Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur can play a significant role in engagement between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the establishment, The News’ senior journalist Ansar Abbasi has reported.
Informed sources told The News that Gandapur’s behaviour was entirely different to his usual outspoken self during the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) meeting, as compared to his attitude while addressing public gatherings.
He behaved very calmly during his interaction with the federal government, The News reported on Tuesday.
On Monday, during a joint press conference along with the interior minister Mohsin Naqvi and power minister Owais Leghari, Gandapur stressed that his political activities should be kept separate from his administrative duties. He further stated in a presser that he is ready to work with the federal government to resolve the issues faced by KP.
The chief minister also conveyed the message of PTI founder Imran Khan: “We do not have any conflict with institutions, there is no disagreement with the governor’s policy, and we will have to negotiate on the issues and rights of the province.”
“He is cooperative, he positively takes part in discussions on issues of national interest and never engages in any sort of conflict,” a source who has attended a few such federal-level meetings revealed about the conduct of the KP chief minister.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Sheikh Rohale Asghar recently appeared in an interview on WE News in which he revealed that PM Shehbaz didn’t like his traditional dress (Dhoti kurta).
“PM Shehbaz strongly complains about my clothes and even told me to change the attire but I refused,” said the PML-N leader.
He further said, “I’m not a servant of Shehbaz Sharif. I am Sheikh Rohale Asghar son of Muhammad Asghar and I have my own identity.”
Asghar also stated that Nawaz Sharif likes his dressing style but Shehbaz Sharif has complained to him multiple times about his laacha.
Does this mean that Shehbaz Sharif never wears a dhoti? That would be strange as after all, it is the traditional rural attire of the province he governed twice.
Videos of enraged protestors setting fire to the Israeli embassy in Mexico City have emerged online.
The protest was a reaction to the massacre carried out by Israel in Rafah where displaced people’s tents were burnt down, leaving at least 45 refugees dead and hundreds injured.
BREAKING NEWS: Protesters have just set fire to the Israeli embassy in Mexico City. pic.twitter.com/pDtB990mjn
— Karim Wafa-Al Hussaini (@DrKarimWafa) May 29, 2024
In the capital of Mexico, Mexico City, about 200 people gathered outside the embassy in a demonstration called “Urgent Action for Rafah”. Protesters covered their faces and threw stones at the police blocking their path to the Israeli Embassy.
Demonstrators clash with the police in front of the Israeli embassy in Mexico City. [Pedro Pardo/AFP]A man with Palestine flags painted on his face attends the pro-Palestinian rally. [Pedro Pardo/AFP] Demonstrators shouted slogans during the pro-Palestinian “Urgent action for Rafah” rally. [Pedro Pardo/AFP]Protesters tried to break down barriers preventing them from reaching the Israeli mission. [Pedro Pardo/AFP]Police officers deployed tear gas and threw back the stones hurled at them by protesters. [Pedro Pardo/AFP]About 200 people joined the demonstration. [Pedro Pardo/AFP]
After the Islamabad High Court (IHC) was informed about the whereabouts of missing Kashmiri poet Ahmad Farhad, his family met him at a police station in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Wednesday.
Earlier, the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP), Mansoor Usman Awan, told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that Kasmiri poet Ahmad Farhad had been found in the custody of Azad Jammu and Kashmir police.
Farhad’s wife Urooj Zainab requested the IHC to identify, investigate, and prosecute those responsible for her husband’s disappearance.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the petition filed by Urooj Zainab, while human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari is Zainab’s counsel in the case.
A report by the DhirKot Kashmir police station was also presented before the court.
During a hearing held on May 21, the AGP assured the court of efforts on the safe recovery of the missing poet.
“[We] will do whatever it takes. [We] will rescue and recover [Farhad],” the AGP said while addressing the IHC judge and taking the responsibility to look into the matter.
However, Justice Kayani directed the AGP to make sure that “no one gets picked up from Islamabad.”
A team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has raided Bahria Town’s Rawalpindi office on Tuesday, initiating an investigation into irregularities in the property conglomerate.
SAMAA TV reported that an investigation has been initiated on Bahria Enclave land, and the land, which was given by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for a zoo, is now under inspection. The anti-graft watchdog team raided the Bahria Town office in Rawalpindi to take records into custody.
Informed sources told SAMAA that the NAB team stayed at the Bahria Town office for more than two hours, confiscating crucial data, including files of multiple housing projects and other important records.
During the raid, the anti-graft watchdog team retrieved digital evidence and data from computers.
Police officials and elite personnel were also with the NAB team during the raid.
The NAB team will investigate the land of Bahria Enclave and wrongdoings in the attainment of all the lands of Bahria Town.
ASP Shehar Bano has been appointed as the personal security officer of Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
Naqvi will perform duties as PSO of Mohsin Naqvi, says the notification issued by the Ministry of Interior.
She was previously working as Assistant Director of the Intelligence Bureau.
In February 2024, Shahar Bano Naqvi came to the limelight by saving a woman from an angry mob in Lahore for which she garnered praise from public and governmental quarters.
Shehar Bano Naqvi joined the police service after clearing the CSS exam in 2019.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan distanced the party from former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s controversial social media post on the 1971 civil war and the Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report, saying the post should be seen in a “political context”.
“The context and comparison that we drew with 1971 was in a political context and not otherwise — nothing about the army,” said Barrister Gohar in an interview with digital news outlet Azaad Urdu.
On May 26, Imran Khan’s account on X shared a video about the separation of East Pakistan along with a quote attributed to him: “Every Pakistani should study the Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report and get to know who was the true traitor, General Yahya Khan or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”
PTI Chairman said Khan was in prison and “does not approve every video or context”.
In the video, it was argued that the people’s mandate was not respected and the former military dictator was the one responsible for the country’s breakup.
The footage also showed the atrocities committed by the Pakistani military during the civil war when it conducted Operation Searchlight in 1971.
The post garnered backlash from fellow political leaders. PPP Senator Sherry Rehman had said the post was “alarming” and the PTI was “continuously fueling the narrative of hatred and incitement” by comparing Imran to Sheikh Mujibur Rehman.
Netizens also discovered an old tweet in which Imran Khan had disparagingly compared Nawaz Sharif to Mujib, a complete contradiction of his latest tweet.
Pakistani dramas have a huge fanbase at home and abroad, but lately, there’s been debate about the scripts. TV dramas still attract massive viewership, however, the endings can make or break the whole experience. Unfortunately, many recent dramas have left viewers disappointed with their conclusions, tarnishing their otherwise strong narratives.
Here are some popular Pakistani dramas that aired recently but disappointed viewers with unsatisfying endings.
Ishq Murshid
‘Ishq Murshid,’ a hugely successful drama, faced a similar fate with its ending. The storyline, centered around Shibra and Shahmeer, started off promising but ended in confusion. The rushed wedding and the addition of another cultural ceremony felt unnecessary. Shahmeer’s character, portrayed as a killer in the end, lacked development and failed to contribute positively. Meanwhile, Shibra’s naivety, despite knowing she was marrying a politician, seemed unrealistic. The drama, which initially had a strong plot, concluded poorly, leaving viewers puzzled. Despite this, the makers profited from cinema screenings.
Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha
‘Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha’ starred Wahaj Ali from ‘Tere Bin’ and Hania Aamir from ‘Mere Humsafar.’ It aimed to be a love story featuring Kaifi Khalil’s famous song, ‘Kahani Suno.’ However, despite high hopes, the chemistry between the leads never clicked with the audience. The drama ended suddenly, with Hania accepting Wahaj’s love, while Zaviyar Nauman Ijaz found himself in another controversy caused by his cousin, leaving viewers puzzled.
Namak Haaram
The drama promised us a thrilling murder mystery and a tale of revenge, starring the popular duo Imran Ashraf and Sarah Khan. However, what unfolded was disappointing. By the fifth or sixth episode, the plot became predictable, with unnecessary characters hogging too much screen time. In the end, the hero was killed without achieving anything significant. The heroine, on the other hand, fell into a deep depression, living a life in servant quarters and raising her child alone. It was a letdown for the audience, wasting their time and energy.
Mein
‘Mein’ was a highly anticipated drama, boasting a big budget and starring Ayeza Khan and Wahaj Ali. However, the outcome was disappointing. Despite having Ayeza and Wahaj as leads, the focus shifted to Asif Uncle’s character, overshadowing the hero. The ending was unsatisfactory, with no character finding happiness. Wahaj Ali’s character was portrayed as foolish and lacking control over life’s circumstances. It was a letdown for viewers who expected more from the drama.
Tere Bin
‘Tere Bin’ was a huge hit among Pakistani dramas, thanks to the amazing chemistry between Yumna Zaidi and Wahaj Ali. However, the ending left much to be desired. The original story involved Meerab experiencing marital rape and leaving her husband, Murtasim, eventually giving birth to their daughter. However, due to public pressure, the makers changed this plot. Unfortunately, this decision left the story feeling disjointed, with Meerab’s actions seeming illogical. Despite its success, many viewers were unhappy with how the drama ended, feeling that the sensitive issue of marital rape was mishandled.
After Iran mourned President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a recent helicopter crash, the nation’s focus turns to an election next month for his successor, with the conservative camp seeking support from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The lead-up to the early vote on June 28 has opened up the field to a broad range of hopefuls from all political parties. The big question for them is how many candidacies will survive the vetting process in the Islamic republic.
President Raisi, who had more than a year left of his first term, died on May 19 alongside his foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and six others when their helicopter crashed into a fog-shrouded mountainside.
They were laid to rest in multi-day funeral rites drawing mass crowds of mourners.
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf (R) greets lawmakers during the inauguration session for the new Parliament in Tehran on May 27, 2024. — AFP
The June vote will be held during a turbulent time, as the Gaza war rages between Israel and Hamas, and amid continued diplomatic tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Khamenei, who has the final say in all matters of state, has assigned Raisi’s vice president, Mohammad Mokhber, 68, to assume interim duties for the next few weeks and organise the June election.
Among other hopefuls, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili was one of the first to announce his candidacy.
Other contenders include moderate former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and centrist Ali Larijani, who served as the speaker in parliament.
Ex-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has so far kept voters guessing and said he is “checking the conditions to decide whether to register”.
Under Iran’s election process, candidates will have several days to formally register, starting on May 30.
The final list, however, will depend on the outcome of the validation process by the conservative-dominated Guardian Council following a June 3 registration deadline.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a public holiday today to celebrate Youm-e-Takbeer. Everything in the country is at a standstill, and the annual exams in schools have been delayed.
Shehbaz Sharif announced the holiday to commemorate the day when Pakistan conducted a successful nuclear test in Chaghai in 1998.
Provincial authorities postponed matriculation exams scheduled for today due to the public holiday.
All government departments, educational institutions, the Stock Exchange, and courts are closed across the country due to the holiday.
Pakistan, which is already suffering from inflation and has a stable economy, gets 120 public holidays annually. Due to a single day off, the national GDP faces a 1-2% loss, which equals more than Rs 100 billion. Economic analyst Khuram Shehzad said that a public holiday affects the national exchequer between $1.1 and $1.3 billion. He also added that the impact could be bigger if the holiday is “sudden.”
