multiple media reports, the IPP wants seat adjustments with PML-N on 20 National Assembly (NA) seats and 44 Provincial Assembly (Punjab) seats.

    However, sources in the IPP claimed that the figures reported by different TV channels were exaggerated and that the party will ask for seat adjustments in about eight to 10 NA constituencies and 15 to 20 PA constituencies.

  • Delhi’s Zafar Mahal mausoleum vandalised by miscreants

    Delhi’s Zafar Mahal mausoleum vandalised by miscreants

    Zafar Mahal, a historical monument in Delhi’s Mehrauli village, has been vandalized by unknown miscreants in India, damaging part of the jaali (lattice screen) in front of the tombs of three Mughal emperors and Bahadur Shah Zafar’s empty tomb.

    The incident was reported by Sunit Arora, a journalist, who visited the site. He was informed by the guard that the vandalism took place eight days ago, and no action has been taken by the authorities so far.

    Zafar Mahal is an ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) protected monument and is one of the last remnants of the architectural legacy of the Mughals in India. The palace is associated with the festival of Sair-e-Gul Faroshan, initiated by Bahadur Shah Zafar, to honour the Sufi saint Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, whose dargah is also located nearby.

    However, Zafar Mahal is in a state of neglect, with minimal maintenance and frequent vandalism. The jaali, which is now spoilt, was a fine example of the Pachin Kari (inlay work) technique.

    Indian tombs of Mughal emperors, including Akbar Shah II, Shah Alam II, and Mirza Fakhruddin, also stand in a deteriorated condition inside the Mehrauli Archaeological Park.

    Art historian William Dalrymple criticised the ASI for its neglect.

    Twitter user Tamjeed Ahmed said that, “ASI earlier said they will restore Zafar Mahal in October but they never did!”

    However, poet Rafiq Kathwari, was reminded of Babri Mosque, as he said, “If they can do Babri, the worst is yet to be.”

    Another user pointed out that “unfortunately, far too many Indian visitors are extremely disrespectful of our ancient monuments”.

    Meanwhile, a user posted a pictorial comparison of the tomb of the past and the present.

  • White House approves ’emergency’ sale of tanks to Israel amidst war on Gaza

    White House approves ’emergency’ sale of tanks to Israel amidst war on Gaza

    The US State Department has approved the emergency sale to Israel of nearly 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition, it said Saturday.

    The department said it had notified Congress on Friday of a sale of 13,981 high-explosive 120mm tank cartridges and related equipment worth $106.5 million.

    That sale, while relatively small, comes amid heated political debate over the Gaza war, with Republicans slowing a far larger Biden administration request for new military spending for Israel and Ukraine, and Democrats divided over the use of US weaponry against Palestinian civilians.

    The State Department said the secretary of state had determined that “an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to the Government of Israel” of the weaponry, thereby waiving the normal requirement of Congressional review.

    The statement said the sale, from US Army inventory, would be used by Israel “as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense” and would “not alter the basic military balance in the region.”

    On Wednesday, Republican senators blocked a White House request for $106 billion in emergency aid primarily for Ukraine and Israel as conservatives balked at the exclusion of immigration reforms they had demanded.

    The package would include roughly $60 billion to help Ukraine in its war with Russia and $10 billion for Israel in its conflict with Hamas, as well as aid for Taiwan.

    With the death toll in Gaza steadily mounting, meantime, some Democrats have strongly urged Israel to carry out a more targeted offensive against Hamas targets and limit civilian casualties.

  • Nawaz Sharif wants those who removed him as prime minister to pay the price

    Nawaz Sharif wants those who removed him as prime minister to pay the price

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif repeated that he wants those who removed him as prime minister to be held accountable.

    “The country was thriving from 2013 to 2017 and the economy was better; however, good people were thrown out and Pakistan was handed to clumsy people,” said the PML-N chief while addressing the party’s parliamentary board meeting in Lahore.

    For the second consecutive day, the PML-N leader has emphasised the need for holding accountable those responsible for his removal since his return to the country in October, following a four-year self-imposed exile in London.

    The day before, when addressing PML-N ticket holders, he accused former generals and judges of filing baseless cases against him and causing harm to the country.

    Nawaz started his address today by expressing that, despite being physically distant, he remained deeply connected to the party members emotionally. He emphasised that he consistently kept his friends and companions in his thoughts.

    “During our time, the economy was better and development was at its peak. We still pray that the country is steered out of difficulties,” said the PML-N supremo.

  • Seat adjustment between PML-N and Jahangir Tareen’s party

    Seat adjustment between PML-N and Jahangir Tareen’s party

    As the political parties gear up for the upcoming elections scheduled for February 8, 2024, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) made another political alliance with the Jahangir Tareen-led Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).

    Geo News reported that a significant political development occurred following a meeting between PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and IPP patron-in-chief Tareen on Thursday at Shehbaz Sharif’s residence in Model Town, Lahore.

    At the meeting, which was also attended by PML-N members Rana Sanaullah, Ayaz Sadiq, and IPP’s Awn Chaudhry, both parties deliberated on the current political situation in the country and explored the possibilities of collaborating on seat adjustments for the forthcoming general elections.

    Sources said that the two parties have agreed on seat adjustments for the February 8 polls.

    However, details regarding the number of seats will be finalised in meetings later, a source claimed.

    The development comes after a political agreement between the PML-N and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), when PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif visited the residence of PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in Lahore after a 15 years.

  • Fans do not like Bollywood star-kids Netflix film The Archies

    Fans do not like Bollywood star-kids Netflix film The Archies

    Netflix’s The Archies, a launch pad for Shahrukh Khan’s daughter Suhana, Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda, the late Sri Devi’s daughter, Khushi, has just been released on Netflix. The film made headlines for its close-to-the-original comic depiction but after its release on December 7, the film has mostly been planned, especially on Twitter. Netizens have varying things to say, most of them, uncomplimentary.

    Critics like Sucharita said the movie felt like a whole lot of nothing.

    One user said that the movie was cute. “The actors aren’t the best but they all look gorgeous”.

    Others outrightly criticised the film as “pathetic” and a “disgusting display of nepotism”.

    The meme brigade actively took part in roasting the film as one user posted, “If you’re struggling with heart problems, don’t watch this series. These kids’ acting might just trigger a heart attack, and I don’t think even CPR could save you from that drama!”

    One user was also reminded of Abhishek Bachchan while seeing Agastya.

    Some criticised that the new actors were not given due credit even though they performed better.

    Others are strongly criticising the promotional PR as a waste of money.