Tag: topnews

  • Misbah likely to become both chief selector, head coach

    Misbah likely to become both chief selector, head coach

    Former skipper Misbahul Haq has been tipped to play a dual role as both the chief selector and head coach of the Pakistan cricket team under the new model developed by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Dawn News reported Friday.

    According to reports, the selectors and the team management would previously start a blame-game to avoid taking responsibility for any poor show. However, this development is expected to help the board hold a specific authority/person accountable in case of any defeats.

    In this regard, PCB has also appointed Misbah as the camp-commandant for the pre-season training camp being held at National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore from August 22 to September 7.

    The former captain reportedly selected the players for the camp himself and will also coach them during the training session, which will further prove his skills for the dual role that he is likely to be assigned soon.

    PCB Cricket Committee had earlier sacked head coach Mickey Arthur, bowling coach Azhar Mahmood, batting coach Grant Flower and trainer Grant Luden over the national cricket team’s poor performance at the 2019 World Cup.

  • Modi’s Man vs. Wild a monstrous propaganda stunt: The Guardian

    Modi’s Man vs. Wild a monstrous propaganda stunt: The Guardian

    Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s Man vs. Wild moment with Bear Grylls has been termed as a “monstrous propaganda stunt” by The Guardian.

    Modi was seen in a never-seen-before avatar on August 12 when he ventured into his country’s wilderness along with Grylls, the host of Discovery Channel’s popular TV show.

    The channel had issued a statement saying the special episode featuring survivalist and adventurer Grylls and shot in the Uttarakhand’s Jim Corbett National Park with Modi, was a “frank and freewheeling journey”.

    In a clip of the show that was shared by Grylls on his Twitter account last month, PM Modi could be seen riding a small dinghy down a river along with the adventure travel show host.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    In another scene, the Indian premier was seen welcoming Grylls to India and holding up a weapon carved out of bamboo and other material collected from the forest.

    However, according to a review published by The Guardian on Friday, the episode was “the most tasteless TV ever”. The critic went on to say: “Strongmen Bear Grylls and Narendra Modi sniff elephant dung in the wilderness while a terror attack plays out in Kashmir. God help us all.”

    According to reports, the episode was shot on the day when 40 Indian paramilitary troops were killed in the Pulwama terror attack (February 14).

    The tragedy, which was termed as one of the worst to strike Indian occupying forces in the held Kashmir region, was followed by heightened cross-border tensions, including an aerial battle, as India blamed Pakistan.

  • Indian tennis captain seeks ‘safety guarantee’ before travelling to Pakistan

    Indian tennis captain seeks ‘safety guarantee’ before travelling to Pakistan

    Indian tennis captain, Mahesh Bhupathi, has demanded a “safety guarantee” before travelling to Islamabad for next month’s Davis Cup clash against Pakistan.

    The unusual demand comes days after the International Tennis Federation (ITF) responded to another Indian request for the second round of security assessment by a green signal to the safety plan in place.

    “We just want guarantees on safety,” Bhupathi was quoted as saying by reports.

    The All India Tennis Association (AITA) said on Wednesday they had written to the sport’s governing body once again asking them to shift the tie to a neutral venue or to postpone it for a couple of months until tensions simmer down.

    In reaction to New Delhi’s unilateral action to abrogate Article 370 of the constitution and strip occupied Kashmir of its special status, Pakistan last week asked Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria to leave, suspended bilateral trade and all public transport links with India.

    Tensions are soaring on both sides of the border ever since.

    ITF has already responded to a previous AITA request, saying they were satisfied with the current safety plan in place in Islamabad.

    The AITA has named a six-member squad under Bhupathi for the September 14-15 tie. The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men’s tennis. It is run by the ITF and is contested annually between teams from competing countries in a knock-out format.

  • Indian media falls for Pakistani meme, fact checks Arya Stark’s picture as ‘Kashmiri girl’

    Indian media falls for Pakistani meme, fact checks Arya Stark’s picture as ‘Kashmiri girl’

    Amid the ongoing unrest in held Kashmir, a viral picture of Game of Thrones (GoT) character Arya Stark being portrayed as a Kashmiri girl, has been fact-checked by Indian media.

    As per the details, the image was first shared by a Twitter handle, “Fan of Zaidu”, mentioning Arya — played by Maisie Williams — as a Kashmiri girl “who had gone blind after being hit by a pellet gun”.

    https://twitter.com/TheZaiduLeaks/status/1157727539873402882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1157727539873402882&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewsmobile.in%2Farticles%2F2019%2F08%2F14%2Fpicture-of-gots-arya-stark-shared-as-kashmiri-girl-heres-the-fact-check%2F

    It wasn’t later that the image took the micro-blogging website by storm.

    Despite the handle clearly stating that its tweets are nothing but satire and “100% fake”, Indian media has started doing fact checks over the image, claiming that Pakistan’s premium intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was “leading the propaganda campaign against India”.

    Moreover, a noted Indian scholar and activist, Madhu Kishwar, has retweeted the image and asked Fact Check India to “confirm if it is real”.

    India TV Editor-In-Chief Rajat Sharma has also accused Pakistan of spreading false propaganda.

    https://twitter.com/TheZaiduLeaks/status/1161722132214308864

    The image comes as tensions soar on either side of the border ever since India robbed occupied Kashmir of its special status. Pakistan fears the move can lead to a Muslim genocide in the troubled valley.

  • VIDEO: Humiliation for India as soldier slips during Wagah ceremony on Independence Day

    VIDEO: Humiliation for India as soldier slips during Wagah ceremony on Independence Day

    India has yet again faced humiliation at the Wagah Border as one of its soldiers participating in the daily lowering of the flags ceremony slipped in front of the crowd on Pakistan’s Independence Day.

    The ceremony at the Wagah-Attari Border is a daily military practice that the security forces of Pakistan and India have jointly followed since 1959.

    Fervour was at its peak as military personnel of both countries, amid soaring tensions, started performing in front of a mammoth crowd on both sides of the border on Wednesday.

    Things, however, took a comical turn when the Indian soldier leading his side couldn’t maintain his balance and slipped.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    A video of the incident went viral over the internet, reacting to which Pakistanis asked if “these soldiers will steal Kashmir from us”.

    https://twitter.com/SyedAsad299/status/1161619036062519297

    Earlier, Pakistan celebrated its 73rd Independence Day as Kashmir Solidarity Day to express support to Kashmiris in their struggle against Indian occupying forces.

    New Delhi had earlier this month robbed Kashmir of its special status, paving way for a Muslim genocide in the disputed valley. Islamabad fears the development can lead to major demographic transformations in the region and affect Kashmiris’ struggle for their right to self-determination.

  • Abhinandan to be awarded one of India’s highest bravery awards

    Abhinandan to be awarded one of India’s highest bravery awards

    Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman of the Indian Air Force (IAF), who was arrested after being shot down by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) over intrusion in February 2019, will be conferred with the Vir Chakra, India’s third-highest wartime medal.

    According to media reports, Abhinandan’s name was recommended by the IAF for the gallantry awards annually conferred upon on India’s Independence Day.

    Meanwhile, Indian media has claimed that the IAF pilot was shot down because he could not hear instructions asking him to turn back after his communications system was jammed by Pakistan.

    “If his MiG-21 Bison had been equipped with anti-jamming technology, Abhinandan may have turned around when instructed to,” a report claimed, adding that it would have prevented him from being shot down and taken captive by Pakistan.

    Abhinandan was shot down during a dogfight with PAF jets on February 27 as tensions soared following the February 14 Pulwama attack. He was handed over by Pakistan to India at the Wagah-Attari border crossing on March 1 as a peace gesture.

  • Did PEMRA just ban Knorr Noodles and Surf Excel Ads?

    Did PEMRA just ban Knorr Noodles and Surf Excel Ads?

    Yes, it sure did. Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regulation Authority (PEMRA) has banned Pakistani television channels from airing advertisements with Indian actors, characters and talent because of the recent escalation of Indian aggression in occupied Kashmir.

    PEMRA’s notice via twitter

    But wait a minute. How are Safeguard soap, Surf Excel, Dettol, Knorr Noodles and Fogg Body Spray ads Indian? Although PEMRA doesn’t clarify which ads have Indian actors and talent they have also banned ads that have “various products of multinationals , which are either produced in India or carrying Indian characters…” suggesting that the list of products/companies they have provided might have had content produced in India.

    This is the perfect opportunity for ad agencies to pitch to the companies listed since the ban will stay in affect until the ads are replaced by ones produced in Pakistan. PEMRA also says that if TV channels continue to air the ads, legal action will be taken against them and the TV channel’s license can be suspended.

  • Gandapur announces heading to LoC, leading from front if war breaks out

    Gandapur announces heading to LoC, leading from front if war breaks out

    As tensions soar on either side of the border, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has announced heading to the Line of Control (LoC) and leading from the front if a war breaks out.

    Heavy troop movements reportedly continue along the LoC in both Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and the Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) after India revoked Article 370 of its constitution last Monday.

    The move that snatched away the disputed territory’s autonomy, can lead to the ethnic cleansing of Muslims and ultimately result in the transformation of the region into majority-Hindu.

    READ: Articles 370 and 35A explained

    Speaking to a private media outlet, Gandapur on Friday eulogised those who had laid their lives for the Kashmir cause and said that if India imposed war, he would be in the forefront in fighting the occupying forces.

    “The entire nation stands in solidarity with Kashmir and if needs be, I will head to the LoC to fight the war,” the minister added.

    In an earlier statement, Gandapur had said that Kashmir was the country’s jugular vein and every Pakistani was ready to fight for it till death. He had further said that the country’s armed forces were ready to befittingly respond to any Indian misadventures.

  • Shehre Khamoshan founder seeks donations to run model graveyards

    Shehre Khamoshan founder seeks donations to run model graveyards

    International public policy and gender reforms specialist Salman Sufi has appealed to the masses to donate for the well-being of hundreds of Punjab Shehre Khamoshan Authority (PSKA) staffers, working unpaid for months.

    Lahore’s Shehre Khamoshan Model Graveyard, an initiative of chief minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit (SRU), contains all burial and funeral-related services required by families facing the loss of a loved one.

    These include hearse service, janazgah, ghusal and mortuary services, free of cost.

    While the project was considered a milestone achieved in facilitating the masses as it aimed to establish cemeteries and crematoriums to facilitate all citizens irrespective of any religious, socio-economic or caste-wise distinctions, it continues to face an uncertain future as its employees remain unpaid amid “lack of funds”.

    Continuing to highlight PKSA employees’ ordeal over the past few months, ex-SRU director general (DG) and founder of the project, Salman Sufi, has now appealed for donations for the staff.

    Tweeting his video message, Sufi wrote:

    In an earlier tweet, he had stated:

    “The government is not stepping in to solve the issue, therefore we are [now] collecting donations from people,” he tweeted.

  • Kashmir crisis: Russia steps up to support India

    Kashmir crisis: Russia steps up to support India

    Russia has come out in support of India’s move to revoke Article 370 of its constitution and integrate occupied Kashmir, which can lead to the ethnic cleansing of Muslims and transform the region into majority-Hindu.

    According to media reports, Moscow has become the first among the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to formally state that abrogation of the provision is “an internal matter for India”.

    “Moscow expects that Pakistan and India will not allow aggravation of the situation in the region due to the change by New Delhi in the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir,” Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was quoted as saying.

    “We proceed from the fact that the changes associated with the change in the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir are within the framework of the Constitution of the Republic of India,” it said.

    The ministry further said that Russia was a consistent supporter of peace between the two neighbouring countries.

    “We hope that the differences between them will be resolved by political and diplomatic means on a bilateral basis in accordance with the provisions of the Shimla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999.”

    Tensions are soaring between Pakistan and India after New Delhi on Monday revoked Article 370, which gave special status to held Kashmir and moved a separate bill to split the state into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

    Pakistan believes the move, other than snatching away occupied Kashmir’s autonomy, can pave way for a Muslim genocide as it allows people from all over India to settle in the disputed territory which could result in a massive demographic shift.