Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir said on Thursday that the presence of illegal foreigners in the country is “seriously affecting” its security and economy, adding that the decision to send illegal foreigners to their home country is beneficial for Pakistan.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief passed the remarks during a visit to Peshawar, where he briefly explained the security situation, ongoing counter-terrorism operations, and the return of undocumented foreign nationals.
“Decision to repatriate them has been taken by the government in the interest of Pakistan,” General Asim said, as quoted by the military’s media wing.
The army chief also mentioned that all the illegal immigrants are being sent to their home country in a “humane and dignified manner.”
According to the Interior Ministry, almost 255,029 illegal foreigners have left for Afghanistan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
On his visit to Peshawar, Gen. Munir interacted with soldiers and officers, and he said while addressing them that “The nation takes pride and acknowledges the accomplishments of its Armed Forces. Pakistan is destined to succeed and the Pakistan Army will continue to undertake its selfless and sacred duty of safeguarding every inch of the motherland till the last drop of blood, InshaAllah.”
Nobel Prize winner and activist Malala Yousafzai was a guest on GEO’s ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’ where she spoke at length about why she stressed on the need to address the gender apartheid in Afghanistan, adding that a ceasefire in Gaza should be demanded by everyone.
Speaking to host Shahzeb Khanzada, Malala said she has consistently called for a ceasefire since the last month because targeting innocent people cannot be justified.
“There is no explanation for attacking innocent people. So many children have been killed and families have become homeless because of the attack,” stressed the girls education activist. “I’m worried that there isn’t a lot of pressure right now to stop the war.”
Malala urged audiences to pressurise their leaders to call for the UN to insert global pressure on Israel to stop the genocide.
On Tuesday, Malala was the target of outrage when during a 15 minute speech at the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture, she did not call out Israel for being an apartheid state because of the ongoing Gaza genocide which has now claimed more than 20,000 lives.
Malala also spoke on the show about the Nelson Mandela event where she was the key note speaker, discussing the gender apartheid in Afghanistan, where women and girls face oppression from the Taliban.
“When I got the opportunity to speak at the Nelson Mandela event, it was important for me to speak about the gender apartheid we’re witnessing today in Afghanistan against women and girls. We can call this situation an apartheid because women and girls are being oppressed and are being deprived of their basic human rights. The state, which is responsible for protecting these women, is the one who is oppressing them.”
Malala said her lecture addressed the world and the United Nations to urgently address this matter, and to reform the definition of apartheid to include gender in it, so the conversation keeps going forward. She said she will continue to push world leaders to reflect on how women in Afghanistan cannot study, go outside their homes or even visit a doctor without permission from a man.
Malala also addressed the ongoing Afghan refugee crisis in Pakistan, calling it a “cruel decision” to send young Afghan girls back to a country where they would never be allowed to study again.
“This is a difficult time for many Afghan families who are being forcefully sent back to Afghanistan. Several of them escaped in 2021 because of the threat of the Taliban’s rise, and among them are several feminist activists whose lives are under threat if they went back. Some of these families had stayed in Afghanistan for 20 to 30 years, and have girls who were studying in schools…I am extremely worried for these girls because she will never be able to see a school if she is sent back to Afghanistan.”
Malala slammed the government decision as against our “human rights, culture and religion’. She pointed out that in Islam, Muslims are urged to take care of others. The activist urged Pakistani authorities to revoke the decision and give support to Afghan refugees, to prevent little girls from going back to a country which would rob them of their rights.
A powerful fire broke out in the Arshi shopping mall in Karachi’s Ayesha Manzil area on Wednesday evening, leaving three people dead and two injured.
The six-storeyed building, consisted of two commercial floors (ground and mezzanine), while the remaining four were residential.
Several people trapped in the residential floors of the building above the shops were rescued but lost their belongings to the inferno. The fire was so intense that clouds of black smoke could be seen from many kilometres away.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab confirmed the tragic loss of three lives in the devastating fire at Arshi Mall. Two people who sustained burn injuries are under treatment. He also went to the spot to monitor rescue efforts late at night.
Mayor Karachi @murtazawahab1 visited the fire site at Arshi shopping mall at Ayesha Manzil ,district central Karachi . @KmcPakistan fire officers are working ,situation is under control pic.twitter.com/GnvTL90L5d
K-Electric cut off the electricity supply to the area to avoid further damage. They also participated in rescue efforts.
The fire severely impacted approximately 100 shops, warehouses, and 450 flats.
Shopkeepers have stated that their entire stock had been burned to the ground. They demanded financial compensation from the government for their losses.
The fire erupted around 5:47pm.
It originated in a clothes shop and rapidly spread to neighbouring stores selling foam and furniture.
The Director of Rescue 1122 stated that approximately 300 individuals have been evacuated from the building.
This is the second fire in 12 days in Karachi and probably not the last as experts say more than 90 per cent of the industries, residential buildings, and structures in Karachi, which is the largest industrial hub in Pakistan, lack fire safety arrangements as building codes were not being implemented by the authorities concerned, reported Geo.
Pakistani actress, television producer and host Nausheen Masood has passed away after a long battle with cancer. She was well known for her role in the famous comedy drama ‘Dolly Ki Ayegi Barat’.
Her death was announced by her ex-husband Tariq Quraishi in a Facebook post:
“My ex-wife, Nausheen Masud, passed away this morning after a long and tough battle with cancer. She loved her two sons immensely. They were her babies, her advisors and her eyes lit up whenever she saw them. May she rest in peace leaving behind wondrous memories for her sons.”
Celebrities have offered condolences on the actress’ passing. Adnan Siddiqui wrote:
“Farewell to the remarkable Nausheen Masud, dear friend and beautiful soul. Her warmth and style added magic to every moment we shared on and off camera. Grateful for the memories we co-created. Rest peacefully, Nausheen.”
Farewell to the remarkable Nausheen Masud, dear friend and beautiful soul. Her warmth and style added magic to every moment we shared on and off camera. Grateful for the memories we co-created. Rest peacefully, Nausheen. pic.twitter.com/xqn97UGcHl
GEO anchor Shahzad Iqbal shared an endearing memory of Nausheen pushing him to debut in front of the camera. Shahzad wrote on X about admiring Nausheen who was his first boss when he began working.
“I am sure it’s sad news for many who knew her but it’s extremely sad on personal level as well. I owe her big time for giving me my first break. I had always admired Nausheen Masud as a VJ on a music show in mid 90s and later she happened to be my first Boss when I started working. She hired me as an Associate documentary producer but later she literally forced me to come in front of the camera, first as a business reporter and then as an Anchor. May be she had more faith in me at that time than myself. And there are many more who started their TV careers because she believed in them. May Allah rest your soul in peace.. Please pray for the departed soul.”
GEO anchor Shahzeb Khanzada also took to Twitter to share his condolences on the actor’s passing, and shared his experience of working with Nausheen during the beginning of his career.
Extremely Sad to know about her death. Nausheen Masud was a very kind person and great human being. She hired me on my first job and showed trust and faith that gave me the confidence to speak up what I believed in. May Allah rest her soul in peace https://t.co/DbkxZz6P5Q
The Supreme Court has ruled that haq mahr must be paid by the husband whenever the wife demands it, not just in the event of divorce. Mahr is the mandatory payment or gift from the groom to the bride at the time of marriage. It is a fundamental part of an Islamic marriage contract and is considered the bride’s exclusive right, reports The Express Tribune.
In a petition to the court, a husband had contended that since he had not divorced his wife, he was not liable to pay the mahr.
Rejecting the contention, a three-member bench led by Chief Justice Pakistan Isa referred to a 2001 judgment in which the Supreme Court had held that mahr can be demanded even when a marriage continues and that the husband is under obligation to pay the amount agreed upon at the time of the wedding.
Referring to that case, the bench lamented that the wife had to file a suit for recovery of her mahr and maintenance and the husband unnecessarily involved her in legal proceedings that reached the court after six-and-a-half years.
Chief Justice Isa criticised lower courts that did not penalize the husband for filing unnecessary appeals. “If the man was fined for filing unnecessary appeals, it would not have taken too long to decide the case. Filing of unnecessary appeals is paralyzing the judicial system,” he observed. The CJP said that the courts should not hesitate to impose fines to end unnecessary litigation.
The chief justice ordered Khalid Parvez, the petitioner, to pay a Rs100,000 fine, the cost of legal proceedings along with mahr to his wife Samina, and dismissed his appeal, reported Dunya News.
“Mahr has to be paid whenever demanded by the wife,” said a three-page written order authored by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa in a case related to non-payment of the money. The court also noted that mahr is an Islamic concept mentioned in the Holy Quran— Surah An-Nisa verse 4 and Surah Al-Baqrah verses 236-7. It is specifically recognized by the law of Pakistan in Section 2 of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1962.
On December 12, a larger bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, comprising nine members, is scheduled to hear on the presidential reference regarding the reconsideration of the judgment on Bhutto’s death sentence.
It has been decided to schedule a presidential reference hearing to declare the execution of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) founder and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as judicial murder.
According to sources, the presidential reference regarding Zulfiqar Bhutto’s execution is likely to be scheduled for hearing next week.
According to the sources of Geo News, a larger bench will hear the presidential reference related to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Sources also said that the presidential reference will be heard under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faiz Isa.
It should be remembered that in 2011, the PPP government, through the then President Asif Ali Zardari, filed a reference in the Supreme Court (SC) regarding the execution of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
Now, after a long gap of almost 11 years, the reference is going to be fixed for hearing again.
In a significant political development, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) head Nawaz Sharif visited Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain at his residence after a gap of almost 15 years.
According to the sources of Geo News, the meeting lasted for almost 40 minutes, with both leaders discussing the possibility of a political alliance for the upcoming general elections on February 8 next year.
PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and other leaders, including Maryam Nawaz, Rana Sanaullah, Ayaz Sadiq, and Azam Nazeer Tarar, also attended the huddle.
PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, Salik Hussain and Shafay Hussain were also in the meeting.
The gathering occurs amidst heightened political engagement, with parties actively conducting election campaigns and forming electoral alliances to strengthen their position in the polls.
Nawaz, a three-time former prime minister, came back to the country in October after nearly four years of exile in London. His return was aimed at energising his supporters in preparation for the elections.
Earlier, the PML-N supremo succeeded in wooing electables from Balochistan to join his party ranks and also forged an electoral alliance with Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).
Journalist Rana Ghulam Qadir has published a report in The News about the shocking drop in the number of applications submitted for the Hajj 2024.
The report states the last date for receiving Hajj applications is approaching. The Ministry of Religious Affairs said on Tuesday that the number of applications received in five days from November 27 to December 5 was disappointing. One week is left till the ending date.
The number of Hajj quotas under the government scheme is 89,605. Out of this, the quota of the sponsorship scheme has been fixed at 25,000. According to the ministry, the number of Hajj applications received in the last ten days is 12,600.
Out of them, 800 have come under the sponsorship scheme while the remaining one comes under the regular scheme.
In the past, a large number of applications was submitted in the initial days, but this year the number is very low. There is a possibility that there may not be a required number of applications as per the Hajj quota, especially since the target of the sponsorship scheme seems difficult to achieve.
Officials of the ministry said that if the target is not met by December 12, the deadline will be extended.
One reason for the low demand is inflation and the other reason is that Hajj is in June and the ministry is already moving six months in advance. The ministry sought the applications early so that Hajj arrangements could be improved.
An application asking to separate Justice Ejazul Ahsan from the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on the issue of a complaint against Supreme Court (SC) Justice Mazahir Naqvi in the SJC has been filed.
Mian Dawood Advocate filed a constitutional petition in the SC in which the Federal Government and the Secretary SJC have been made parties, while the order sheet of the case of former CCPO Ghulam Mehmood Dogar is also attached to the petition.
It has been argued in the petition that Justice Ijaz should be removed from the council hearing the complaint against Justice Mazahar, and another senior judge should be made a part of the SJC in his place.
It has been said in the petition that the reference to corruption and misconduct against Justice Naqvi is under hearing in the Judicial Council. On the complaint of the petitioner, the Judicial Council has issued a second show cause notice to Justice Mazahar. In relation to the Ghulam Mahmood Dogar case, Justice Ijaz was part of the bench that heard the case; therefore, legally and in principle, no judge who heard the case of Ghulam Mahmood Dogar can be a member of the Judicial Council.
It has been further stated in the petition that Justice Ejazul Ahsan being a member of the SJC is against Articles 10A and 9 of the Constitution. Justice Ejaz will not be able to meet the demands of justice in the council.
T-Series is once again at the centre of controversy with another artist calling out the music house and Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam for plagiarising a Pakistani song.
Omer Nadeem took to his Instagram account to call out Sonu for stealing his 2009 track ‘Aye Khuda’. He shared two videos in a post, one of Sonu’s recent track and the other one of his track.
“I’ve reached a point in my life where I couldn’t care less about these things,” wrote the singer. “But hey, if you’re going to do it, at least toss a little credit to the OG track. If you’re gonna pull this off, could’ve at least done it with some finesse. Huge fan of Sonu Nigam, but let’s be real, this is light years away from the real deal.”
Fans are criticising T-Series for once again ripping off Pakistani artists. Actress Armeena Khan was among them as she called out the Bollywood singer for stealing tunes.
This is not the first time T-Series has been accused of plagiarism. Previously, singer Farasat Anees called T-Series a “disgrace” for copying his popular track ‘Biba’. The singer shared clips from both songs on his Instagram account and expressed his thanks to Indian fans who supported him.
