Tag: trending

  • SC crisis continues as Justice Faez Isa refuses to hear cases, summons court registrar over changes in benches

    SC crisis continues as Justice Faez Isa refuses to hear cases, summons court registrar over changes in benches

    Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Yahya Afridi of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) have taken notice of the procedure for scheduling hearings in the apex court, summoning Registrar Ishrat Ali to appear before them.

    The court summoned the registrar to appear before the two Justices along with all records, stating that there is no “transparency” in his office.

    The development came after Justice Faez Isa, the second senior most judge in the court, found his bench changed in the morning from what it was yesterday. The future Chief Justice said that the cases whose files he had read yesterday had been changed while the judge who was with him on the bench had been changed too.

    “I am a judge of the Supreme Court, I have also been the Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court for five years. We want transparency, if the registrar transfers the case from one bench to another, how will there be transparency,” Justice Isa asked.

    Faez Isa also said that it seems that a registrar is more powerful than a judge like him. “I cannot hear the cases dated 2010 because the registrar appoints the cases for hearing. Can I call the registrar and ask that put up such-and-such case before the bench?”

    The honourable judge asked the registrar what is the policy of assigning cases. “On April 2, 2022, the court ordered the registrar to fix the procedure for fixing cases, there is no such thing as transparency in fixing cases in the registrar’s office.”

    Ishrat Ali said that cases are set for hearing only with the approval of the Chief Justice of Pakistan. Justice Yahya Afridi then asked that Justice Hasan Rizvi was on ​​the bench, why did the bench change. “What is the procedure for fixing cases?”

    Former President of the Supreme Court Bar, Amanullah Kunrani said that people are tired of asking but our cases are not taken up.

    Justice Faez Isa asked the registrar that why was Justice Yahya Afridi and his bench changed? “Changing the bench without informing raises suspicions in the public mind,” said Isa.

    The Registrar said the Chief Justice’s staff officer verbally instructed that the roster must be changed. Justice Isa said he apologises that he cannot hear his cases today due to the sudden change of bench.

    He also said that a judge’s oath and code of conduct require equal treatment. “Article 10A is included in the fundamental rights, which says that there must be legal reasons for changing the bench.”

    “Arbitrary decision was made by making a bench of will, the dignity of the judiciary will be lower due to lack of transparency. Transparency requires that the case which was entered first should be heard first,” said Justice Isa.

  • Man who couldn’t read or write as a teenager becomes sociology professor at Cambridge

    Man who couldn’t read or write as a teenager becomes sociology professor at Cambridge

    Jason Arday, who was diagnosed with autism and global developmental delay as a child, has become the youngest black professor at Cambridge University. Ardy couldn’t read or write until he was eighteen, and only started speaking at 11 years of age. Arday has revealed that as a child, he was told that he will need to live at an assisted living facility. However, he refused to let the diagnosis break his spirit, writing ‘Work at Oxford or Cambridge’ as one of his life goals on his mom’s bedroom wall.

    Speaking to the BBC, Arday recalled how reading about Nelson Mandela’s struggles and later witnessing South Africa win the 1995 Rugby World Cup made him determined that if he “didn’t make it as a football player or a snooker player,” then he would “save the world.”

    Arday spoke to The Times about the numerous rejections he received from academia because he didn’t have a mentor who taught him how to write.
    “Everything I submitted got violently rejected. The peer review process was so cruel, it was almost funny, but I treated it as a learning experience and, perversely, began to enjoy it.”
    Eventually, he completed two masters degrees from the University of Surrey and later recieved his PhD from Liverpool John Moores University in 2016.
    “A lot of academics say they stumbled into this line of work, but from that moment, I was determined and focused — I knew that this would be my goal. On reflection, this is what I meant to do,” Arday revealed to The Times.
    With his position as a Sociology Professor at Cambrdige, Arday said that he hoped to find more ways people from marginalized backgrounds can find acceptance in academia.
    “My work focuses primarily on how we can open doors to more people from disadvantaged backgrounds and truly democratize higher education,” he said.

  • Twitter users collectively agree that the chemistry in ‘Mujhe Pyar Hua Tha’ is at its peak

    Twitter users collectively agree that the chemistry in ‘Mujhe Pyar Hua Tha’ is at its peak

    ARY drama serial ‘Mujhay Pyar Hua Tha’ aired its 12th episode last night and Twitter users have collectively agreed that there’s no jori that deserves more praises than Maheer and Saad.
    In the episode, we witness the couple begin their married life together and slowly open up to each other. What is wholesome is how despite the fact that their marriage was arranged at the last minute, Saad still assures her that he would never restrict her to living the way he wants and will respect her wishes as he did as a friend before.

    We also witnessed some light husband and wife banter between the two, which has made fans declare that no one has served chemistry in the past like the way Hania Amir and Wahaj Ali are. Have they defeated ‘Humsafar’s’ long-held topslot?

    We have to agree with the rest of Twitter that Saad is one of the finest male leads we have watched on television screens. A caring and compassionate man who is gentle to the women in his life? Is kind and selfless to his lover, despite the fact that she may not be on the same page as him, but promises not to impose his feelings or force her into marrying him? Respects the fact that Maheer loves someone else and assures her that he will help her, regardless of the pain he feels? Print this in history books please.

    And we’re particularly marking down the days until the next episode releases because it looks like Maheer and Saad will be serving more couple goals, and keeping us singles crying in our sleep.

  • Govts spent Rs65m on foreign tours in one year, Rs57m on vehicles

    Govts spent Rs65m on foreign tours in one year, Rs57m on vehicles

    The National Assembly (NA) was informed on Monday that an amount of Rs65.21 million (Rs6,521,1504) was spent on the foreign visits of federal ministers, state ministers, and advisors and special assistants to the PM from January 1, 2022 to December 2022. 

    In response to a question asked by Ghous Bux Mahar of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), the lower house was informed about the amount spent on the foreign visits.

    According to the report published in The News, “The list presented by the Cabinet Division, Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Abdul Qadir Patel tops the list with expenditure of Rs10.42 million (Rs10,420,163) incurred on his foreign visits, while Rs3.78 million was spent on Minister for Board of Investment Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Rs4.91 million (Rs49,14,459) on the foreign visits of Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman, Rs1.84 million (Rs1,846,632) on the foreign visits of Minister for Communication Maulana Asad Mehmood, Rs5.89 million (Rs5,893. 142) on the foreign visits of Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, Rs9.35 lakh on the foreign visits of ex-minister for defense production Zubaida Jalal, Rs2.5 million (Rs2,586,321) on the foreign visits of Minister for Defense Production Israr Tareen, Rs3.167 million (Rs3,167,951) on the foreign visits of Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Rs2.60 million (Rs2,604,456) on the foreign visits of Khurram Dastgir, Rs3.5 million (Rs3,500,222) on the foreign visits of Minister of State for Energy (Petroleum Division) Dr Musadik Malik, Rs1.5 million (Rs1,529,964) on the foreign visits of ex-minister for economic affairs Omar Ayub Khan, Rs9.12 lakh on the foreign visits of ex-minister for federal education and professional training Shafqat Mehmood, Rs178,401 on the foreign visits of federal minister for federal education and professional training Rana Tanveer Hussain, Rs912,239 on the foreign visits of ex-finance minister senator Shaukat Tarin, Rs4.59 million (Rs4,569, 160) on the foreign visits of ex-finance minister Miftah Ismael, Rs2.45 million (Rs2,451,289) on the foreign visits of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Rs4.096 million (Rs4,096, 290) on the foreign visits of Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Aisha Ghaus, Rs1.54 million (Rs1,541.475) on the foreign visits of Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Ehsan-ur-Rehman Mazari, Rs619,157 on the foreign visits of Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Rs1.8 million (Rs1.849,433) on the foreign visits of Minister for Information Technology Syed Aminul Haq, Rs818,646 on the foreign visits of Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Rs805,954 on the foreign visits of Minister for Maritimes Affairs Senator Faisal Sabzwari, Rs3.117 million (Rs3,117,488) on the foreign visits of Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sajid Hussain Turi, Rs1.58 million (Rs1,587,652) on the foreign visits of Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Justice Shazia Marri and Rs791,256 on the foreign visits of Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor.”

    “Similarly, Rs39,850 was spent on the visits of ex-advisor to the PM on national security Moeed Yousaf to Kabul and Rs19,296 on China visit. Ex-Advisor to the PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood spent Rs466.285 and Rs481,854 on visits to Dubai.”

    “An amount of Rs328,332 was spent on the foreign visits of ex-SAPM on social protection and poverty alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar to Dubai, Rs195,309 on the foreign visit of ex-SAPM on climate change Malik Amin Aslam to Saudi Arabia, Rs457,383 on the foreign visit of ex-SAPM on tourism coordination Azam Jamil to Dubai and Rs1,437,139 on the visit of SAPM on poverty alleviation Faisal Karim Kundi to Egypt and Rs1,333,960 on visit to Istanbul.”

    “It was informed that Rs57.36 million (Rs573,260,000) had been spent on the purchase of eight new vehicles for the protocol squad of foreign guests.”

    “In a written reply to a question by Sikandar Ali Rahoupoto, the National Assembly was informed that the vehicles include one 29 seater Toyota VIP Coaster (Model 2022) costing Rs17,154,000, 14 seater Toyota high roof van (Model 2022) costing Rs10,772,000 and six 1800cc Toyota Corolla Cars (Model 2022) coting Rs29,400,000.”

  • Justice first, then elections; Maryam Nawaz wants ‘balanced scale’ before polls

    Justice first, then elections; Maryam Nawaz wants ‘balanced scale’ before polls

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Monday once again criticised the judiciary, stating that there justice has to be delivered first, and then elections will be held.

    Addressing a workers’ convention in Sahiwal, Maryam Nawaz demanded redressal of “injustice” against the party’s supremo, Nawaz Sharif. She said that first the accusations of “Sicilian mafia” and “Godfather” will have to be withdrawn and then elections will be held.

     “The scales of justice must be balanced,” she said, before unleashing a furious verbal attack on former Chief Justices Saqib Nisar and Asif Saeed Khosa. She emphasised that polls would be conducted in the country when the vote is given respect.

    Talking about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Maryam said, “Elections will be held after Imran Khan will be measured on the same standards of justice set for Nawaz Sharif.”

    The PML-N senior vice president said Khan has been kept around to damage Pakistan, adding that he must be brought to justice.

    Maryam claimed Khan was running away from courts, making excuses about his plastered leg every time he was summoned.

    Khan is still being saved by the “remnants” of former spy chief Lieutenant General (retired) Faiz Hameed in the judiciary, she alleged.

    She then sought answers from the judges on the “Panama bench”, pointing the finger for its creation at ISI chief Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed.

    “Why was Pakistan’s development put at stake?” she asked.

    She also blamed the “Panama bench” and its creators for inflation, and the country’s dependence on the IMF. She remarked that former prime minister Imran Khan’s alleged facilitators knew he was incompetent, incapable and damaging for the country. “They imposed him and destroyed Pakistan in Nawaz Sharif’s hatred,” she told the crowd.

  • 28 bodies of Pakistanis recovered in migrant boat crash off Italy’s coast

    28 bodies of Pakistanis recovered in migrant boat crash off Italy’s coast

    The bodies of 28 Pakistanis have been recovered after a wooden sail boat carrying migrants from several countries crashed against the rocks off the southern Italian coast early on Sunday.

    According to the Pakistani embassy in Rome, a total of 40 Pakistanis were on board the ill-fated boat. The fate of 12 more citizens is still unclear.

    Talking about the tragic incident, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has said that most of the Pakistan who died belonged to Gujrat and some of them were on their way to Italy from Libya.

    The agency also said that strict action will be surely taken against the facilitators, ‘agents’ who send these people via illegal routes to foreign countries.

    A total of 59 migrants lost their life in the crash. The survivors were mostly from Afghanistan, as well as a few from Pakistan and a couple from Somalia. One survivor was arrested on migrant trafficking charges, customs police said.

    “According to survivors, 140 to 150 people were on board,” Manuela Curra, the provincial government official said. She added that 81 survivors— most of them from Afghanistan —had come ashore, including 22 who were now in the hospital.

  • Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar aur Azam Swati Kot Lakhpat Jail mein larr parray, claims Punjab caretaker minister

    Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar aur Azam Swati Kot Lakhpat Jail mein larr parray, claims Punjab caretaker minister

    Caretaker Minister for Information of Punjab Amir Mir has claimed that three senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)— Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, and Senator Azam Swati—got into an argument in Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore after they presented themselves for arrest before the police.

    While talking to Dawn News‘ Nadia Naqi, the minister said, “Jab yeh pehli raat giraftaar hoye hain aur inhy Kot Lakhpat Jail mei rakha gaya hai toh yeh Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar aur Azam Swati aapas mei jaghar parey thy” (On the very first night after being arrested, they were kept in Kot Lakhpat Jail where they started fighting with each other).

    According to the minister, the senior leadership got into an argument because the three of them were blaming each other for their arrests.

    He said considering the tense standoff between the three, they were transferred to different jails.

    The minister also noted that Qureshi had said that he was going to the Office of the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore for a cup of tea when Punjab police arrested him.

    PTI leaders were arrested last week on Wednesday from Lahore as part of their party’s Jail Bharro Tehreek (voluntary arrest movement).

    At the time, the police claimed that the PTI leaders forcefully made their way to the prison van. Currently, Asad Umar is in District Jail, Rajanpur, Qureshi in District Jail, Attock and Swati is serving his time in District Jail, Raheem Yar Khan.

  • ‘It’ prequel ‘Welcome to Derry’ gets green light and now Twitter wants a cameo of ‘Derry Girls’ in it

    ‘It’ prequel ‘Welcome to Derry’ gets green light and now Twitter wants a cameo of ‘Derry Girls’ in it

    Ever wanted to witness two completely opposite genres colliding together, out of the blue? It seems like Twitter has found an excuse to make that happen.
    On Monday it was confirmed that ‘Welcome to Derry’, a prequel series to ‘It’ has been greenlit. The project will explore the origins of creepy clown Pennywise, and how he became the monster that loves hiding under gutters.
    When the news popped up on social media, every television fan on Twitter could think of one thing: the popular Irish series ‘Derry Girls’. Soon, a plethora of memes flooded Twitter when people tried to work out what would happen if Uncle Colm found Pennywise creepily dancing near some shed.

    First of all, how would the news break around town?

    https://twitter.com/acthlutrl/status/1629769379272425472?s=20

    We all know which person starring him down to remind him whose the real nightmare in this town

    PLEASE

    We’re paying whatever the producers want only for this interaction 

    A special dedicated to Pennywise and Aunt Sarah discussing makeup? We’ll take it!

    This is *chef’s kiss*

    It even got a heads up from the show creator herself 

  • For Pakistanis, happy brides aren’t the prettiest

    For Pakistanis, happy brides aren’t the prettiest

    Was there an earthquake on our Instagram account last night? We found some distressing comments bunched under the old war cry of ‘Is This The Islamic Republic Of Pakistan?!’. Some people declared that they will unfollow our account for posting such content. At first, naturally we thought this was in reaction to a murder story, or regarding the number of rape cases we post everyday. But surprise, surprise, it wasn’t. No other post got this kind of attention or criticism like a video of actress Ushna Shah dancing at her wedding did.
    Pakistani women walk a tightrope everyday. They can’t declare to the world that they want to remain childless and single for the rest of their lives; not without attracting criticism for “hurting the sentiments of millions”. Or if they do choose to marry and remain happily in love with one man for the rest of their lives, they’re criticized for being extremely vulgar, refusing to confide with traditions of our society, and even promoting Western values.
    Because for Pakistan, a happy woman is a sinful woman. And any woman enjoying her life and living it to her own terms is what will trigger an already joy-less nation. Nothing else will attract this much hostility and negative backlash the way a woman dancing away on her wedding will.
    Like here is someone declaring that the reason for earthquakes striking Pakistan is because of a bride dancing the night away in a red dress?

    Ma’am, what sort of crime did Shah commit by spending her own money on her own wedding, and then happily dancing because she was in love? Did this massive earthquake over look the rise of poverty, corruption, terrorism and murder cases and clutch it’s pearls because of a woman being happy and in love?
    Or like this azeem shakhs who declared Shah was a kafir for dancing away in a ‘shameless’ dress which showed her bare midriff.

    Did you get invited to her wedding, or even pay for the events and more specifically her dress? No! Then keep your nose out of it. Women don’t need to mold their lives according to how people’s expectations matter. It’s her dress, she decides what to wear.
    And we haven’t forgotten the pile of hateful content that specifically targetted Ushna Shah’s dress, insulting her with terms like ‘Indian’ like this commentor is.

    Because color me pink, red was solely a color that Indian brides have worn. Anyone familiar with the history of Pakistan knows our culture and wedding practices are no different from Indian ones. Many Pakistani brides have worn wedding dresses made by popular Indian designers like Sabyasachi, while the same happens across the border. Besides that, Shah, or any other woman, has the right to choose what dresse she wants to wear on her own wedding.
    Ushna Shah had herself stepped in to silence the critics by reminding them that by the end of the day, it’s her choice to wear what she wants and celebrate in any way that makes her happy.

    “To those who have a problem with my dress:

    You weren’t invited, nor did you pay for my shade of red.

    My jewelery, my jora: purely Pakistani.”

    And that extends to every woman in Pakistan. They can celebrate the happiest day of their lives without paying attention to the negative voices in the shadows.

  • Gen Amjad Shoaib in police custody for ‘inciting hatred against institutions’

    Gen Amjad Shoaib in police custody for ‘inciting hatred against institutions’

    Lieutenant General (retd) Amjad Shoaib was arrested by Islamabad police in the federal capital on Monday morning.

    A first information report (FIR) was registered against Gen Shoaib on February 25 at Islamabad’s Ramna Police Station.

    The FIR was registered under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups, etc) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

    According to the FIR, filed on the complaint of Islamabad Magistrate Owais Khan, the former army officer incited people to revolt against institutions and attempted to provoke disharmony and anarchy and create a law and order situation in the country through controversial statements he made on a TV show.

    In the complaint, Magistrate Khan said that the retired general — in an interview on BOL TV’s show ‘Imran Khan Bol Kay Saath’ aired on Saturday — passed statements that “incited government officials and Opposition from performing their government and legal duties”.

    During today’s hearing, the prosecution informed the court about the case registered against the former three-star general and requested a seven-day physical remand.

    The prosecutor then read out the text of the complaint filed against the retired general.

    “Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib was present as a guest on a private television [channel]. Hatred was spread against the government through his statement. Through his statement, an attempt was made to create hatred between the government, opposition and government officials,” he read the complaint.

    The prosecutor said, “The relations between the Opposition and the government are not well; they were incited through the statement.

    “The Opposition is being incited to employ a stricter strategy against the government. Through Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib’s statement, hatred is being spread between three factions,” he added.

    “As per the sections imposed on Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib, a sentence of five years can be given,” prosecutor Adnan said.

    He said a photogrammetric and a voice matching were required, adding that the former will be done in Lahore.

    At this point during the hearing, Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib’s counsel Abbasi opposed the grant of the physical remand and requested that his client be discharged from the case.

    Advocate Abbasi said, “The court has to see whether Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib even committed a crime or not. If the magistrate thinks the suspect has not committed any offence, then [Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib] can be discharged from the case.”

    Advocate Abbasi said, “Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib is almost 80 years old and is being harassed since a long time. He was sent behind bars within an hour of filing the case.”

    Imam, another member of Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib’s defence team, said his client had acknowledged giving the said statements on the TV channel. “If he has admitted his statement and presence [on the TV show], then why does a photogrammetric and voice matching test need to be done?” he asked.

    Upon this, the prosecutor said, “The evidence of voice matching and a photogrammetric test is necessary for the trial.”

    At one point, the retired general’s counsel said “the arrests of [only] two institutions’ officials had been pending,” adding that “the next arrest could perhaps be of a member of the judiciary.”

    Following the conclusion of the arguments from both sides, the court reserved its verdict.