Tag: Top News

  • Pervaiz Elahi ko humnay aisay rakha hai jaisay handi mein masala, says Fawad Chaudhry

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry spoke disparagingly against party president Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

    Fawad Chaudhry said that Elahi is not a public favourite, rather he is someone who does politics with the powerful.

    Fawad further said that every party has a ‘handi’ [cooked dish] in which different spices are added, and he [Pervaiz Elahi] is also an important spice.

    It is pertinent to mention here that the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Elahi, has recently parted ways with Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and joined PTI.

    The rift between Elahi and Chaudhry seems to continue as in the past the party president had spoken in favour of Fawad’s arrest and later apologised for his statement.

  • Maryam Nawaz to unmask Khan’s handlers next week: report

    Maryam Nawaz to unmask Khan’s handlers next week: report

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President and chief organiser Maryam Nawaz will unveil the identities of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s local and international handlers next week. 

    According to media reports, Maryam Nawaz will address a rally in Kasur on Monday, where she will reveal the facts.

    Earlier, addressing a PML-N workers’ convention in Rawalpindi, Maryam said that certain people were still supporting Khan as he did not appear before courts while hearings against him were being delayed.

    She said she was not talking about honest judges but those who were part of the Lt General (retd) Faiz Hameed legacy.

    Maryam said that while Khan could go to Rawalpindi for his party’s gathering with his injured leg, he “cannot appear before the court”.

    While addressing the crowd during her party’s convention in Gujranwala, Maryam claimed that the “facilitators” still wanted to save a person [Imran Khan] who had “already drowned”. 

    “I want to ask the facilitators why they want to save a person because of whom the country’s fate has sunk. That person drowned himself, but why are you people bent on [losing] your jobs?” she said.

  • ‘Celebrate artists while they are alive’; Yasir Hussain on Qavi Khan’s posthumous Nishan-e-Imtiaz

    ‘Celebrate artists while they are alive’; Yasir Hussain on Qavi Khan’s posthumous Nishan-e-Imtiaz

    Actor Yasir Hussain has talked about the recent posthumous Nishan-e-Imtiaz awarded to Qavi Khan, who passed away in March this year after a prolonged illness.

    Hussain shared a screenshot of the award on Instagram and quoted lines from the celebrated poem ‘Hamesha Dair Kardeta Hoon’ by Muneer Niazi.

    He also write that the Pakistani government should celebrate their actors while they are alive and acknowledge their contributions to the industry:

    “You came late, but was necessary to happen. Celebrate the actors who are above 50 and acknowledge the contributions they have made. What will you do with keeping them to yourself?”

  • Afghanistan hails maiden T20 win against Pakistan

    Afghanistan hails maiden T20 win against Pakistan

    Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has shown concerns over the top order batters of his team even after a maiden win against Pakistan in the series opener T20 on Friday night in Sharjah.

    Rashid said that their top order needs to improve their strategy for the upcoming 50 overs World Cup.

    Rashid and his teammates won their maiden T20 by thrashing a new-look Pakistani team, which was missing most of its stars who had opted to rest after the conclusion of a hectic Pakistan Super League.

    They restricted the young Pakistan side, led by Shadab Khan, to 92-9 and chased down the target with 13 balls to spare with Mohammad Nabi making an unbeaten 38 in the low-scoring contest to go with his two wickets with the ball.

    In the post-match conversation, Rashid said that it was his dream to beat Pakistan and it’s a pleasure to win against them. “We always lost against them previously, sometimes with a very low margin,” the Afghan captain said.

    “Happy for the win, and we hope to continue the momentum,” he stated.

    It was not an easy chase though as Afghanistan slumped to 27-3 before Nabi rescued them.

    Rashid said that their top order needed to perform better in the ongoing three-match series and maintain form heading into the ODI World Cup in October-November.

    “We need to improve not just for this series but as we get to the World Cup,” Rashid said.

    “From now on, we need to put effort day by day and game by game, so that by the end of the year, when we go for the World Cup, we’ll have a fully prepared squad.”

    The second T20 is scheduled for Sunday.

  • Pakistan will boycott Asia Cup if it’s deprived from hosting

    Pakistan will boycott Asia Cup if it’s deprived from hosting

    Pakistan has threatened to boycott Asia Cup 2023 if it is deprived of hosting duties.

    Dealing with an aggressive Indian campaign to put the tournament out of the host country’s reach, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has proposed to the Asian Cricket Council a hybrid model to ensure Indian team’s Participation.

    Under this proposed model, other teams would play their matches in Pakistan, while the Indiam team would play their matches in another country.
    The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to play in UAE due to concerns about hot weather and instead suggested Sri Lanka as a potential host country.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan put forward Oman as an alternative option. England was also be considered as a possible venue, although it is in another continent. Talks are progressing rapidly and a final schedule is expected to be released within the next 4-5 days.

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) did not accept the suggestion of swapping the host country to another location. Taking a strong stance regarding the upcoming World Cup, PCB has insisted that if the Indian team does not participate in the Asia Cup, the Pakistan team will not travel to India for the World Cup.

    There have been discussions about potentially withdrawing Pakistan from hosting the Asia Cup and replacing it with Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, with the hope that in two years’ time, relations between India and Pakistan may have improved, and the Asia Cup could be held in Pakistan once again.
    However, in order to withdraw from hosting the Asia Cup and replacing it with Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, PCB officials strongly rejected the proposal and stated that if this were to be done, the event should be organized without Pakistan’s participation.

    Despite the potential financial loss, Pakistan emphasized the importance of taking care of the sentiments of their fans rather than the monetary aspect.

    Additionally, the country has already earned significant revenue from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and would not agree to a complete shift of the Asia Cup to a neutral venue.

    During a meeting, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expressed their understanding of India’s concerns but urged for a solution to be found as important events such as the World Cup and Champions Trophy are approaching.

  • PM, president awaken spirit of service as nation celebrates Pakistan Day

    Amidst political turmoil, the 83rd Pakistan Day is being celebrated on Thursday.

    Pakistan Day is the celebration of the passing of the Lahore Resolution on March 23, 1940, when the All-India Muslim League demanded a separate nation for the Muslims of the British Indian Empire.

    According to Radio Pakistan, the day started off with a 31-gun salute in the federal capital and a 21-gun salute in provincial capitals.

    A change of guards ceremony was also held at the mausoleums of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal in Karachi and Lahore, respectively.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif gave a message to the country, urging the nation to pay tribute to the sacrifices of the country’s founding fathers but stressed not to lose sight of the challenges staring the country in the face.

    “The challenges are topped by a combination of economic instability and the inability to settle the rules of the game. An environment of political chaos explains why we have failed to develop our economy on a sustainable basis,” said the PM.

    The premier said that for Pakistan to “achieve great heights”, the countrymen will “have to forge unity in our ranks, equip ourselves with national purpose and vow to wage a struggle in line with the legacy of our forefathers”.

    “Today the nation pays homage to Pakistan’s founding fathers for their political wisdom, sagacity & determination to wage a relentless struggle for a separate homeland,” the premier tweeted.

    In his message to the nation, President Dr Arif Alvi recalled that the country established state institutions, made its defence impregnable, achieved nuclear deterrence, curbed terrorism, overcame the Covid-19 pandemic, and displayed the spirit of sacrifice and cooperation in the face of natural calamities.

    However, he said, we still have a long way to go to ensure the rule of law, strengthen democracy, reduce inequalities in our society, empower women, provide the rights of persons with disabilities, eradicate terrorism and extremism, ensure the political and economic stability of the country, and protect the human rights of our citizens.

    Today, we pay tribute to the founding fathers of our nation whose struggles and sacrifices led to the creation of Pakistan, he said.

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also conveyed his wishes to the citizens on the occasion.

    In a tweet posted on Thursday, he wished for the country to “grow, prosper and thrive in peace and harmony consistent with the vision of our founding fathers”.

  • What was happening when the earthquake came in Pakistan?

    What was happening when the earthquake came in Pakistan?

    A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake jolted parts of Pakistan on Tuesday night.

    The epicentre of the earthquake was Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region, while its depth was 180 kilometres, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

    According to reports, tremors were felt in Islamabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lahore, DI Khan, Swabi, Bahawalpur, Quetta, Parachinar, Skardu and other cities of the country. 

    The tremors continued for 30 seconds, and people came out of their homes in panic.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif ordered the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and other institutions to be ready to deal with any emergency.

    Below are scenes as to what was happening in different parts of the country when the earthquake came in Pakistan.

  • Khan agrees to sit with rivals for ‘greater national consensus’

    Khan agrees to sit with rivals for ‘greater national consensus’

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has agreed to sit with rival political parties for “greater national consensus” on elections.

    To try and defuse political tensions in the country, a delegation of civil society members called on the former prime minister on Tuesday evening. Calling themselves “mediators”, the group convinced Khan to agree to talks.

    Speaking about the matter, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said, “The civil society has spoken to Imran Khan and he has agreed to be part of the multi-party conference (MPC) to develop a consensus on the elections date and the process that leads to polls.”

    Speaking with Dawn, an individual who was part of the meeting said, “The civil society initiative and its acceptance by Imran Khan has come after some of the [party] leaders realised that the current confrontational strategy had the former ruling party in a bind.”

     “We are ready to talk to everyone for elections. We are peaceful people, with only one demand: hold elections,” said Pervaiz Khattak, former defence minister.

    The Pakistan Bar Council has agreed to host the MPC if “major political parties respond to this call”.

  • Harbhajan Singh says if Imran Khan is not safe in Pakistan then Indian team shouldn’t travel there

    Harbhajan Singh says if Imran Khan is not safe in Pakistan then Indian team shouldn’t travel there

    Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has voiced concerns over the Indian team travelling to Pakistan for the upcoming Asia Cup.

    Pakistan and India have locked horns over Asia Cup with Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) threatening Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that they will not travel to the host country for Asia Cup amid security reasons.

    BCCI has proposed to Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to select a neutral venue for the tournament but PCB has stuck to its guns, stating that that they will also boycott travelling to India for the upcoming World Cup.

    Former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh expressed his views on the matter in a recent interview, where he cited the current political crisis in Pakistan as reason enough for India to not go.

    He was of the view that going to play in the neighboring country would not be safe for the Indian team, stating that the relationships between the two countries were not as good now as they were when both teams played a series last time.

    He also referred to former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s repeated assertions about threats to his life as proof enough that Pakistan was not safe.

    “I think India will not go to Pakistan and play the Asia Cup. Why is the situation not good? Something new is happening every day, even their former Prime Minister Imran Khan is not safe in Pakistan. In such a situation, why would the Indian team go to Pakistan and play in the Asia Cup,” he said.

    There is no clarity about the venue of the Asia Cup marquee tournament as yet.

  • ‘Breaking of my gate was a clear violation of sanctity of chadar and chardiwari’: Khan writes to CJP Bandial

    ‘Breaking of my gate was a clear violation of sanctity of chadar and chardiwari’: Khan writes to CJP Bandial

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has written a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Tuesday, claiming that the events of Saturday — when his house was raided by the Punjab Police while he was at Islamabad Judicial Complex for his court hearing in the Toshakhana case — were evidence that a plot to assassinate him was afoot.

    “With no security provided to me and with one assassination plot already attempted against my life in Wazirabad, I have been placing my life at risk every time I have to make a court appearance,” wrote Khan.

    Imran Khan, in his letter, stated that his life is risk so he has been consistently requesting for video link facility from courts for multiple court appearances.

    “When we arrived in Islamabad and were moving towards the judicial complex, we were trapped on all sides by containers to block my arrival at the complex and before the magistrate to deliberately try and create a false situation of no show”.

    “To provoke the mass of people gathered in support, the police and Rangers resorted to tear gas and baton charge against ordinary unarmed citizens and the PTI leadership accompanying me. What was worse was the police stationed on the roof of the complex started hurling stones into the crowds (videos are all available). When I was halfway through the gate of the complex the police attacked the workers around my car without any provocation.”

    Khan added that while PTI lawyers were not allowed inside the complex and “beaten back from the door”, about 20 or more unknown (Namaloom) people — who were neither wearing any uniforms nor had any identity displayed — were allowed inside. “This was clearly done to allow them to assassinate me.”

    “While I was facing all this in Islamabad, my house was assaulted in Zaman Park by the Punjab police in complete violation of the orders passed by the Honourable Lahore High Court.”

    Khan talking about his wife, Bushra Bibi — a very private, non-political person — was alone in the house at that time with a couple of domestic staff members, wrote: “The breaking of my gate and illegal entry by a group of armed police was also a clear violation of the Islamic principle of sanctity of chadar and chardiwari.”

    He concluded his letter with the request of a “proper investigation” be conducted into these events.

    However, after blaming namaloom afrad [unknown people] Khan deleted a tweet from his Twitter account, where he had posted a video of a man alleged to be a PTI worker, whom he mistook for being one of the people present there to attack him.